The leaders listen
“The UAE has helped me realise my dreams. The country has given my family and me the stability and security one could desire. I have traveled a lot in my lifetime and I am overwhelmed by the security and support provided to the local population. UAE nationals in this country are really taken care of and looked after by the government in all aspects like job security, family support and respect amongst other things.
Personally, I have my dream job. I work at as a procument operations manager. I support my family and find a lot of freedom in the country due to my nationality. All I want is a house from the government. With the flexibility given to me, I can venture into any business and can attain government support to establish my own business.
Additionally, it’s very easy to visit our UAE leaders. I don’t think there is any other country whose leaders welcome visits from their nationals. The UAE leaders open their doors to nationals on a daily basis. We, the UAE nationals see the leaders of this beautiful country as father figures. They support us and often help us with our personal problems if the need arises.
I could not ask for more, this is my dream and I see it fulfilled, every day. May Allah grant good health to our UAE leaders and their families. I wish them well in all their endeavors.”
Name: Adel Yousuf Al Attar
Emirate: Dubai
Nationality: Emirati
Age: 40
Occupation: Procurement operations manager
Giving women an equal chance
“Women in the UAE get equal opportunities for work or for investment. The government provides several opportunities for them to open their own business from home. Some women who may have children or might face family restrictions are still able to be successful businesswomen. In fact, they can enter any field – they can be ambassadors or engineers.
In my case, it wasn’t difficult for me to complete my master’s degree. My university is based in Edinburgh, UK, but we had the best staff and support here in the UAE. I saw students from various nationalities come from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Ajman just to study in this university.
Not only am I a working mother, but I’m also a writer and participate in all the fields that are related to my job. I write about child care and parenting in an online magazine as well as in Arabic.
When I was thinking of doing my masters, I chose computer science because it is not only about programming. A lot of people think IT is only about programming, but it can be used everywhere. For example, you can use it for medical research to know how to detect the infected cell. When I started my thesis, I was pregnant, so I did not want to neglect my child.
My thesis was ‘Pre-natal and post-natal information support through the web’. I was reading lots of books on children so this love for my son is just carrying on up till now. I have now entered the global leaders programme for children, which is supported by the government, too. They just give so many opportunities to people. I am very proud to be an Emirati.”
Name: Aisha Al Janahi
Nationality: Emirati
Occupation: Senior projects manager in social media
Age: 30
Quality life and a sense of security
“I came to the UAE on August 1, 1976. Almost three decades later I feel proud to see that the country has grown from a small town to a metropolis. Even though I am an expatriate, the UAE is like my first home. My children were born here, grew up here and were educated here. Today they are employed and support themselves. The UAE helped me give my children quality education, it helped me and my family live a quality life. The country provides us a sense of security. I also feel this is a very safe country, even if children are out late in the night unaccompanied,
Financially the country has helped me grow and fulfil the needs of my family. I shifted base from the UK to the UAE as a doctor in the government sector and continued working there till 2008. I enjoyed a lot of benefits and perks. Post retirement, I still enjoy the security. Currently, I work as a school doctor. Through these years the country has provided me financial security and chances to make wise investments. I even bought some property in the UAE.
I owe a lot to UAE. I’m a traveller, so are all the members of my family, We enjoy travelling and being in the UAE has helped me achieve my dream of being able to travel to almost all countries in the world. The country is very traveller friendly, and all travel procedures are made very easy and dealt with in a very fast manner. Almost all countries have an embassy in the UAE. We have never faced problems with daily basic amenities. As a doctor I have received free healthcare for my family and even medical insurance post retirement. This place has state-of-the-art healthcare facilities.
I have also enjoyed mixing with different cultures here, Eastern and Western. Being a doctor I interacted with people belonging to various ethinicities. I’m glad I also learnt how to read and write Arabic. I am a proud resident of the UAE. The country has helped me live my dreams.”
Name: Dr. Utpal Kumar
Emirate: Dubai
Nationality: Indian
Age: 66
Occupation: School doctor
A safe place to raise children
“I always had a dream to start my own company and Dubai made my dream come true. Australia was too expensive to set up a company, so I started looking for options. The UAE was the most attractive as it gives you the best mix of cultures, financial freedom and it allows you to practice your own beliefs.
