Mindset-switch and war planning as Gulf News awarded for conflict coverage

In a pristine and full-to-the-brim conference room at the Mandarin Oriental Dubai, I was reflecting on the intensity of the last few months while holding a special award given to Gulf News for our conflict coverage.

While contemplating how far we had come since February 28, a statement came from the stage during the 11th edition of the Emirati Media Forum that jumped out at me.

"When you think with a crisis mindset, you live the crisis and drown in it. The UAE thinks about creating the future and overcoming all challenges".

Those were the inspiring words of guest speaker Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee at the UAE Federal National Council, during the event organised by Dubai Press Club.

He added that while other nations may have been shaken by Iran's acts of aggression, the UAE stood firm and will be even stronger across industries as it starts a "new, different phase".

That mindset-switch stuck with me as it explained the positivity in the room better than I ever could. In media, we tend to use certain words to quickly describe a situation. 'Crisis' is definitely one of them, used for everything from an armed conflict to a sports team's poor run of form.

Dr Al Nuaimi reminded us all that while the world was viewing the Middle East as moving backwards, the UAE was continuing with its ambitions to improve, develop and grow. The 'crisis' was just a challenge to overcome as part of that mission and now the country is ready to push on once again.

Before the talks on stage, Gulf News was one of 100 news brands, editors, journalists and influencers to be recognised for their coverage of the recent conflict with a trophy. I'm proud to say that I believe we did our bit in ensuring the nation kept looking forwards with a positive mindset.

And while it was my honour to collect the award, it is the team at Gulf News that deserves the recognition, from our fantastic reporters all the way through to our brave and dedicated delivery drivers and riders. It is also for you, our readers and advertisers, who have supported us over this period and inspired us every day to produce the best products that we possibly can.

It has been a serious time and we have met it with a serious response, ensuring we got the news out online and onto doorsteps no matter the challenges we were facing.

Major General Abdul Nasser Al Humidi, another of the guest speakers, summed it up well with one word: discipline.

"Not only was the media disciplined, society was disciplined too," he said.

"That discipline was an inseparable part of how the UAE emerged from this crisis successfully."

He also explained that while there was great uncertainty on February 28, the armed forces were prepared well before any projectile took to the sky.

"What you saw was the work of three to four decades," he said. "The armed forces do not look at today, we look at the future - the next 20 to 30 years."

He added that means planning for future attacks that may look very different than we have seen, with the rise of AI and technologies that can cause electromagnetic disruption.

As I left the ceremony and drove back to Gulf News HQ to excitedly share the news with the team, I once again thought about these last few months; the hours worked, the drive to do more, the focus on accuracy, the push to explain and not just tell the news...

Why did we push so hard? Yes, it's a job, but working at a title like Gulf News is far more than that. We all live here and care passionately about our home and journalism; we do it out of a love for the profession and for the country.

I'll leave you with the comments of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, who summarised the day very well: "The message is clear: the UAE remains strong in its leadership, confident in its people, and steady on its journey towards the future amid a rapidly changing world. Thank you to every voice that speaks with love for the UAE."