H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, stated that the historical cooperation between Sharjah and Kerala is centuries long and is continuing.

He stated this during his speech today at the headquarters of the State of Kerala, during a ceremony that saw Sheikh Sultan being awarded an honorary PhD in Cultural Relations and Education, in the presence of Palanisamy Sathasivam, Governor of Kerala, and Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala.

Sheikh Sultan expressed his appreciation at Sharjah’s co-operation with Kerala while encouraging its continuity, especially in the industry and services sectors, which could benefit from the competitive advantages concerning mutual resources between both countries.

"We are delighted to be attending this exceptional ceremony, in the presence of many honourable guests and prominent members of Government of Kerala and the University of Calicut, and we are honoured to receive this honorary PhD from the university, and we would like to thank the nomination committees and the university’s administration," Sheikh Sultan said.

"We know about the influence of Calicut University in Kerala’s community, and I believe, like you do, in the importance of providing good education to our youth, as it is the best long-term investment. The innovative ideas of the graduates of our universities are the foundation of achieving the economic, social and development goals of our communities, and we would like to congratulate you for your ongoing efforts in the path of excellence, and we wish you continued success," Sheikh Sultan added.

During his speech, Chief Minister Vijayan praised Sheikh Sultan’s efforts to strengthen the mutual co-operation ties between Sharjah and Kerala while highlighting his academic and cultural achievements and affirming the importance of granting the honorary PhD to a truly deserving person.

Upon his request, Sheikh Sultan met, before the ceremony, with Vijayan at his official residence, where they exchanged friendly conversation and discussed several issues of mutual concern, to serve the development of co-operation ties between their two countries.

The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council; Sheikh Salem bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Ruler’s Office; Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Government Relations Department; Dr. Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to India; Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Culture Department; Ahmed Mohammed Al Madfaa, Honorary President of the Indian Society of Sharjah; Mohamed Obaid Al Zaabi, Chairman of Protocol and Hospitality; Jamal Hussein Al Zaabi, UAE Consul-General in Kerala; Navdeep Singh Suri, Ambassador of the Republic of India to the UAE; Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director-General of the Sharjah Media Corporation, and several ministers and officials from the Government of Kerala, as well as local diplomats, academics and businessmen