This country has a big heart, the biggest in the world, in fact
OUR PATRIOTISM LIES IN OUR BELIEF THAT WHILE THE COUNTRY HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN OUR SUCCESS STORY, WE ARE PLAYING A MINOR ONE IN ITS RISE
The UAE was just 14 years old when I was born. The country where I grew up was drastically different from what it is today. Back then, peak hour traffic was just that — an hour. Airconditioned buildings were a luxury and most expats lived in apartments powered by window ACs. The stretch of Ittihad Road from Sharjah’s Al Wahda Street to Al Mulla Plaza had just two buildings. The choice of swanky shopping malls was limited (Deira City Centre, Wafi, Burjuman). The 39-storey Dubai World Trade Center was the tallest building in the country, and there were no other structures that could match even half its might for miles around.
Today, the UAE’s skylines boast some of the biggest buildings in the world; its roads have become bigger and wider; its malls are world class; and its achievements and growth story are a source of envy for other nations. What hasn’t changed, however, is the country and its citizens’ welcoming nature. Over 200 nationalities call the UAE home and indeed, its expat population outnumbers that of Emiratis by a large margin. But that has never been a point of contention and the residents have coexisted peacefully.
That brings us to the question: What does the UAE’s National Day mean to its expatriates? For expats like me, the build-up to National Day is a chance to reflect on the life we have made here. Our patriotism lies in our belief that while the country and its people have played a major role in our success story, we are playing a minor one in its rise.
The UAE as a country is more than just greener pastures and the source of a better life for thousands of foreigners. It means much more to its expats than a traditional host country would to others. For us, the UAE is home, despite knowing that we could never get permanent residency here. My mother, who returned to India after 36 years here, still says (only half-jokingly): “Son, I am waiting to get there to get a good night’s sleep.” True to her word, my mother, who wakes up at 5.30am back in India, sleeps like a baby till about 11am when she comes visiting. The UAE has always tried to make life easy for its residents. Its leaders have promoted the use of technology to offer government services at the touch of a button. I recently moved from Sharjah to Dubai. Such has been the smart transformation here that it took me just one visit to a government department to virtually view flats, finalise one, pay its security, rent and utilities deposits and sign the tenancy contract. I moved in the very next day. It was as simple as that! The executive who printed out my papers said: “See you next year for the tenancy contract renewal process.” Then he paused, and added: “Or maybe not. That might be online by then. I may never see you again.” (Now, if they had only found a way to teleport my furniture, moving homes would have been as smooth as going grocery shopping.) What the country is doing by using innovation to speed up services is making its residents the happiest in the world — its ultimate aim.
In just 46 years, the UAE has established itself among the most advanced in the region. But it has always remained rooted in the core Emirati values of tolerance and generosity. Realising the true power of its commanding position in the region, the country has promoted acceptance and coexistence among its residents. It enjoys peace in an area plagued by conflict and intolerance. Its leaders have endorsed the use of education and the rich Arab culture to fight extremist ideas.
This small country has a big heart — the biggest in the world, in fact. According to a report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the UAE is the world’s biggest donor relative to national income.
We are at the end of 2017, which is being observed as the Year of Giving in the country. Initiatives related to giving will further intensify in 2018, marked as the Year of Zayed, when the whole country will come together as one to celebrate the legacy of its founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Happy 46th, UAE! May your tolerance and giving nature inspire the world.
In just 46 years, the UAE has established itself among the most advanced in the region. But it has always remained rooted in the core Emirati values of tolerance and generosity. Realising the true power of its commanding position in the region, the country has promoted coexistence