Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday hailed the deep-rooted ties uniting the countries of the Gulf - and rejected all efforts to sow division between them.
Sheikh Mohammed, in an uplifting message shared on social media, reflected on the region's remarkable transformation from "simple towns to global metropolises" which had evolved from "modest fishing ports to navigating international routes".
He spoke warmly of how the "sons of the Gulf" had cemented their status as key players on the global stage, holding major events and driving economic growth, while staying true to their deep-rooted heritage and proud identity.
In a year in which the Gulf has faced significant adversity - with the UAE among the states to face a barrage of missile and drone strikes from Iran and Saudi Arabia coming under attack from the Houthi rebels in Yemen - Sheikh Mohammed emphasised the importance of standing together to build for a better future.
He pledged that the unity forged out of history, borders and economic progress should not be disrupted by social media misinformation and "narrow-minded agendas".
He said such campaigns could not "erase centuries of neighborliness, or alter the facts of geography, or change the reality of lineages".
The heartfelt address to the Gulf people is an excerpt from his new book, The Letters.
رسالة إلى أبناء الخليج
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) October 19, 2026
رسالة إلى الحلم الأجمل .. رسالة إلى التاريخ الواحد .. والجغرافيا الممتدة .. والأنساب المشتركة .. والقرابات الراسخة ..
رسالة إلى البحر الواحد الذي يجمعنا .. والصحراء الفسيحة التي تضمنا .. رسالة إلى خليجنا العربي .. وأبنائه وأجياله ومثقفيه ومفكريه ..
نحن… pic.twitter.com/3dG2qn3FkO
"For what united the Gulf was not political agreements, but generations who lived along its shores," Sheikh Mohammed wrote.
"In the Gulf, hearts met before borders, and lineages embraced before homelands, and love flourished before development.
"The Gulf is a great tree whose branches have multiplied, whose fruits have adorned it, and whose shades have bloomed, but its root is one, and its trunk is one, and its water is one, and its destiny is one, God willing."
Shared ambitions
Striking an optimistic tone, Sheikh Mohammed said when the aspirations of the Gulf align, they are able to turn projects which may seen impossible into a reality.
Sheikh Mohammed said that history offers lessons that the "whole is stronger than the sum of its parts" and that strength is not in erasing differences but in working together to create new opportunities.
"I am optimistic about the Gulf and I shall remain so," Sheikh Mohammed wrote.
"The Gulf endures, God willing, with its desert, with its sons, with its sea and its ports, with its projects and the resolve of its generations, with its spaces in which our dreams will soar to keep our Gulf one and our people one, proclaiming with an unbroken voice: I am a Gulf citizen and I am proud to be a Gulf citizen."
Standing together
The Dubai Ruler's remarks came after Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, stressed the need to "transcend the folly and pettiness we witness in Gulf squabbles across social media".
"We are passing through a pivotal stage that demands awareness and responsibility from us all," Dr Gargash wrote on X on Saturday.
"We may differ in our assessments of situations, but there is no substitute for solidarity, prioritising wisdom, and rejecting bickering."
Dr Gargash welcomed a meeting on Sunday between President Sheikh Mohamed and Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi Minister of Defence.
Sheikh Mohamed and Prince Khalid exchanged views on regional developments with the aim of contributing to strengthening security and stability and achieving lasting peace in the region, state news agency Wam reported.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, also attended the meeting on Sunday, as did Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser.
The meetings affirmed the depth and solidity of the Emirati-Saudi relations, said Dr Gargash.
"For our security and destiny are shared, and our partnership is one of the pillars of Gulf stability and prosperity, while the wisdom of the two leaderships and the sincerity of positions in times of adversity provide the most eloquent response to every bet against that," said Dr Gargash.