Can Filipino girl find her father?

Readers wish luck to Mylene Rapada, the Filipino girl who is in the UAE to look for her father. Other topics: coexistence, marriage, breastfeeding, celebrity endosements

Readers wish luck to Mylene Rapada, who is in the UAE to look for her father. Sarah Dea / The National

I wish luck to Mylene Rapada on her journey to find her father (Filipina's search for her UAE father, August 7). May she find happiness in whatever answer she may get at the end of it.

Lachlan James McLellan, Abu Dhabi

I really hope she’ll find her father soon. It’s her right to meet him and to know him. Whether they will want to stay in touch, whether he’ll want to help her stay here and make her a part of his life now is up to them. But if he wanted to see his daughter when she was little, then there’s big chance he’ll be happy to see her now when she’s grown up. But I find it a bit strange that her mother said: “I was scared to lose her when she was young.” At the same time she left her daughter to be raised by grandparents and went overseas to work herself.

Alena Na, Dubai

Understanding crucial for our coexistence

One of the biggest questions of our times is what went wrong in the relationship between Muslims and the West. Continuing global violence in the name of Islam has created fears in the West. The solution requires finding a common ground on which to build mutual respect and understanding.

Let us challenge members of the world’s civilisations to stop demonising others while identifying themselves with pure goodness and to turn to a deeper understanding of those shared values that solve the acute problems facing humanity today. Muslims must ask themselves what went wrong within their own societies, but the West must also pose the same question about itself.

All of us, Muslims, Jews, Christians or even secularists – whether we live in the Islamic world or in the West – are in need of meaning in our lives, of ethical norms to guide our actions, of a vision that will allow us to live at peace with each other. Such a notion lies at the very heart of every religion and can lead us all to a new future based on mutual respect and common global purpose.

Samaoen Osman, South Africa

Marriage is based on mutual respect

This refers to the article Women must receive permission of guardian to remarry (August 7).

I think one of the main reasons for the high divorce rate among Emiratis is because of the control men exercise on women. Remove the legal control and you would start seeing partnerships and respect in marriages. Women tend to react positively to kindness, not to threats and control.

Ameerah Jolene-Ann van Heerden, Dubai

Breastfeeding law is illogical

I am writing in reference to the article Emirati women against rules on breastfeeding, online survey finds (August 3) ). I am a doctor and I know that not all women can breastfeed. Therefore, it shouldn't be a law. But breastfeeding must be promoted as it benefits both mother and child.

Ahmed SH AlKhamisi, Ireland

Beware of support from celebrities

I refer to the article Property developers look to Indian celebrities to sell homes to UAE expats (August 5).

I am already above all this ego and greed. I do not buy goods because it is the “latest” or because some celebrity has endorsed those products and there are big adverts on them.

As for buying property, I will not do so as long I cannot get the assurance that I can stay in the UAE forever without having to change my visa every three years and that I’ll not have to leave this country even if I lose my job.

Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi