Shattering Stereotypes

Fifty-five international students joined students from Dubai Women's College (DWC) for the fourth Insight Dubai conference held last week on the campus.

The conference featured lectures by prominent women leaders, panel discussions and tours of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including a visit to the Federal National Council.

Haya Al Mutlaq, faculty of business and manager of the conference, said the idea of the conference, in which 50 DWC students took part, came from a desire to help students gain an understanding of global issues and to interact with societies and be able to express themselves.

She said: "We want to change the world's view of Arabs, since the media usually portrays a very negative view."

Monica Gallant, chair of the Business Department at DWC and co-chair of the conference, said DWC students visited Prague in 2004 for a similar conference and suggested upon their return that similar conferences should be held in Dubai so that international students could familiarise themselves with the UAE and its people.

The objectives, according to her, are to dispel cultural myths about women, to facilitate bonds between participants, to raise global awareness regarding differing views on various issues and to explore Arabic governance structures and legal systems.

The students, however, did much more than that.

Five-day programme

From taking on roles in a United Nations simulation conference on world peace to discussing religion and culture, to sharing lunch and dinner tables and touring the UAE, students benefited from all the activities scheduled during the five-day programme.

On the first day introductory sessions were held to let students get to know each other. The next day, students participated in a simulation of a UN discussion during which they discussed how to promote peace and women's differing roles in various countries.

In the evening, they visited Heritage Village, Bastakiya and the Dubai Creek.

On the third day, the students went to Abu Dhabi to visit the Federal National Council (FNC). Lana Nusseibeh, Director of Research and Communications at the Ministry for Federal National Council Affairs, spoke to the students about the election process of the FNC.

In Abu Dhabi, students visited the Islamic Art exhibition at Emirates Palace and Shaikh Zayed's Grand Mosque, where they listened to a lecture on Islam. For international students this was a unique experience.

Although the conference tackled a variety of topics, leadership, promoting peace, religion and the empowerment of women received the most interest.

There were heated discussions on these with students exchanging questions and opinions. Many of them later said that the debate had helped them better understand diverse viewpoints.

"My view on religion and terrorism changed. We all worship differently but we're still together in this. I immersed myself in the local culture and learned more about these issues," said Cassondra Marbach from the US.

Raegan Simko, another American student, said she found Dubai welcoming and a "home away from home".

She said: "It's different from what I expected; they really want to know about us, and they are friendlier than people back home."

Women and leadership

Renowned female leaders discussed their personal experiences in the work field and the issue of gender and leadership.

The speakers included Samira Gargash, advocate and legal consultant Habiba Al Marashi, co-founder and chairperson of the Emirates Environmental Group; May Al Dabbagh, research fellow at the Dubai School of Government and Dubai Initiative, Maya Hojeij, business news reporter at Al Arabiya news channel; Noor Swaid, managing director of Strategy at Depa United Group and Dina Saleh, researcher and entrepreneur.

One lecture that the students found very inspiring was a presentation by Dr Horiya Kazim, a female surgeon and a UAE national.

Kazim shared with the audience her experience in education, at the workplace and at home being a woman, a mother and a wife.

She discussed career hardships arising from her gender and told women to pursue their passion. Things are bound to change with time, she said.

Students also watched a video of a visit to last year's Insight Dubai conference by assassinated Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto.

Islam vs. the West

In order to give students a better understanding of the UAE's legal system, the organisers had planned a session on the Shariah Court and Inheritance Law.

Students were given a case study and asked to present their opinions on it and act out roles in a Shariah law court.

According to Haya Al Mutlaq, this appealed to the students. "Students from the West have shown great interest in discussing Islamic law and the difference between it and Western law."

Maysoun Al Mur, DWC student, said: "People don't know our culture and often have negative views about our people. They are shocked by the reality. But fortunately, that is changing. We are showing them the other side that the media does not show."

Susana Quevedo, a Mexican who lives in Canada, said that she is familiar with life in the Muslim world because she has Muslim friends.

"But my sister in Mexico was very scared about my trip to Dubai because she thinks it's a dangerous place where I have to wear a veil or I will get into trouble. Of course I know that that is not true."

Jonnatul Ferdous from Bangladesh said that she was surprised by the modernity of UAE women. "They participate in every field in life and are very fortunate.

Women in my country are very poor and don't have the opportunities that women here have."

The fascination with new ideas and culture was mutual. Students from DWC said that they enjoyed interacting with the international students.Aisha Bin Zayed said: "We met so many women, we have many things in common with the US. There are so many interesting people here.

I made many friends from different countries and learned about their lives. All these women are non-judgmental, have respect for our culture, traditions and ways of thinking."

Her colleague, Aisha Esmail said: "Dubai is a multinational city but I never really meet people from outside the UAE. I discovered that people in the US have the same mentality as mine, although we are different. The conference was really an amazing opportunity for all of us."

The power of change

On the fourth day of the Insight Dubai conference, Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, paid participants a visit and spoke on the theme of women and leadership, national leadership, and the power of change.

"The purpose of the conference is connecting with leaders throughout the world, sharing ideas, meeting people and discussing global issues.

Exchanging ideas, learning and promoting understanding will help you function as productive members of the global community," Shaikh Nahyan said. "We must learn to respect the differences and celebrate the values that unite us."

He stressed the importance of education and human development for the greater development of the UAE.
"Women can make a difference. . . We expect great things from you," he added.

Participants of the Insight Dubai Conference were given a tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi