Al Dhafra festival shows essence of Arab culture

Readers say promoting events such as Al Dhafra Festival will help the world to understand Arabs better. Other topics: teachers, New Year, Land Rover, football

Readers say branding of events such as Al Dhafra Festival will help the world understand Arabs better. Delores Johnson / The National

I refer to Rashmee Roshan Lall's opinion article Gulf Arabs must market their unique brand identity (January 2). My three young adult children visited me during this holiday break. I showed the best of my world here in the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Before they left, I asked what was the best part of the visit. All three agreed it was the Al Dhafra festival. They said they received a real feel for the people there. It was amazing.

Ann Crowley, Abu Dhabi

I love other cultures and would like to know more about local events. However, the word “branding” has been mentioned a lot in the article. This, for me, is different than promoting an event or culture. If branding is not done well, all meaning of the culture behind something could get lost in the marketing and revenue of a brand. I would suggest focusing on awareness of these events to draw more people.

Pam Durant, Dubai

It was indeed a great event. And the people from that area are very hospitable, kind and down-to-earth. Although I have spent eight years in Dubai, this was the first time I came close to Emiratis and I felt so happy. It was perhaps the best time of my life in the UAE.

Sa Reh, Dubai

Why UAE lacks male teachers

I agree that more Emirati men should join the teaching profession (Emiratisation in education must succeed, January 2). However, there are many better paid jobs these days, so it would be very hard to convince them to become teachers. Teachers don't do it for the money, but men here have a lot of responsibility and social pressure. So unless the wages are comparable with other jobs, this will not be viable.

Samantha Attfield, Abu Dhabi

The main issue here is the size of the Emirati population. There’s barely enough people to fill all types of available jobs in the UAE, qualified or not. It’s not just Emirati teachers, but we need Emirati doctors, nurses, firefighters, pilots and psychological counsellors.

Saif Omar Al Suwaidi, Sharjah

Teachers aren’t teachers anymore. They have been restricted to be mere “day care” providers. The word “teacher” these days means somebody who brings up your children during certain hours of the day. This is why people aren’t keen to become teachers.

Justin Webb, Dubai

Let’s make 2015 a better year

Ebola, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oscar Pistorius, Peshawar, – a litany of bad news enveloped our world in 2014. So, here’s hoping that airliners will stop crashing and, the Pacific Rim will not become the “Pacific grim”. I also hope that all women will enjoy a safer world, Nigeria’s Boko Haram will declare a truce, Ebola will fade away, ISIL will cease to exist, Palestinians will achieve their objective and the global economy will revive, creating more jobs, happiness, good tidings and better governance.

AR Modak, South Africa

A sad time for Land Rover

I refer to the story Farewell to the king of the off-road, the Land Rover (January 1). It leaks, it's noisy, it's cramped, it's got an "agricultural" gearbox and it's slow, but I wouldn't swap it for anything. I love mine.

Chris Wood, UK

Jams spoilt football fun

With reference to the article, Traffic woes and overcrowding dampen mood at AC Milan and Real Madrid match in Dubai, (December 31), the ride there was OK because we went very early, but trying to leave was not.

It took more than three hours to get home to Al Ain. Although there were shuttle buses, they would have been stuck in the traffic with nowhere to go.

Lyndall Gibbs, Al Ain

It was the worst experience I’ve had at a football match. Overcrowding is an under statement; it was chaos. It wasn’t safe.

Chris Rawsthorne, Abu Dhabi

We see this time and again at that stadium. When will something be done?

Ian Thomasson, Dubai