On Wednesday 23rd October 2019, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took to his personal Instagram account to share 10 guidelines that must be strictly followed by Emiratis on “social media.”
The guidelines encourage Emiratis, who automatically represent the UAE on social media, to obey the moral legacy of the late, Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The 10 rules are in line with Sheikh Mohammed’s open letter to the residents of the UAE which was released in September this year, which encourages those residing in the country to be mindful of their behavior and conduct to avoid tarnishing the UAE’s image on social media.
In his open letter, the Ruler of Dubai, states, “Neglect and chaos over social media platforms impact the achievements that thousands of work teams have dedicated their greatest efforts to build. The reputation of the UAE is not for public use by those who seek more followers. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the official entity that manages our foreign issues, speaks on our behalf and represents our political standpoints. One of its main mandates also comprises maintaining 48 years of long-standing credibility and good reputation that the UAE has established with countries and peoples across the world. We shall not accept that a number of online users taint the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that he established on the values of credibility, love and respect. The image of our country and citizens should remain as intact and bright as Sheikh Zayed had aspired it to be.”
These are the Sheikh’s 10 guidelines that all citizens and resident of the country must be mindful of adhering to:
1- A person who represents Sheikh Zayed, the UAE’s founding father, and his principles when interacting with others.
2- A person who reflects the knowledge, culture and the level and sophistication of civilization achieved by the UAE.
3- A person who does not use insults, foul language or any other word that’s indecent.
4- A person who uses logic and reasoning in a conversation.
5- A person who appreciates a good word, a beautiful picture and interacts with positive thoughts, cultures and societies.
6- A person who helps others by sharing information, ideas, social and human initiatives that enrich the country.
7- A person who gets involved with his/her international surroundings, speaks its language, deals with its issues and positively interacts with its future.
8- A confident person who accepts differences and builds bridges with other people.
9- A person who reflects the humble nature and love of Emiratis, and the love and openness towards others
10- A person who adores the nation, is always proud of it, and would sacrifice for it.
