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Mohannad Al Masre, Chairman of the Damsco Group, during the Zayed Day of Tolerance and Peace celebration of the National Day and the Year of Zayed.

Commenting on this, Fayez said: Today I represent the leading DAMSCO group during this celebration, stressing that DAMSCO seeks to employ many young cadres in different Arab countries and cultures.

The celebration program included a short film entitled Zayed Tolerance and Peace and a three-star operetta.

Damsco arms for good and giving in the northern Syria:-

Mohannad Al Masre advise the enthusiastic and ambitious youth entrepreneurs to read the book “Think and Grow Rich” by the American author Napoleon Hill.

The book offers more than a way of getting rich or increasing one’s wealth. Napoleon Hill gives valuable tips and pieces of advice for those who pursue prosperity and success, presenting real-life stories of people who fulfilled their call and achieved their goals, sometimes, after patiently enduring a lengthy struggle.

Without expressing further opinions about this wonderful book, I quote the following passages from the book for the readers to meditate on:

● “He had nothing to start with, except the capacity to know what he wanted, and the determination to stand by that desire until he realized it.”

● “One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat. Every person is guilty of this mistake at one time or another.”

● “Before success comes in any man’s life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps, some failure.”

● “More than five hundred of the most successful men this country has ever known, told the author their greatest success came just one step beyond the point at which defeat had overtaken them.”

● “Knowledge will not attract money, unless it is organized, and intelligently directed, through practical plans of action, to the definite end of accumulation of money.”

Mohannad Al Masre said my experience with the book “My Story” is a pleasant one, with its narration of human relations, life, power, and the critical keys to the development of the state and its economy.

Rich in history, the book records the transformation of an ‘empty desert Emirate’ into one of the ‘smartest capitals’ in the world. It was an exciting journey of reading filled with the depth of institutional vision, the burden and responsibilities of a statesman; a man of excellence and a seasoned politician with great economic intellect, who focused on work, planning and innovation, the main pillars of any successful project. This is one of the most inspirational books I have read so far.

The book is an inspiring oasis for generations to come, giving them hope and encouragement to be brave and make bold decisions in all walks of life; “Paving the way to knowledge and life through experience, lifelong learning, insight and reflection.”

I eagerly read the pages of this book, learning about the important historical facts about Dubai, its development, the establishment of the Union, and the pivotal turns in its history of becoming the brilliant global economic power it is today.

The city never ceases to amaze me, the only scientific explanation for the ‘Dubai phenomenon’ is the eloquent mind that built this futuristic city. As a Dubai-based entrepreneur,I am fascinated by the ‘economic intellect’ and insight of the rulers of Dubai, discovering alternative economic resources for the wealthy emirate other than oil.

Regarding the economic challenges that Dubai faced in the early 20th century, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid says in Chapter 8 “185 Years of Searching for Dubai”: “That crisis cut off the lifeblood of the economy, bur Dubai never stopped looking to its future and diversifying its trade. Our economic crisis deepened with World War II, but so did our determination to find alternative sources of trade and revenue.”

A passage caught my attention in which Sheikh Mohammed spoke about the importance of trade for developing Dubai’s economic cycle, stating: “We continued to invest for the future and to focus on what we have always done best: trade in general, and servicing re-export markets in particular.”

Many thinks that the free market system is a recent one adopted during the last few decades in Dubai. However, Sheikh Mohammed indicates: “In 1902, after the Iranian administration in Bandar Lengeh raised taxes for merchants on that side of the Gulf, Sheikh Maktoum abolished all customs duties on imports, opened up Dubai’s port and welcomed all traders. As a result of adopting this free trade policy, goods flowed into and out of the city’s port and in a short period Dubai became the Gulf’s re-export hub. A significant number of major merchants trading in the Gulf area soon moved to Dubai and made it their regional headquarters.”

Sheikh Mohammed also sheds light on the legacy of economic intellect among the old sheikhs who ruled Dubai. In the same chapter, he writes: “My grandfather’s legacy was to ensure economic diversification so that Dubai would never again rely on just one source of income. That principle was something my father, Sheikh Rashid, adopted through the construction of ports, the expansion of Dubai Creek, the development of free zones and the airport, as well as driving the launch of new economic opportunities, such as aluminium smelting.”

