The Crown Prince Of Dubai Toured Around the Expo 2020 Site

As a child grew up in diplomatic community, a serial entrepreneur, a world traveler, and a woman of many interests myself, I have met and get acquainted with many successful people who are shaping the world in their own way throughout my fulfilling life journey. I have got a list of names who have greatly influenced and inspired me and whom I wish to meet with at a point in my life. Thus saying so, I would like to share a special moment I recently encountered during my time at the Expo 2020 Dubai with you.

I have been flying back and forth between the U.S and the U.A.E as a sponsor and Deputy Commissioner General of the Myanmar Pavilion in the planning of Expo 2020 Dubai. Meanwhile, I got to formally meet with many awe-inspiring people around the world including the King and the Crowned Prince of Dubai who have overseen this futuristic project with a mission to invite the world in Dubai and do a mega impact collectively.

The Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, popularly known as Fazza (meaning the one who helps), is a well-loved public figure in the U.A.E and beyond for his humility and relatability. He has played a major role in making Dubai a city that leads the world. He is also a top endurance athlete and has won several races. Being so much more than just a crowned prince, he is also a man of faith, a scholar, a poet, a loving father, and a wanderlust who lives life by giving back to others. As an interesting fact, he was honored as a crowned prince for 13 years now for his kind heart and good intentions to his nation and the world despite not being the eldest son.

I have seen him formally in the conferences and meetings related to Expo 2020 but never in his laid-back and relatable lifestyle as most people claim to be. I arrived back in Dubai one month ago and plan to stay here for the next six months until the end of Expo. I was quite busy preparing to get our Pavilion ready and meeting with distinguished guests and officials from different countries as the opening ceremony is happening in just a blink of an eye.

On Sunday 27th September, I was on my way to the meeting with The ASEAN Secretariat in the Expo to meet and provide necessary assistance regarding the Myanmar and ASEAN pavilions. At the same time, he was on a two-wheel adventure around the Expo 2020 Dubai site to see and explore its magic and beauty before the opening day. Seeing him dressed in a casual dress, enjoying the biking with his fellows, even waving at those blue-collar workers immediately made me think about how he lives his life simply, sincerely and selflessly besides all those luxuries of a royal family.

And that moment was a proving scene that he stays true to himself outside of the formal meetings and social media. It also makes me sink in self-reflection and reminds myself to be grateful for how far I have come and for always having compassion towards those who are in need.

It was such a great honor and pleasure to have fortunately witnessed an icon like himself doing an extraordinary job in a very humble way. I am incredibly grateful to learn, grow and experience many things while organizing the Myanmar Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai within the past five years, and I am even more excited for the next six months.