As a center of arts, culture, tradition and technological advancement, the UAE has proven to be an incredible place to live.
For people who are looking to expand and grow their skills, connections, and overall lifestyle, the nation offers it all.
Many Emiratis shine in the world, showing everyone what they're made of. The most exceptional of them are the youngsters who have suprised even the most experienced of adults.
Meet three perfect examples of young Emiratis who have achieved what many can only imagine.
1. Alia Al Mansoori, 15, Aspiring Astronaut
For 15-year-old Al Mansoori, the sky was never going to be the limit.
Alia Al Mansoori’s proposal to study how exposure to space affects the health of living organisms at the cellular level, was chosen by a panel of experts as the winning entry for the Genes in Space UAE competition.
Earlier this month, the aspiring astronaut saw her Genes In Space winning experiment blast off to the International Space Station.
In her trip to the U.S., Al Mansoori and her family have seen the historic launch pad where Apollo 11 took off for the moon and met Chris Ferguson, the commander of the last space shuttle mission. They also had the chance to see inside the Boeing workshops, where the next generation of spaceships, the Starliner, is being built.
She has been invited to New York for an interview with the magazine Teen Vogue. Al Mansoori will also travel to Canada for a meeting with Marc Garneau, the country’s minister of transport, who is a former astronaut and a veteran of three space shuttle missions.
She dreams of becoming the UAE’s first astronaut.
Al Mansoori is confident more young Emiratis will follow in her footsteps and adopt science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related careers.
2. Rashed Belhasa (Money Kicks), 15, Entrepreneur
Belhasa is only 15 years old, but he has managed to build a business empire through passion and commitment. His motto is: "Live the life you love and love the life you live!"
Not only does he have his own YouTube channel with over 800,000 subscribers, he also owns a private exotic animal farm which is regularly visited by international celebrities. He's met and hosted stars such as Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and many more.
He also has one of the largest and most expensive sneaker collections in the world! Belhasa says he has been collecting sneakers for the past two years and owns close to 200,000 pairs.
The young entrepreneur, who is known by the name Money Kicks, has recently launched his new online store. He also invested in a high-end backpack brand called Sprayground, which he is bringing to the UAE and the rest of the Middle East.
Belhasa is currently a full-time student, but his entrepreneurial achievements at the age of just 15 are truly inspiring and remarkable.
3. Shamma Al Mazrui, 23, UAE Minister of Youth
In 2016, Shamma Al Mazrui was 22 years old when she was appointed as the UAE's Minister of State for Youth Affairs. She became the youngest minister in the world and her tasks are focused on representing youth issues and aspirations in the UAE.
Shamma was born and raised in Abu Dhabi. She received her BA degree in Economics from NYUAD. She followed her educational path and graduated with a Masters of Public Policy degree from the University of Oxford in 2015.
She was the UAE's first ever Rhodes scholar.
Al Mazrui has also worked in private equity for Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, interned at the UAE Embassy in Washington D.C., and served as a public policy analyst at the UAE's Diplomatic mission to the United Nations.
The future for Al Mazrui is truly bright as she has set an international example of youth representation at the highest level.