Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed hosted a session discussing the lasting legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, concentrating on his philosophy of cooperation, dialogue, and inclusive leadership.
The session, entitled ‘The Founding Father Lessons’ on Cooperation, which took place in the Majlis venue at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, was attended by His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Zayed for Good Foundation, along with several senior officials and guests.
Included in the list were His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the UAE President and Chancellor of UAE University, and Dr. Anja Merz, Academic Director of Negotiation at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, who discussed the principles of consultation, trust building, and consensus that Sheikh Zayed founded on during his leadership and that can be utilized today by leaders and negotiators.
Therefore, the session was moderated by Najla Al Midfa, a Researcher at Trends Research & Advisory.
Based on his long-term experience of working with the Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh provided personal recollections of the contributions of Sheikh Zayed in establishing the principles of international relations of the United Arab Emirates in its early years
He remembered the way Sheikh Zayed sought to establish balanced relations not based on personal relations but on shared interests, mutual respect, and humanitarian principles, which enabled him to achieve regional stability, establish long-term international relations and enhance the credibility of UAE in the international system.
Dr Anja Merz emphasized the principle of win-win cooperation by Sheikh Zayed, referring to the historical examples of his focus on relationship-building and patience and creation of values in the long term.
She described the Majlis as the embodiment of a living model of dialog, inclusion, and joint problem-solving based on cultural traditions of the UAE.
Additional understanding was given in a pre-recorded segment with His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh and Professor Horacio Falcao, Professor of Management Practice at INSEAD, who emphasized on the patient approach and consensus-seeking dialogue that Sheikh Zayed was able to accomplish.
Professor Falcão has explained that the Majlis was a school of negotiation that instructed the Founding Father to listen, negotiate disputes, and achieve cooperation, underpinned by values informed by Islam, which focused on justice, unity, and peace.
