Art and culture

Generation Zayed, The Young Emiratis Reimagining Identity, Creativity, and Influence in a New Gulf Era

Generation Zayed, The Young Emiratis Reimagining Identity, Creativity, and Influence in a New Gulf Era By Janhavi Gusani A new generation is emerging across the United Arab Emirates, one that carries the confidence of a nation built on vision while simultaneously redefining what it means to belong to the modern Gulf. They are entrepreneurs and artists, filmmakers and founders, designers and engineers, cultural thinkers and digital storytellers. They move effortlessly between tradition and innovation, heritage and technology, local identity and global influence. They are often described as the future of the Emirates, yet increasingly they are shaping its present. Born into a country that transformed itself within a remarkably short period of history, this generation has inherited something unique. Unlike their parents and grandparents, who witnessed the rapid construction of the modern UAE, today’s young Emiratis have grown up surrounded by global connectivity, world class infrastructure, international education, and limitless access to information. For them, ambition is not an exception. It is an expectation. Yet what makes Generation Zayed particularly fascinating is not simply its ambition. It is the way that ambition coexists with a deep awareness of identity. In an increasingly globalised world where cultural distinctions often blur, many young Emiratis are becoming more intentional about preserving their heritage while simultaneously participating in international conversations. They do not view these two realities as contradictory. Instead, they see them as complementary. This balance defines much of contemporary Emirati culture. A young designer may draw inspiration from traditional architecture while creating collections for global fashion audiences. A filmmaker may tell deeply local stories using the language of international cinema. A technology entrepreneur may build products intended for worldwide markets while remaining rooted in Emirati values. The result is a generation that feels both confidently local and unapologetically global. Perhaps nowhere is this evolution more visible than within the creative industries. Over the past decade, the UAE has witnessed an extraordinary rise in homegrown talent across fashion, visual arts, music, photography, architecture, publishing, and film. Young Emiratis are no longer simply consumers of global culture. They are becoming creators of it. The new generation understands the power of storytelling. They recognise that culture is not preserved through nostalgia alone but through continuous reinvention. As a result, they are producing work that reflects the complexities of contemporary Gulf life rather than relying solely on familiar narratives. Their stories explore identity, belonging, ambition, family, creativity, and modernity through a distinctly Emirati lens. Social media has played an important role in this transformation, but perhaps not in the way outsiders often assume. While digital platforms have certainly expanded visibility, their greatest impact has been democratisation. Young creators no longer need traditional gatekeepers to reach audiences. A filmmaker, artist, entrepreneur, or designer can build influence directly through their work. Talent now has the ability to travel further and faster than ever before. Yet despite this digital visibility, many young Emiratis remain remarkably grounded. There is an increasing awareness that influence without substance carries little long term value. Visibility alone is no longer enough. Achievement, contribution, and credibility matter more. The most respected voices are often those using their platforms to create meaningful impact rather than simply attracting attention. This emphasis on purpose reflects a broader shift within Emirati society. Success is being redefined in increasingly multidimensional ways. Professional achievement remains important, but it is now frequently accompanied by conversations about wellbeing, sustainability, creativity, education, and social responsibility. Young Emiratis are building careers that feel aligned with personal values rather than pursuing prestige alone. Entrepreneurship has become one of the clearest expressions of this mindset. Across the Emirates, a growing number of young founders are launching businesses that reflect both commercial ambition and cultural relevance. From technology startups and sustainable fashion brands to creative agencies and wellness ventures, they are building enterprises that respond to the needs of a rapidly changing society. Unlike earlier generations, who often viewed government or corporate careers as the primary pathways to success, many members of Generation Zayed are embracing risk in new ways. They are willing