My Dubai, My Expo: Lalaine Chu-Benitez says Dubai promotes women empowerment

Every week, Gulf News will give voice to stakeholders of Dubai to hear their thoughts on what makes Dubai special and why the emirate should host the 2020 World Expo.

This week, we speak to Lalaine Chu-Benitez, a Filipino media practitioner and advocate of women empowerment, who has been in Dubai for the past 23 years.

“Dubai is basically home for me. I might be an expat, but I’ve spent most of my life here. It’s difficult not to feel like you belong to Dubai’s vibrant and eclectic community. You feel close enough to your roots, but at the same time, you feel like you are with the rest of the world.

”For me, Dubai is a place that opens up opportunities for everybody. The city’s ambition, big thinking and ‘can-do attitude’ are very inspiring and infectious. The city also nurtures talent. You can compete, work hard and become that someone you so earnestly desire.

”I believe Dubai has an important role, especially in the Arab World and among eastern nations, as it supports women empowerment, giving rise to a community where gender equality is upheld. Dubai also promotes tolerance, respect and cooperation among people of different cultures. So while it reaches up to the sky with its world-class ambitions, Dubai’s feet are firmly rooted on good old fashioned values.

“Dubai certainly deserves to win the bid. Dubai has opened its doors to talents from across the globe for over four decades now. Having the Expo 2020 here will just superimpose what this city has been practising all along.