His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Watani Fund, has affirmed that the Fund's summer programmes in their fourth edition represent a practical embodiment of the wise vision and sound directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God preserve him, which place investment in the Emirati people and the reinforcement of their identity and authentic values at the forefront of national priorities.
His Excellency noted that the broad participation of students, schools, cultural centres, and universities reflects the importance of these initiatives and their role in providing an educational and creative environment that puts students' time during the summer holiday to productive use, through heritage and knowledge-based activities and competitions focusing on authentic values and historic Emirati figures, encouraging creativity and promoting the Arabic language.
This came during an inspection tour by His Excellency of Emirates National Schools and the Centres of Excellence for Technical and Vocational Training, during which he reviewed the progress of activities in the fourth edition of the Watani Fund's summer programmes, organised this year under the slogan "Proud of the Emirates", in the presence of a number of officials and educational leaders.
The tour included visits to the main vocational and technical workshops, which were designed to build students' capabilities and channel their energies towards future sectors, while simultaneously consolidating their national identity, with the participation of distinguished and creative students from 22 schools taking part in the summer programmes.
His Excellency affirmed that the Watani Fund has succeeded over the past years in transforming the summer holiday from mere leisure time into an integrated educational, creative, and developmental platform that contributes to honing the skills of new generations and preparing them intellectually and ethically.
He noted that what he witnessed during the tour reflects the complementary efforts of educational institutions, creative individuals, and parents in preserving the Emirati cultural heritage, reinforcing national identity and the Arabic language, while also equipping students with modern technology tools and artificial intelligence applications. During the tour, His Excellency reviewed a number of specialised training tracks.
He visited the carpentry technology department and observed wooden models and designs executed by students using modern machinery and digital design programmes, praising the integration of traditional crafts with modern engineering applications.
He also followed practical applications in the cooking, services, tourism, and hospitality workshops, which included the preparation of traditional dishes and the development of hospitality service management skills in accordance with international standards while preserving the authentic Emirati character.
At the smart building technology laboratory, His Excellency reviewed projects on environmental control systems and sustainable buildings, relying on the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence applications.