“It is a legacy passed down through my family. It is the guarantee that the lessons of our arduous journey over the past 185 years haven’t been taken for granted.” This is one of the most valuable tips for entrepreneurs in this book, to help them develop and expand their investments and deliver successful projects.

Despite focusing on the political aspect and the reinsertion of the government, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid indicates: “No one is born perfect; we all need the mind and souls of others to complete our own. Everyone must continue learning no matter how much he or she achieves. A leader needs the counsel of others to learn more, and to win their support for new plans and projects. Only an ignorant person turns a blind eye to advice.” This quote is taken from the twelfth chapter “Three Lessons from the Dawn of Rashid’s Rule” and it perfectly applies to the world of economics and business. Executives and heads of companies should follow this enlightened thought in management and relationships.

“The creation of leaders is the main enabler of development and further progress.” This is one of many robust insightful quotes about developing human resources and engaging them in serving the nation.

Focusing on competent human resources, especially young ones, and engaging them in both private and government sectors is essential for the development process.As Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid says in his book: “took great care to invest in the ambitious young people who surrounded me throughout the various stages of my career.”

Most entrepreneurs are preoccupied with the idea of appointing the right cadres in the right positions. But executives and department heads are also concerned for creating dedicated teams loyal to the vision of the institute. I quote from the same chapter: “The leader we create are the eyes through which we see, the hands with which we build and the creative energy we add to our own to realise our vision.”

In chapter 36 “Collaboration” Sheikh Mohammed expressed his belief in the importance of investing in the youth and its energy, narrating an interesting story that occurred during a GCC meeting in early 1980s: “I was sad, because, we didn’t handle our wealth effectively, we didn’t trust the ideas of our youth, and didn’t dare to try innovative approaches.” (page 207)

Far from the world of digits and finance, I was captivated by the thinking of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid in Chapter 49: “I do not rely on personal efforts in humanitarian work, but rather on institutional efforts, for they are sustainable and have more powerful and enduring impact.”

I was impressed by the fact that the Sheikh focused on the human character; 

“When asked why I launched Arab Hope Makers, I said we are searching for the human in every one of us.”

Damsco Events sponsoring the song of the Syrian artist “Lena Chamamyan”:-

The Pink Run campaign was a joint venture between Dubai Zabeel Ladies Club and Damsco Events, one of Damsco Group’s companies, headed by Mohannad Al Masre, in the context of World Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Words may falter as we gently try to reach out to women who have cancer.Butthere are always innovative ways to stand by them and help them overcome the psychological effects that tent to come with breast cancer. The campaign, which was held at the club’s headquarters, aimed to educate the UAE women about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.

Through its initiative, Zabeel Ladies Club seeks to educate women in the UAE about the need for periodic checkups for early stage detection of breast cancer, and avoid waiting for the onset of symptoms to start treatment. Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer need to fortify their mental health against depression that accompanies chemotherapy, as the mental health of many tends to decline.

We all listen to music at home, at work, while driving, and when exercising. The Zabeel Ladies Club and Damsco Events initiative encourages women with breast cancer to exercise and listen to music regularly, as this has a positive impact on their treatment. Listening to music helps cancer patients as it touches the heart and contributes effectively to his/her body’s resistance to the ferocity of the disease. Medical studies have shown that music, of all kinds, is the best way to clean up the psychological residues that weigh the patient’s body.

There may not be a specific type of music to perform this task, but professionals of mental health in women with breast cancer believe that listening to classical music daily for an hour and a half, for a month, can improve their mental health, and in many cases it even have led to the disappearance of the tumor in some women.

This also applies to exercising, which is an adjunctive therapy for the psychological symptoms associated with chemotherapy and many other organic and psychological diseases. Even though the importance of exercise and its benefits is no longer a secret, having the will and the determination to exercise – in itself – can be a daunting task. But, is it advisable for the patient to neglect exercise given the fact that it contributes to the treatment?! I do not think so…

The integration of the medicine-art-exercise triad to face cancer, in general, should not only be a temporary activity that alleviates the suffering cancer afflicts, but must be transformed into a lifestyle the woman imposes on herself, and become an integral part of her social and family environment.