Some lessons outlast the people who taught them. On August 10, 2026, The Founder’s Office, part of the Presidential Court of the UAE, released a formal framework of seven core values embodied by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Founding Father. The Sheikh Zayed values are not abstract ideals.
Their words and actions span decades of leadership as Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE and were selected after a wide-ranging analysis. The Founder’s Office hopes the publication will offer an integrated, historically sound and culturally relevant lens for understanding the UAE Founder legacy.
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Moreover, the release comes at the time of the UAE Year of the Family, symbolising the UAE’s focus on the family.
The Seven Values
Each of the seven Sheikh Zayed values carries its own definition, reflecting a specific dimension of how he led and what he believed.
Wisdom is defined as learning from the past while embracing the opportunities of the future. It acknowledges that progress is never disconnected from history.
Respect is framed as treating all people with dignity and establishing the UAE as a beacon for tolerance and human fraternity. It is the value most directly visible in how the UAE has built one of the most diverse societies in the world.
Human Development reflects Sheikh Zayed’s belief in investing in people as the foundation of progress and prosperity. Education, healthcare, and housing were not policy choices for him. They were moral obligations.
Determination is described as resilience and perseverance even in the face of great challenges. It is the value most associated with how the UAE was built from very little, in a very short time.
Sustainability is about decisions for the long term that are in the best interests for present and future generations. Moreover, it is closely aligned with the UAE Environmental and Economic Planning agendas.
Unity underlines the paramount importance Sheikh Zayed places on the ability of cooperation and solidarity between the seven emirates, and the region.
Generosity involves giving for no gain or reward. It is perhaps the most personally characteristic of the seven Sheikh Zayed values, reflected across decades of domestic and international philanthropy.
Why Now?
His Excellency Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, Chairman of The Founder’s Office, was direct about the purpose. “The late Sheikh Zayed’s values are an integral part of his cultural legacy and are just as relevant today as they were throughout his lifetime,” he said.
“As the beneficiaries of his visionary leadership, we have a responsibility to ensure that these timeless values are preserved and passed on to our children and grandchildren, and embedded throughout our society.”
That framing carries weight. The UAE is a country that has changed at extraordinary speed. Its population is largely expatriate. Its young citizens have grown up in a world very different from the one their grandparents knew.
The publication of a formal, structured values framework is therefore partly an act of cultural preservation. It gives the next generation a defined reference point for understanding the UAE Founder legacy, rather than relying on informal transmission alone.
Her Excellency Reem Yousif Alshimmari, Director General of The Founder’s Office, reinforced this point. “At a time of rapid change, the Founder’s values provide a set of enduring principles that continue to guide individuals and organisations throughout the UAE, supporting the nation’s progress,” she said.
How the Values Will Be Used
The Sheikh Zayed values are not a commemorative document. They are a working resource.
The Founder’s Office confirmed that the published framework will guide future educational resources, cultural programmes, research projects, and public engagement activities developed both by the office itself and by other entities across the country. Additionally, a non-exhaustive set of related themes has been identified alongside each value, which may be updated over time.
The Founder’s Office also explicitly covers the use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in how Sheikh Zayed’s legacy is preserved and shared. That is a contemporary and specific commitment.
As AI-generated content about historical figures becomes more common, having an official, verified framework from the Presidential Court gives institutions and creators a clear standard to work against.
What This Means Broadly
The UAE Founder legacy has always been central to how the country understands itself. Schools teach his story. His name is on buildings, bridges, and parks. His photograph is in homes and offices across all seven emirates.
However, a formal values framework does something different from commemoration alone. It moves Sheikh Zayed from a historical figure into a living reference for ethical and civic behaviour. Furthermore, it signals that the UAE’s leadership sees values, not only infrastructure or economy, as part of what needs to be actively maintained and transferred.
The full values framework is publicly available at The Founder’s Office.
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