Sometimes people have misconceptions about this country and its restrictions, but I have learnt that if you respect the local laws you can do whatever you like. I came here and finally had enough money to start up my own business management company. Another important factor that bought me to the UAE was that it is geographically very close to Europe, which makes it very easy for me to go back home occasionally. Since, I have moved to the UAE, I don’t think I ever want to go back.
Beyond the financial stability and personal aspirations, I think this is one of the safest countries in the world. I have a child and I don’t think any other country offers a better environment to bring up my children. As parents in the UAE, you always know that your children are in a safe environment and have the best of everything. On National Day I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the leaders, government officials, the Emiratis and the expatriate communities for making the UAE one of the best countries in the world and for welcoming people from around the globe.
I wish this country the best of luck and I hope that it continues to progress in each and every field, as I know that I am not going back home or move to any other country. UAE is my home.”
Name: John Paravalos
Emirate: Dubai
Nationality: European
Age: 40
Occupation: Business
A fairytale existence is possible here
“Dubai is my home, I haven’t been to Pakistan in the last 14 years. My father came to Dubai 37 years ago. My father always wanted to be different. He didn’t want to do the regular jobs back in Faisalabad, Pakistan. He wanted to work in a different country. His passion and desire convinced my grandfather to send him away.
Life wasn’t easy for him. He started as a clerk in one of the shipping companies in Dubai, but today he is at a very high position in one of the best shipping companies here. I was born here, I studied here and finally I am working here, too. When I look back at where I am, what I do and how I got here, believe me it’s only because I was born and bought up in the UAE. Even in my wildest dreams I could not imagine that I would get into the events business.
The mix of cultures in the UAE, its geographical location that makes it the middle point between the East and the West and the way this country progresses, is the reason why I got into events and why today Dubai is the city for events. If I was living in any other part of the world, I know that this is not what I would be doing and I love doing this. Living in the UAE I not only found my dream job, but doing my dream job I also found my life partner. It’s like a fairytale.
I was working for one of the events where I first met my wife. Even she was working for the same event. We met, we fell in love and today we are happily married. Since my father came to Dubai, there was no looking back, life just got better and better for my family."
Name: Rehan Khalid
Emirate: Dubai
Nationality: Pakistani
Age: 32
Occupation: Events management
Respect for diversity and hope
“I was born in Al Ain and have been living in the UAE for 32 years. I am blessed with the life that I have been living here as the UAE has given me everything, from top class education institutes to the best companies, and that has helped me in terms of my own journey. Because of the resources that I was given, I have been able to achieve my goals and as the UAE is constantly achieving and fulfilling new goals, so am I.
In light of the 42 years of success that this country has seen, for me, it is 32 steps ahead of what I have seen, and certainly much more to come. The UAE stands for unity and that we can see from all nationalities coming together in one country. As I am surrounded with a wide variety of nationalities, I have become open-minded in terms of gaining a wider understanding of various cultures.
This country is full of positives and for that I thank the great leadership of the UAE, and I hope that we continue to be taken good care of. Due to the fact that everything I ever needed was offered to me, I never thought of going elsewhere, and that is very important in terms of achieving one’s personal goals.
I don’t think that I would have got the same opportunities anywhere else, and therefore I intend to pay back to the UAE. I am proud of my achievements as well as what the UAE has managed to achieve in 42 years, and just as the UAE keeps inspiring us all by constantly advancing, I also constantly seek to succeed in my life.”
Name: Jessin James
Emirate: Dubai
Nationality: Indian
Age: 32
Occupation: Operations consultant
Challenges and career growth
“My dream is to grow professionally in the context of a challenging global work environment. That is on the professional level.
On the personal level, I wanted to expose my family, especially my children, to the challenges of life and a lifestyle that will make them better people.
In the 13 years that I have lived in the UAE, I have had the opportunity to work in big companies, many of them being multi-national ones.
I work in the construction field and because this country is booming it has seen and continues to see a lot of challenging mega projects. I have had the opportunity to be part of the challenges to make these mega projects happen.
In my field, I have had situations where I needed to meet budgets, wrap up contracts and negotiate at the international level, to secure the best deals for the projects. Those have been challenging due to he economies of scale, which has given me a sense of achievement and fulfillment.
This would not have been possible in my home country or many other countries across the world.
