50 Stories about Patriotism and Future Foresight

The National Archives and Ministry of Education Celebrate the Honorees of the “Writers of the Fiftieth” Initiative

The National Archives and Ministry of Education organized a virtual ceremony at Sharjah International Book Fair 2021 to honor the students, Writers of the Fiftieth, in recognition of their efforts in foreseeing the future for the next half century in their stories and in demonstrating in their contents their knowledge, belonging to the homeland and loyalty to the wise leadership.

These stories, which were compiled in one book entitled “Writers of the Fiftieth Story Collection” that was prepared and published by the NA are real fruits of the efforts exerted by students under the guidance and follow up of the NA and Ministry of Education.

Mr. Farhan Al Marzooqi, Director of Corporate and Community Outreach Department at the NA, said in his speech on honoring the students: “We have launched the “Writers of the Fiftieth” Initiative at schools in conjunction with the Year of Preparation for the Next 50. We were looking forward to discovering fifty talented story writers, and in this year of the 50, we are celebrating an elite of our talented children whose creativity is characterized by their profound knowledge, patriotism and loyalty to our wise leadership”.

“As soon as the initiative was launched, it was circulated among schools in the UAE, and the targeted category was those students aged 10-19 years. Surprisingly, about 880 students registered via the link; 300 students of them were interviewed. Eight five students were shortlisted to participate in the initiative. The best fifty stories were selected and published in a book documenting the efforts our students and highlighting the value of this initiative”, he added.

The Director of Corporate and Community Outreach Department highly valued the Ministry of Education efforts and its coordination with the NA to bring success to this initiative. He congratulated the honored students and stressed that the fruits of their efforts are a source of pride, real wealth of the nation and the fundamental base of the sustainable development march. These efforts are a herald of a generation that is capable to continue the march, assume the national responsibility and preserve the nation’s accomplishments in the next fifty years.

Dr. Fatima Younes Kalbat, Director of the Guidance and Well-being Department at the Ministry of Education, said: “The National initiative that has been launched to foresee the next fifty years promotes national sense among students, enhances their values of loyalty and belonging to the nation and its wise leadership and broadens their intellectual horizon. They went through the experience of national writing and their words reflected their vision for the next fifty year where the homeland, which is characterized by giving, values and initiatives enjoys a sustainable march of development, science, knowledge, and prosperity.”

She pointed out that the increasing number of students who were keen on participation emphasizes the values of good citizenship, belonging to and pride in homeland as well as their strong desire to write about the nation’s future with a high national sense and expressive literary style that reflects the distinctive vision of the coming generation. Inspired by the vision of the wise leadership which instills the values of good citizenship, excellency and innovation, this generation strives to assume its responsibilities and duties towards the building of its homeland and participate in the march of giving and patriotism.

Dr. Fatima Kalbat assured that she considers all participants in the contest as winners since they were in a real competition to express their love for their homeland and its wise leadership through creative writing about national values and their optimism about their future of development and knowledge.

Dr. Fatima highlighted the Ministry of Education’s interest in all initiatives, which promote national identity and values, good education for the next generation and cooperation with all entities and national institutions. She expressed her sincere appreciation to the NA for this constructive cooperation, which is in the interest of the homeland.

On behalf of the honored students, the student, Ahmed Abdulrahman Bawazeer, expressed his pride in winning the prize and thanked the NA and Ministry of Education for their efforts to follow up students so that they became able to translate their national feelings into incredible and attractive stories. He promised that their winning of this initiative will be the beginning of the next creative writings. He congratulated his honored colleagues and prompted students to benefit from such initiatives, which will record their names in the list of creative writers.