to experiment, innovate, and challenge conventional expectations. Failure is increasingly viewed as part of growth rather than something to be feared. Education has also played a significant role in shaping this confidence. Young Emiratis have access to opportunities that previous generations could scarcely imagine. They study at leading institutions around the world, participate in global exchanges, and engage with international networks while maintaining strong connections to home. This exposure has produced a generation comfortable navigating multiple cultures without losing sight of its own. Women, in particular, are redefining the landscape of modern Emirati society. Across business, science, technology, media, the arts, and public leadership, young Emirati women are assuming increasingly visible and influential roles. Their achievements reflect not only personal ambition but also a broader cultural evolution that continues to expand opportunities for future generations. At the same time, family remains central to the identity of many young Emiratis. Despite rapid modernisation and global influences, the importance of community, kinship, and cultural continuity remains deeply embedded within society. Rather than abandoning these values, many young people are finding new ways to integrate them into contemporary life. Tradition is not viewed as a limitation but as a source of strength. This relationship between past and future may be the defining characteristic of Generation Zayed. It is a generation that understands where it comes from while remaining intensely focused on where it is going. It respects heritage without becoming trapped by it. It embraces innovation without losing its cultural compass. There is also a distinctive optimism that runs through this generation. Having grown up in a nation built upon ambitious visions, young Emiratis tend to view possibility differently. They have witnessed extraordinary transformation within a single lifetime. As a result, they approach challenges with a belief that meaningful change is achievable. Large ideas do not feel unrealistic. They feel expected. This confidence is increasingly influencing the wider region. The creative projects, businesses, cultural initiatives, and technological

The Screens of Sand and Silicon, How the UAE Is Becoming the Storytelling Capital of the Arab World

The Screens of Sand and Silicon, How the UAE Is Becoming the Storytelling Capital of the Arab World By Marina Ezzat Alfred For decades, Arab audiences consumed stories that often arrived from elsewhere. Global blockbusters dominated cinema screens, foreign television formats shaped entertainment schedules, and much of the digital content flooding social platforms reflected cultures, realities, and experiences far removed from everyday life across the Middle East. While these productions entertained millions, they rarely mirrored the nuances of Arab identity, language, humour, ambition, or emotional experience. Today, that landscape is changing with remarkable speed. Across streaming platforms, podcasts, social media channels, and digital media networks, Arabic storytelling is experiencing one of the most significant cultural expansions in modern regional history. A new generation of creators is producing content that feels unmistakably familiar to Arab audiences, stories rooted in local realities yet capable of resonating far beyond geographical borders. At the centre of this transformation stands the United Arab Emirates, a nation increasingly positioning itself as the creative engine of the Arab world’s digital future. What makes this moment particularly significant is that Arabic content is no longer viewed as a regional niche. It has become a powerful cultural and commercial force. Young audiences across the Middle East and North Africa are actively seeking stories that reflect their own experiences rather than imported interpretations of them. They want characters who speak in recognisable dialects, narratives shaped by familiar social dynamics, and conversations that feel authentic to their lives. This desire for representation extends beyond entertainment. It reflects a broader cultural confidence emerging throughout the region. Arab audiences are no longer satisfied with simply consuming global culture. They increasingly want to participate in shaping it, contributing perspectives, experiences, and creative voices that have often been overlooked within international media landscapes. Streaming platforms have accelerated this shift dramatically. The traditional model of waiting for major seasonal television events has given way to an era of constant accessibility and year round engagement. Audiences now consume content according to their own schedules, discussing episodes in real time, building communities around creators, and demanding a continuous flow of new