His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched 'Designing the Next 50' project to involve the public in shaping the future of the UAE.

The project will bring together all members of the society to establish the pillars and components of the UAE Centennial Plan 2071 as part of declaring the year '2020: Towards the next 50' to develop a comprehensive development plan for the next five decades beyond 2021.

Sheikh Mohammed said: "50 years ago, the UAE's founders started a mission to involve people in shaping the country's future that we see today. They started from the desert with ambitions that reached outer space. They gathered and discussed people's ideas while living in different circumstances with fewer resources, but they were united by the same spirit and extensive efforts that aimed for the summit. Their mission made history and redefined the concept of modern societies."

He added: "Today, we revive the mission of the UAE's founders. Today, we begin our mission to prepare for the next 50 years that lead up to the UAE's Centennial. Our duty is to design the UAE of the future for the next generations and to involve our people in this mission just like our founders did. We invite citizens and residents to join us in shaping the future of the UAE."