Dubai
The couple next door could be from a city you’ve never heard of, the elderly gentleman across the hallway might have fought in a war that shaped history, and the security guard in your building might be looking for the cheapest way to get home to see his wife, and just-born son.
Stories surround us. We belong to a thriving community of people from different ethnicities, cultures and faiths. But what brings a community together?
It begins with “a smile and an introduction”, according to Mohammad Zuhair, an engineer based in Abu Dhabi.
He said: “The first thing I do before moving into a new place is make sure I go up and meet the neighbours. I believe you always need to know the people you are surrounded by, because you have to be there for each other.”
The Jordanian national said building trust is essential in establishing a strong community.
“Trust is the main issue. It’s a challenge for most people because of the difference in cultures. I think this problem can be resolved if people are open to social interactions, and participate in community events, activities and competitions… they need to know each other.”
Small acts of kindness can help build trust. For instance, several residents around the UAE set up water stations outside their homes during the summer, for gardeners, cleaners and passersby.
This Ramadan, a Facebook group called ‘Sharing Fridges’ is mapping refrigerators that have been set up by Good Samaritans around the country, outside their homes, mosques and in public areas. Group members ensure the refrigerators are stocked with fresh food and beverages for those less fortunate, and re-stock up to 11 times a day.
Such compassionate gestures generate enormous goodwill, and actively engaging with people from different walks of life can go a long way in how we perceive and treat each other.
Olga Zolotova, a Dubai-based assistant manager who runs charity sport challenges, said she experienced this first hand, in the two years she has spent in the UAE.
She said: “I have people from more than 30 nationalities in my friend circle in the UAE, and actually, I don’t know anyone from Russia, which is where I’m from!”
Zolotova plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania next month, to raise awareness about the UAE’s anti-discrimination law, which was instated last year. Tolerance is vital to a healthy, functioning community, she said.
“You just have to be open-minded towards other people and reserve judgment. Having people around you who are from different cultures is actually a great opportunity to learn about their traditions and broaden your own horizons.”
But taking that first step towards becoming more involved in one’s community can be difficult.
Odile Beniflah is based in New York, US, and is the Head of International at Meetup.com, a portal that makes it easy for people to organise a local group or find individuals with similar talents, skills or hobbies.
She told Gulf News: “Meeting with strangers in real life is never easy, but with the rise of online social networks, people are eager to spend more time doing things they love, and have real conversations with people who share their interests. Technology is giving people more information about how they can meet up and therefore lowering the fear factor of the unknown.”
According to Beniflah, the challenges people face include, “not knowing anyone, not knowing what to expect, wasting their time, and not meeting people that they like.”
However, UAE residents are actively building a community of driven individuals. Some of the groups listed on Meetup’s Dubai chapter include people who love to play squash, language learners, gardeners, hikers and people who are aspiring to write novels.
Beniflah said: “UAE is one of our most active Meetup countries, with 1,600 groups and 160,000 members.”
Praveen Mehta, a Dubai-based reader, wrote on Gulf News’ Facebook page: “The UAE model of governance is the biggest learning example for the entire world to see how people across ethnicities, faiths and cultures can live together. Individual development occurs simultaneously, with the development of the country, and it is what helps so many nationalities live together in peace and harmony.”