The UAE has the proper structural setting and volume of work for someone like me.
As for my children, we came here when they were very young and they have grown up in a multi-cultural environment. The exposure to other languages, cultures, thoughts and beliefs would not have been possible elsewhere.
Here they have had to interact with different ways of thinking, which I feel has put them in a better position to understand the diversity of life and the way things happen.
I think it has been an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Name: Daoud Khalaf
Nationality: Jordanian
Lived in the UAE for 13 years
Occupation: Contract and procurement expert
Freedom of expression and living
“I am so proud of the UAE. It isn’t my home country, but when I see what the country has achieved over the years I am sometimes brought to tears. This place is magical. The mix of cultures and the abundance of opportunities that you see here doesn’t exist anywhere else. It seems like anything is possible.
"I have been living here for a year and a half and I have lived here previously for three years. It has been a great experience so far. It’s good to be exposed to so many different people and cultures. I enjoy the experience of being the “other” person. I am from Canada and there are some minorities there of different nationalities. However, here in the UAE every person is the “other” nationality.
"I like not being a part of the majority. It makes me learn more about myself. It sometimes makes me questions why I do some things back home. Living here not only helps you learn about other cultures, but it also helps you understand why you do things the way you do. Everything seems relative. I like having that perspective. When you’re living in your own country, I feel like you are in a pigeonhole.
"You are already who you are and breaking free is hard. Here, no one knows you and so I feel free. I can be the person I want to be and achieve my dreams. At home, I find people are stuck in this majority view. But, now I have the freedom to say what I want to my friends and relatives.”
Name: Louise Lambert
Emirate: Dubai
Nationality: Canadian
Age: 38
Occupation: Psychologist and Professor
Positive changes to lives
“I’ve been living in the UAE for three years now. When I was back home in the Philippines, I heard so many good things about the UAE; the culture, the climate, the food, the people and most importantly the security. All the people I met were successful and had achieved their dreams after moving to the UAE. Their children were attending good schools and seemed to be living a comfortable life.
Based on their recommendation, I came here three years ago and applied for a job. It was my dream to work in a hospital. Within a month, I found a job in Abu Dhabi. I worked as a patient aid for around five months and then took an exam to become a certified nurse.
Coming here has been worth it. I live alone, but I support my family back home. The salary is enticing, there is always a healthy competition in the work place and the authorities are protective and concerned about the security of the residents. Living here, I’ve managed to send my children to good schools back home. The most important thing to me is the happiness and security of my family.
There are people from so many different cultural backgrounds living here. It took me a while to adjust when I first arrived. Being a converted Muslim, in the UAE I saw the sincerity of prayers and the sanctity of family. I am waiting for the annual celebration of the UAE National Day with great excitement and prayers. I hope the UAE will continue to be fruitful in their internal and external affairs and in their relations with other countries. This country has touched many lives positively.”
Name: Meldalida Maghazeh
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Nationality: Filipina
Age: 43
Occupation: Nurse
Goals are realised by the vision
"Prior to the year 1971, the seven emirates had a dream to unite and build a country in turbulent times, and after a few years of determination, that goal became a true story. The UAE has proved a great example of setting a goal and reaching it no matter what the challenges are.
The leadership vision inspired me and many people within my generation to become dreamers, to envision the future and cherish our past with our consistent efforts in advancing. My country provided me with security, education, healthcare and an overall comfortable life, hence, it is my duty and passion to give back.
Giving back to my country comes in parallel with my own goals. Such support enabled me to achieve my goals, whether having my own business at such a young age or pursing a higher education. The UAE made me think big, the impossible is possible. It made me see the finish line while running a race and it encouraged me to endure the uncomfortable until it became comfortable.
At the end, we thank Allah for his blessings and I believe that the future of this country will be full of new achievements. In the future, once I complete my master’s degree in international civil security, I would like to represent my country in the international arena such as the United Nations. I believe that the national day is a special day for Emiratis as well as expatriates and everyone should be proud of the achievements that we have accomplished in 42 years."
Name: Mohammad Al Olama
Emirate: Dubai
Nationality: Emirati
Age: 23
Occupation: Entrepeneur
This special report was put together by the Readers Desk team including Rabab Khan, Huda Tabrez, Prerna Sethi, Evangeline Elsa and Donia Jenabzadeh
