The legacy of Pope Francis
With reference to Ramola Talwar Badam's article Gulf Christians pay tribute to late Pope Francis: 'Teachings will remain forever' (April 21): We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. A shepherd to the world, he inspired millions with his humility, compassion and unwavering commitment to justice and peace. His legacy as a voice for the voiceless and a true servant of God will endure for generations.
May his soul rest in eternal peace and may the church be comforted and guided as it mourns the loss of a remarkable spiritual leader.
Jacob Matthews, Sharjah
Rest in peace, Papa Francesco. Your spirit will live on in the hearts of those you touched with your message of love and hope.
David Borg, Dubai
Thank you, Pope Francis, for always advocating for peace and love.
Youusef Haddad, Abu Dhabi
He was a well-respected Pope and a very humble person. The first Pope in 100 years to not live in the Pope residence but in a modest suite in the Vatican guesthouse where he received visitors.
Giovanni Dilon, Dubai
Rest in peace, Pope Francis. You were the best we ever had.
Gisele Guiducci, Porto Alegre, Brazil
May his soul rest in peace. He was a good man.
Sofia Fonseca, Abu Dhabi
Rest in peace, Pope Francis. Let's hope his successor cares as much for peace and justice in Palestine.
Rabia M, Manchester, UK
Rules to prevent misrepresentation on social media
With regard to The National's social media post Emirati dialect ban applies only to advertisements on social media, says UAE source (April 20): Well done. No more funny looks and funny accents and a lot of money wasted.
Ahmed AlQedrah, Dubai
It is so that Emirati authenticity is preserved, and cultural appropriation is limited. There tends to be a lot of this sort of thing when non-local residents attempt to adopt the Emirati attire or dialect.
Nadine Wahbi, Beirut
This applies specifically to misrepresentation. It isn't about jobs. The government already ensures employment for locals. This law safeguards Emirati culture from exploitation and misrepresentation by non-locals who pose as locals to attract clients. We've seen too many cases of our culture being distorted and disrespected by outsiders overstepping the line.
M Qutami, Dubai
Opening doors for Egyptian swimmers
With reference to Reem Abulleil's report Egyptian swimmers Osman and Elaraby handed Olympics boost after 50m butterfly included for LA 2028 (April 21): Thank you for featuring me.
Abdelrahman Elaraby, Olympian, Cairo, Egypt
