Blogger and commentator Sultan Al Qassemi today received an award from the state on behalf of his mother, Naama Bint Majid Al Qassimi, for being “first teacher” in the United Arab Emirates. The avid Twitter user, who has 309k followers, shares those old and rare photographs featuring his mother as a student and then a teacher, some 50 years ago.

He tweets:

Photos of mom when she was a student and when she was a teacher 50 years ago. Mom was awarded today for her work. pic.twitter.com/p4hw9I0gg9

— سلطان سعود القاسمي (@SultanAlQassemi) December 1, 2014

Mrs Al Qassimi graduated from a university in Kuwait in 1964 before returning to the UAE to teach. She shares the award with Amina Al Suwaidi.