TECHNICAL DETAILS  

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was born in 1949 in the family of Al Maktoum. He was the third among the four sons of Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum: the late Sheikh Maktoum, Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Ahmed. 

In January 2006, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the Ruler of Dubai and was elected Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, following the demise of his brother, Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Sheikh Mohammed grew up in the ancestral home of Al Maktoum family at Shindagha, where he spent a happy childhood, doted on by his parents and grandfather, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum, the then Ruler of Dubai. His brothers and cousins gave him happy company. He also mingled with the children of merchant families and the tribes. From childhood, Sheikh Mohammed was a sportsman and full of energy and drive. 

Sheikh Mohammed was seized with a vision to make Dubai "the center of the world" and make the Emirate a prominent place on the global tourism map. In late 1995, he announced the launch of Dubai Shopping Festival, one of the first among many pioneering initiatives that came from his leadership. He also launched the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race in the world. 

His Highness believes that economic prosperity can be achieved only through self-reliance and by energising the private sector. He also believes there is a major role for youth to play in boosting the country’s economic progress. 

The wise policies of the rulers of Dubai and their foresight and planning have made Dubai one of the leading cities in the world, with impressive initiatives and projects for whom sky is the limit. His Highness has taken personal interest in launching IT projects and E-government initiatives, raising further the profile of Dubai as a developed and advanced city.