'Dream big and never settle' Excellence Award winners look to inspire future generations

The nation's top Emirati achievers across all sectors were honoured this week

Saqer Al Mualla and Abdullatif Musabbeh Alseyabi were both honoured with their award this week. Photo: Specialised Medical Centre / Abdullatif Musabbeh Alseyabi

The UAE's first plastic surgeon and a government schoolteacher who found innovative ways to keep pupils learning during the Covid-19 pandemic were among the standout winners honoured at the Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award 2024 this week.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, celebrated these trailblazers for their outstanding contributions to the nation, stressing that “excellence is a way of life in the UAE”.

Dr Saqer Abdulla Al Mualla, the first Emirati plastic surgeon and head of the plastic surgery department at Al Qassimi Hospital, performs both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures.

However, his true passion lies in using reconstructive surgery to restore patients’ lives and confidence. The Swedish-trained surgeon believes there’s a common misconception that plastic surgery is purely cosmetic.

“Many people think plastic surgery only means facelifts and body enhancements,” he told The National. “In reality, it can encompass everything from repairing a cleft lip to reconstructing an entire limb. It’s about helping patients regain function, dignity, and hope.”

Winning the recent award, Dr Al Mualla said, was a clear sign he’s moving in the right direction. “Over the course of your career, there will always be ups and downs,” he said. “You grow, you evolve, and as I look back – rising from a consultant to a specialist, performing countless surgeries, delivering lectures – I realise I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. Receiving this award was an affirmation: I’m on the right track, and the work I do is genuinely appreciated.”

His goal, to “be the best”, is unwavering, and his advice for budding Emirati plastic surgeons is both simple and profound: “Think outside the box. There are no limitations. If you can envision what you want and where you want to go, you can achieve it. Dream big and never settle.”

More than a job

When Abdullatif Musabbeh Alseyabi received his award, the first call he made was to his former university teacher. Having taught for more than 16 years at the government-run Alsoqoor School in Abu Dhabi, Mr Alseyabi credits the inspiration he found in his mentor for guiding him into the profession.

“It was my calling,” the Arabic Cycle 2 teacher, told The National. “Teaching is not just a job. It’s a profound responsibility.”

“Every day, we are shaping the minds of the next generation. If we do it well, we won’t just help fulfil the government’s 2031 goals, we’ll nurture a future where knowledge and innovation thrive.”

Mr Alseyabi’s dedication has always extended beyond the walls of his classroom. During the pandemic, he developed an online teaching app to ensure his pupils’ education continued uninterrupted.

Today, with the support of a dedicated team, he hosts educators from across the country twice a week via an online platform he created. More than 200 people regularly log in, eager to learn and share best practices that empower teachers and students alike. “Teaching is my life,” Mr Alseyabi said. “I live to uplift humanity and serve my country.”

He said to bring about change, we must grasp an equation: “Pain + planning + hope = real change.”

“A person must feel pain, which then drives them to plan and devise innovative solutions,” he explained. “Once they understand the problem, experience the pain and plan effectively, hope emerges. At that point, we begin to sense true transformation for the better.”