stories. The result has been an unprecedented appetite for original Arabic productions. Investment has followed naturally. Regional and international media companies have recognised both the scale and the sophistication of Arab audiences. Production values have improved substantially. Scripts have become more ambitious. Cinematography has grown increasingly refined. Entire creative ecosystems are emerging around the demand for high quality Arabic language storytelling. Yet the most interesting development may be that these productions are no longer being created solely for local consumption. Increasingly, Arab stories are being developed with international audiences in mind. Rather than adapting themselves to external expectations, creators are presenting contemporary Arab culture through narratives that remain authentic while possessing universal emotional appeal. This evolution has created fertile ground for countries capable of supporting large scale creative industries. Few have embraced that opportunity more strategically than the United Arab Emirates. The UAE recognised early that the creative economy would become one of the defining industries of the future. As the nation continued diversifying beyond traditional sectors, media, entertainment, and digital production emerged as central pillars within a broader vision for economic growth and cultural influence. Today, the results are increasingly visible. Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become magnets for filmmakers, producers, content creators, podcasters, media entrepreneurs, and digital innovators from across the Arab world. Advanced production facilities, world class infrastructure, supportive business environments, and access to international markets have transformed the country into one of the region’s most attractive creative destinations. But infrastructure alone does not explain the momentum. There is a distinct energy within the UAE that appeals to ambitious creators. Ideas move quickly. Collaboration happens naturally. Projects that begin as individual creative experiments often evolve into companies, brands, and fully developed media platforms. The environment rewards innovation, speed, and scale in ways that mirror the rapid evolution of digital culture itself. This atmosphere has been particularly influential in the rise of independent creators. Social media has fundamentally altered the traditional pathways into entertainment. Many of the region’s most influential voices today are not television presenters or established actors. They are creators who built communities directly through digital platforms, speaking to audiences in ways that feel immediate, personal, and culturally relevant. These creators understand their audiences instinctively because they share the same social realities. They speak the same language, navigate the same cultural conversations, and understand the nuances that make content resonate on a deeper level. Their influence extends beyond entertainment into commerce, culture, and public discourse. Many are now evolving into entrepreneurs in their own right. What begins as a personal platform frequently expands into production companies, creative agencies, consumer brands, and media ventures. The creator economy has become a legitimate industry with substantial economic impact, attracting investment, advertising partnerships, and institutional support. Alongside visual media, another revolution has quietly emerged through audio. Arabic language podcasts have experienced extraordinary growth over recent years, creating space for conversations that often feel more intimate than traditional forms of media. Discussions around mental health, entrepreneurship, relationships, identity, creativity, and personal development have found loyal audiences eager for thoughtful, authentic dialogue. There is something uniquely powerful about hearing these conversations unfold in familiar dialects, shaped by shared cultural references and experiences. Podcasts create a sense of proximity that feels personal rather than performative. They allow creators to build communities around ideas rather than appearances. The UAE has become an important centre for this growing ecosystem. Its technologically connected population, entrepreneurial culture, and openness to innovation have provided fertile conditions for independent audio creators to flourish. With relatively modest resources, individuals are able to build substantial audiences and contribute meaningfully to regional conversations. In many ways, this democratisation of storytelling represents the most profound aspect of the current media transformation. Influence is no longer reserved for large institutions. Creative power has become increasingly distributed, allowing individuals to shape narratives, build communities, and contribute to culture from virtually anywhere.

