The late Sir David Roberts, the British ambassador to the United Arab Emirates from 1977-81, wrote in a foreword to This Strange Eventful History, the memoirs of another British diplomat, Edward Henderson in 1988: "A diplomat might speak excellent Arabic and have deep experience of the Levant or Egypt or the Maghreb, but he would need at least six months before he could comport himself in a majlis or at an Arab feast."
The UAE has grown out of all recognition since the days of both Roberts and Henderson, but the statement still holds true. Muslims, Christians, Jews from different backgrounds and countries now find themselves living side by side and working shoulder to shoulder in this country. The Emirates have come to symbolise the new globalised era of highly mobile populations and diverse societies. But what is still missing is a depth of understanding between the incomers and the Emirati nationals.
That doesn't mean neither side doesn't want to know and get on with the other; the challenge today - as in Henderson's time - is one of communication and understanding. And the key to understanding Emiratis is to understand the importance of respect: for elders, parents, women - and for others, regardless of differences in nationality or religion. Respect also reveals itself in the two main pillars of the Emirati national community: Islam and culture.
Part of the problem for expatriates in getting to grips with Emirati culture is the division that exists between the world of men and the world of women. Regardless of the huge amount of liberalism that exists here, the two worlds are still remarkably separate. Emirati men are naturally more visible; Emirati women more hidden, more mysterious, which is why outsiders find it difficult to "know" the people they have come to live among.
It is true that women of all ages form their own unions, gathering together for lunches and suppers. Most of the socialising takes place in private houses, making it difficult for expatriates to appreciate how enjoyable these events can be - although glimpses can be had when a group of women meet in a public place. But because Emirati women lead slightly separate lives, that does not mean we are segregated or imprisoned. At university, young Emirati women are frequently taught by Western professors - male and female - though taking care that the relationship stays within respectful borders. At work, the interaction with female Westerners is more obvious. Telephone numbers are exchanged, invitations to lunches and weddings shared, and friendships born. But between female nationals and male expatriates, the relationship is dominated by the necessity for respect, with interaction and conversation restricted to work matters.
To Emiratis, this all seems very natural and easy to understand; these are the protocols of our Islamic society that we are raised upon. However, I am sure many expatriates do not understand why men rub noses and women warmly greet when we meet. Or why we always find it easier to be in a room full of women. Around the streets of the UAE it is noticeable that many car windows are tinted black, some so dark that it is a wonder the driver can see out. This, too, is symptomatic of the desire for privacy. Whether a man is driving his mother, wife, sister, or daughter, or whether a group of women are travelling together, nobody wants to feel they are being watched by strangers.
Women in our world are treated with great care and sensitivity. Although some families prevent their daughters from driving, it is not intended to deprive them of their rights but usually a sign that the father feels his daughter should be treated as a princess, and that other people should drive her. The father feels that she should not have to deal with a car or even - God-forbid - be involved in an accident. As a result she is assigned a trusted driver to take her wherever she needs to be, and if not a driver, her brother has to do the job.
There is a feeling among foreigners that Emirati girls like to stick together and are not interested in being friends with other nationalities. This is not true. We are very open to new relations with women from all over the world. However, it has to be appreciated that ours is still very much a tribal society and young girls are mostly encouraged to be friends with their female cousins, or with other friends of the family, and that reduces the chances for friendships with other people.
Emirati society has had to make huge adaptations to an entirely new world in a very short time. The roles of Emirati women are now dramatically different. The new generation has to face the challenge of maintaining the principles of their traditional identity while continuing to adapt to the demands of modernity.
Bushra Alkaff al Hahshemi is a fourth year student at Zayed University. and winner of the Anasy documentary competition, Sheikh Zayed category
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
WORLD CUP FINAL
England v South Africa
Yokohama International Stadium, Tokyo
Saturday, kick-off 1pm (UAE)
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
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Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
More from our neighbourhood series:
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
- Julaidah Abdulfatah (Saudi Arabia) beat Martin Kabrhel (Czech Rep) POINTS
- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
- Michael Lawal (UK) beat Tamas Kozma (Hungary) KO
- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
Company%20Profile
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5