We should not adapt to the Western culture

While I do agree with Abdulkhaleq Abdulla that the main reason for the decline in our culture and values is the rise of globalisation, however, we cannot solely rely on GCC brands. There are certain products that need to be imported such as electronics and cars because we do not have the capabilities to manufacture that in the region. We definitely need to encourage young businessmen and women as well as entrepreneurs to open restaurants and franchises that support and highlight our local culture and values. We need to reflect our culture and identity in the brands that we come up with, such as abaya or kandoora designers that promote the national dress, and we should expand on local food chains that sell traditional cuisine. The main issue is that we view this issue as a weakness and tend to adapt to others but this shouldn’t be the case. If there is an influx of expatriates, it is them that should adapt to the host country, rather than us adapting to them. It is time that we stop imitating the West and it is time for those who visit the GCC to start adapting to the Arabic culture, including respecting our dress code, learning our greeting habits and maybe even our language. Take Max of Arabia as an example, a British-American social media celebrity who has become a sensation on Instagram for his fluency in Arabic. He was not forced to implement this in his daily life but decided to do so out of choice, and as a result, Arabs all around the world admire him. From Mr Ahmad Al Suwaidi Business human resource management graduate based in Dubai