Fatima Alhammadi, Redefining Art as Cultural Memory and a Living Bridge Between Heritage and Contemporary Identity

Fatima Alhammadi, Redefining Art as Cultural Memory and a Living Bridge Between Heritage and Contemporary Identity By Bill Brown In the United Arab Emirates, where cultural infrastructure continues to expand at a pace that reflects the nation’s wider transformation, art is no longer confined to the quiet interiors of galleries or the formal language of institutions. It has become part of a broader civic conversation about identity, memory, and the future of expression in a region where tradition and modernity are not opposing forces but constantly evolving companions. Within this shifting landscape, Fatima Alhammadi occupies a position that resists easy definition. Her presence in the art world is not built on spectacle or sudden visibility, but on continuity. It is shaped less by isolated moments of recognition and more by a sustained intellectual engagement with what art is, what it carries, and what it transforms over time. Across more than two decades of practice, her journey reflects something deeper than personal artistic development. It mirrors a wider recalibration of how art itself is understood in the region. What once began as a discipline rooted in form, composition, and visual precision has gradually expanded into a more complex inquiry into perception, cultural memory, and meaning. Her evolution is not marked by rupture but by accumulation, where each phase of practice builds quietly on the last. In the early stages of her artistic life, Alhammadi approached art through the lens of structure. Like many artists trained within formal systems, her focus was grounded in technique, balance, and execution. Art was something to be constructed with care and completed with clarity. The artwork stood as a finished statement, shaped by visual order and controlled expression. Meaning, at that stage, was closely tied to appearance, and success was measured by precision. Yet over time, this relationship began to shift. Exposure to broader artistic conversations, changing cultural contexts, and evolving creative environments opened new ways of thinking about what art could be. The certainty of form gave way to questions of interpretation. The artwork stopped feeling like a closed object and began to resemble an open field of inquiry. Instead of offering answers, it began to hold space for questions. This shift marked a fundamental turning point in her practice. Art was no longer understood as a fixed product, but as a process of awareness. It became something that unfolds rather than concludes. In this perspective, making art is not simply about producing an object, but about revealing layers of thought, emotion, and memory that are already present but not yet fully articulated. Over time, this understanding expanded into a broader philosophy. For Alhammadi, art is not limited to visual language or aesthetic production. It operates as a form of cultural memory, carrying within it traces of place, history, and lived experience. It becomes a space where identity is not declared once and for all, but continuously formed and reformed through engagement. In this sense, art does not merely represent reality. It participates in shaping it. It becomes part of how communities remember, interpret, and reimagine themselves. Each work exists not as an isolated statement but as part of a larger conversation that stretches across time and experience. This evolving perspective eventually moved beyond individual practice and into the creation of a structured platform for artistic engagement. ArtCorner.83 emerged not as a conventional institution, but as a response to a gap within the creative ecosystem. While established galleries and cultural institutions provide essential frameworks for exhibition and preservation, there remained a need for spaces where art could exist in a more experimental and fluid state. ArtCorner.83 was built on this understanding. It was designed as a space where artistic practice is not immediately directed toward final outcomes. Instead, it prioritizes exploration, uncertainty, and process. Within this environment, artists are encouraged to develop ideas without the immediate pressure of categorization, completion, or commercial framing. The emphasis shifts from polished results to the evolution of thought through making. This approach reflects a broader shift in contemporary art practice. Art is treated less as a product and more as a living process. Works are allowed to change, respond, fail, and re-emerge in new forms. Experimentation is not treated as deviation but as method. The studio becomes a site of thinking as much as making. Yet openness alone does not define the platform. It also carries a strong relational and educational dimension. At its core, ArtCorner.83 is built on the idea that knowledge in the arts is not static but continuously exchanged. The platform encourages dialogue between generations of artists, where experience and experimentation exist in direct conversation. Experienced practitioners bring insight shaped by years of practice, offering not instruction in a rigid sense, but perspective formed through lived artistic experience. Emerging artists participate not as passive recipients, but as active contributors to a shared process of exploration. Learning becomes reciprocal rather than hierarchical, unfolding through interaction rather than formal transmission. In this environment, knowledge is not stored or delivered in fixed form. It circulates. It evolves through discussion, making, revisiting, and reinterpreting. This creates a dynamic artistic