Emiratis living overseas have to not just cope with new environments, new languages, and new ways of thinking and living but also doing so while retaining their connection to their homeland. Maytha Al Habsi, deputy chief executive of Emirates Foundation and the daughter of a diplomat, said maintaining her Emirati identity required stressing the importance of holding on to one’s roots while simultaneously being open to other cultures.
But Emiratis don’t have to travel abroad to face this challenge. With the country’s multicultural environment and expatriate majority, Emirati youth find themselves facing the same struggle. The dominance of English is just one example of this.
Parents have a key role to play in this. Ms Al Habsi said her parents went to great lengths to ensure that she absorbed Emirati culture, making sure she took after-school Arabic and Islamic lessons, wore traditional dress and ate traditional food. Her family’s example is a good one for all parents in the UAE to follow.
