Corniche picnic puts The National’s editors on the spot

Readers at the event in celebration of the newspaper's seventh anniversary on the Corniche beach in Abu Dhabi. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // As this newspaper prepares to mark its seventh anniversary next week, visitors to the Corniche were treated to a special picnic on Friday.

On a stretch of the beach, people stopped by to escape the heat, enjoy some refreshments, and lounge on beanbags while chatting with the paper’s editors and writers.

There were also a number of presentations, including one where the Editor-in-Chief, Mohammed Al Otaiba, was interviewed by chief columnist Faisal Al Yafai on the role of the newspaper and the media landscape in the country.

In explaining the ethos behind The National's editorial policy, Mr Al Otaiba said: "We choose stories that are most important to our readers. We tell the story of the UAE, and we are integral to life here."

He continued that "The National is a window into the country. We want our readers to know that we are accessible to them, and want to engage with them more and more." He added that "we also have a better perspective to events in this part of the world, and we are making a difference."

Mr Al Otaiba also explained that the newspaper’s website was also gaining increasing importance. “The industry is evolving. We are focused on our online offerings, and will also improve it further,” he said.

In response to a question from a member of the audience, Mr Al Otaiba pointed out that transparency and communication were key values in the newsroom. Cultural commentator Ali Al Saloom, best known for his Ask Ali column, also spoke of how the paper had widened the understanding of Emirati culture. “Everything in the Emirati identity has a beautiful story and you should share it,” he said. “When I started writing, there was not much content on the internet about UAE culture.” He added: “I am very emotional about my experiences at The National.”

Recently, the paper has also focused attention on helping residents improve the state of their health, initiating campaigns such as Cycle to Work Day and #startwalking.

Speaking to that goal, Dr Nairah Rasul-Syed, a specialist in family medicine at Healthpoint and Dr Alejandro Jimenez, cardiologist from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, came on stage to discuss how people could lead healthier lives, get more vitamin D and encourage young ones to become fitter.

For members of the public who turned up to yesterday’s event on the beach, there was also a chance to win a women’s Rolex watch if they bought a subscription to the newspaper. The lucky winner was Dmytro Nadolinski, 23, a Ukranian, who said he would surprise his wife with his prize. “I haven’t told her that I have won it,” he said.

Readers at the event talked about the role The National has played in their lives.

Nimmy Suresh, 25, an Indian, said she reads The National on most days, usually online.

“The website is user-friendly and it’s easy to find things. It gives me news about most of the things happening in UAE,” said the mother of two, who has lived in the country all her life.

Alina Mofrad, 35, a Ukranian, said she was fascinated to learn about the working life of the Editor-in-Chief through his interview.

She said she has been reading the paper for two years as it was “progressive” and covers local issues well.

“Everything is there. They don’t miss any news and it is so well planned. I love the arts and culture section,” she said.