community where growth is collective rather than isolated. Residencies and exhibitions extend this philosophy into wider contexts. Residencies allow artists to enter unfamiliar environments, both geographically and culturally, disrupting habitual ways of thinking. This displacement often becomes productive, opening new directions in practice and perception. Exhibitions, meanwhile, are not treated as final presentations of resolved work. Instead, they are understood as moments of dialogue. The artwork is not fixed in meaning at the point of display. Rather, meaning emerges through the encounter between work, audience, and context. Interpretation becomes part of the artwork’s life rather than an external layer added afterward. Through these initiatives, the platform contributes to a wider cultural ecosystem that increasingly values exchange over isolation. It supports connections between artists across different geographies and encourages forms of collaboration that move beyond institutional or national boundaries. In doing so, it also reflects the growing presence of contemporary Emirati

Zainab AlMatroushi, From Behind the Camera to the Center of Conversation

Zainab AlMatroushiFrom Behind the Camera to the Center of Conversation, A Journey of Authentic Storytelling in Modern Arab Media By Paul Smith Media landscape is increasingly defined by speed, visibility, and constant reinvention, there are individuals who move through the industry not as performers chasing attention, but as storytellers refining a deeper craft. Zainab AlMatroushi is one of those voices. Her presence in front of the camera may appear seamless today, but it is rooted in years of observation, production work, and an evolving understanding of what media truly means when the lights are off and the audience is not yet watching. Her story does not begin with public recognition. It begins behind studio walls, in control rooms, in production planning sessions, and in the quiet discipline of building narratives that would eventually be seen by thousands. That early foundation continues to shape the way she speaks, listens, and presents herself in every frame she enters today. Before she became a familiar on screen presence, she spent five years working at Fujairah TV, learning the machinery of storytelling from its most essential layer. Those years were not about visibility. They were about structure, timing, and the invisible decisions that shape how stories are received. Working behind the scenes taught her that media is never just about the person in front of the camera. It is about the entire ecosystem that supports that moment. It is about preparation that no viewer sees, about decisions made seconds before broadcast, and about understanding how audiences emotionally connect to what they watch. She reflects on that period as a formative grounding. It gave her something that cannot be learned from performance alone. It gave her respect for detail. It gave her patience. Most importantly, it gave her a sense of responsibility toward storytelling that continues to guide her today. When she eventually transitioned in front of the camera, she did not abandon that awareness. She carried it with her. It changed the way she communicated. It made her more conscious of timing, tone, and emotional clarity. Instead of performing for attention, she began focusing on connection. That shift is subtle to the viewer but significant in practice. It is the difference between appearing and communicating with intention. In today’s media environment, where content is often shaped for rapid consumption, Zainab’s approach stands apart. She defines authenticity not as a visual style or a curated aesthetic, but as honesty in communication. To her, authenticity is not something that can be staged. It either exists in the way a person speaks or it does not exist at all. She is aware of the tension that exists between authenticity and expectation. Social media platforms reward consistency in image, speed in production, and clarity in branding. Yet she believes that long term connection with audiences is built through sincerity rather than perfection. This belief shapes her choices, from the tone of her content to the way she engages with her audience. She does not claim that protecting authenticity is easy. In fact, she acknowledges that it is one of the most challenging aspects of working in modern media. There is constant pressure to remain visible, to remain relevant, and to respond quickly to trends that move faster than reflection allows. But she chooses a slower measure of success, one that values depth over immediacy. Her communication style reflects this philosophy. It is conversational, grounded, and direct. She does not present herself as distant from her audience. Instead, she speaks as though she is part of the same conversation. This was not a calculated branding decision. It emerged gradually over time through experience. Years of working in television and digital platforms taught her a simple but powerful lesson. Audiences may forget exact words, but they remember how a conversation made them feel. That understanding shaped her preference for communication that feels human rather than scripted, natural rather than rehearsed. Behind this calm presence is a career that has not been without challenges. One of the most defining difficulties she faced was the constant demand for speed in media production while still trying to maintain quality and originality. The pressure to remain visible can often conflict with the time required to create meaningful work. Over time, she came to a realization that changed her relationship with her profession. Output alone