His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, recalled a difficult period in the emirate’s history known as the “Card Years” in a letter addressed to Dubai’s youth. During that time, the collapse of the pearl-diving industry and trade disruptions caused by the Second World War left many families facing poverty, hunger and disease.

The letter, published on Saturday, September 19, 2026, is part of Sheikh Mohammed’s new book, “The Letters”, a collection of 26 letters that forms the second part of “Life Taught Me”.

Sheikh Mohammed explained that many Dubai residents lost their source of income when the once-thriving pearl trade collapsed. The outbreak of the Second World War and the disruption of supply routes further worsened conditions, leaving some families to survive for months on dates and water, and at times to eat locusts because of extreme hunger.

He said the period became known as the “Card Years” because Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, acting on the instructions of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum, distributed ration cards to families, allowing them to receive limited food supplies. The measure was intended to support the population, particularly vulnerable people, amid severe food shortages.

The Ruler of Dubai said the experience demonstrated the serious consequences of an economy’s dependence on a single source of income. He cited it as one of the reasons later generations prioritised trade, economic diversification and the development of infrastructure such as ports and airports.

In another part of the letter, Sheikh Mohammed urged young people to retain their determination, continue learning and adapt to change. He warned that forgetting past hardships could lead to complacency and, ultimately, decline. He stressed that today’s generation has a responsibility to continue the path of development and ensure that a sense of achievement does not replace efforts to build the future.