Minister of Foreign Trade HE Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi has said that the building of nations should have among its cornerstones, the elements of the present, protected by the eternal values of the past.

Addressing the students at the graduation ceremony of the 2006-2007 batch of the Higher Colleges of Technology(HCT) in Sharjah, Sheikha Lubna also emphasised the need to hold together against any storm of the changing times, so as not to compromise on the integrity of existence.

This, the minister said, should be achieved through the preservation of the national identity, and the youth have a paramount role to play in this regard.

The graduation ceremony was organised under the slogan: ‘I am proud of my Emirates’.

Sheikha Lubna said that to hold on to the tenets of our religion and the distinctiveness of our language as well as the traditions of the country are fundamental to build our future on solid foundations.

About HE Lubna : He Excelency Sheikha Lubna Khalid Sultan al Qasimi was appointed Minister for Economy and Planning of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in November 2004. Lubna holds the distinction of being the first woman to hold a ministerial post in the United Arab Emirates. She is a member of the ruling family of Sharjah and the niece to His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi. Lubna graduated from the California State University, Chico with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, and has an Executive MBA from the American University of Sharjah.