By Varun Godinho

A new book titled Dare to Dream: How Mohammed bin Rashid Made His Dream Come True was launched on Sunday, February 6, at the 2022 edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature which is underway in Dubai.

Written by journalist Raed Barqawi and published by Dubai-headquartered Motivate Media Group, the book is based on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and was unveiled by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

Barqawi’s book, published in Arabic, chronicles the history of the UAE and explores the Dubai Ruler’s childhood and youth to analyse the factors that helped shape his personality. It is now available to order on booksarabia.com

It attempts to demonstrate the impact of those factors in making Dubai the current success story that it is today, and a city which has become a global benchmark across several indexes.

Barqawi, as executive editor-in-chief of Al Khaleej newspaper, has had a ringside view into the development and rise of Dubai. “I don’t know when I wake up what this nation would have achieved,” said Barqawi. “I have tried to address two key questions in my book: one, just how did Mohammed bin Rashid do the impossible and turn Dubai into a unique global role model? And two, how did His Highness manage to empower a culture of dreaming in the Arab world, a world that had stopped dreaming decades ago?”

The book is divided into three chapters: “Working Wonders”, “A Man Destined to Lead” and “The Oasis of Imagination”. Besides, it also includes an introduction “The Wind Beneath His Wings” and an epilogue “Life is a Story of Our Dreams”.

“It is fascinating to be around a personality like His Highness, who has been racing against time to improve the present and future of not just Emiratis, but all Arabs. His persistence and ambition pushed me to dig deeper into the history of the UAE over the past 50 years and shed light on how dreams can be achieved in the race to be counted among the top 10 nations in the world. With assertiveness and will, His Highness decided to dream for his country and his people, and today we are reaping the rewards of these dreams,” noted the author.

At the launch on Sunday, which was held at the Al Joud Ballroom 1, Hilton, in Al Habtoor City, Barqawi held a book signing session as well where he thanked the publishers of the book, Motivate Media Group.

Ian Fairservice, managing partner and group editor-in-chief of Motivate Media Group, added: “We are proud to have published this phenomenal book about His Highness. This book talks about the wisdom and foresight of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and the impressive development of the UAE. Raed is one of the most distinguished voices in journalism and this will be a fascinating read for anyone who has marvelled at the incredible growth story of the emirate of Dubai and the UAE.”

Barqawi has pledged to donate royalties from the book to Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities. Following the launch of the Arabic version on Sunday, an English adaptation of it is expected to follow soon.

To order your copy of Dare to Dream: How Mohammed bin Rashid Made His Dream Come True, visit booksarabia.com 

Image: Motivate Media Group