is not the measure of success. Impact is. That shift in thinking redefined how she approached her work. Instead of focusing on how much she produced, she began focusing on what her work actually meant to the audience receiving it. This change did not happen overnight. It developed through experience, reflection, and the recognition that media, when rushed, can lose its emotional depth. Today, she places greater importance on clarity of purpose before creation begins. That discipline has become one of the defining aspects of her professional identity. Living and working in the United Arab Emirates has also played a significant role in shaping her perspective. Dubai and the wider UAE represent a unique media environment where cultures intersect, industries evolve rapidly, and innovation is a constant expectation rather than an exception. For Zainab, this environment has been both inspiring and demanding. It requires adaptability. It requires awareness of global audiences while remaining rooted in local identity. It also requires the ability to tell stories that are culturally meaningful yet universally relatable. She views the UAE not only as a workplace but as a living narrative of transformation. The speed of change in the region influences how stories are told and how creators position themselves within a global media conversation. It has taught her that storytelling is not static. It evolves alongside society. As an Emirati woman working in media, she also recognizes that her presence carries a certain visibility. Representation, in her view, is important but should not become a limitation. She acknowledges that younger generations observe and learn from those who appear in public platforms. That awareness brings a sense of responsibility. However, she is equally clear

Where Stillness Becomes Gold

Where Stillness Becomes Gold, The Luxury of Silence and the New Psychology of Wealth in the Gulf By Natalia Davis In a world increasingly defined by constant visibility, accelerated communication, and the pressure of perpetual connection, silence has quietly become one of the rarest forms of luxury. Nowhere is this shift more visible than in the Gulf, where rapid modernisation, architectural ambition, and digital hyper connectivity have created a counter movement that values stillness, privacy, and intentional withdrawal from noise. Across the United Arab Emirates and the wider region, a new kind of luxury culture is emerging, one that is no longer defined solely by spectacle, excess, or public display, but by restraint. Silence, once overlooked as absence, is now being redefined as presence. It is becoming something curated, designed, and deeply sought after. The modern luxury consumer in the Gulf is no longer only chasing visible markers of success. There is a growing psychological shift towards experiences that offer emotional restoration rather than social validation. Private wellness retreats, secluded desert escapes, members only sanctuaries, and ultra exclusive resorts designed around privacy rather than publicity are becoming central to this evolving lifestyle language. In these spaces, luxury is not loud. It is intentional. The desert in particular has re-emerged as a symbolic and physical sanctuary. Beyond its historical and cultural significance, it now represents something deeply contemporary, an environment where silence is not empty but expansive. Wellness retreats situated within vast dunes or minimalist architectural compounds offer a deliberate contrast to urban intensity. Time slows. Digital signals fade. Attention returns inward. Within this environment, wellness is no longer framed as an occasional indulgence but as a structural necessity. High performing individuals, entrepreneurs, creatives, and global travellers are increasingly seeking spaces where mental clarity is prioritised over constant stimulation. Meditation, breathwork, sound therapy, and guided stillness have become as integral to luxury hospitality as fine dining or design aesthetics. Yet what makes this shift particularly interesting is not only the rise of wellness culture, but its integration into the psychology of wealth itself. Traditionally, luxury in the Gulf has been associated with visibility, grandeur, and architectural dominance. Skyscrapers that touch the clouds, hotels that redefine scale, shopping destinations that function as global landmarks. These expressions of success remain deeply embedded in the region’s identity. However, alongside this external expansion, an internal recalibration is taking place. For a growing segment of affluent individuals, wealth is no longer measured only by what can be displayed, but by what can be protected. Time, privacy, emotional equilibrium, and mental space are becoming new forms of capital. The ability to disconnect, even temporarily, is now considered a marker of sophistication. This has given rise to a subtle but significant cultural evolution: the normalisation of digital silence. Private living spaces are increasingly designed with retreat in mind. Residences in the Gulf are incorporating wellness rooms, soundproof environments, meditation zones, and nature inspired interiors that prioritise calm over stimulation. Architecture is shifting towards softness, light control, natural materials, and spatial balance that encourages presence rather than performance. Even hospitality design is reflecting this change. Luxury resorts are moving beyond visual opulence towards sensory restraint. Neutral palettes, minimal soundscapes, curated lighting, and immersive natural settings are replacing the overstimulation often associated with traditional luxury environments. The goal is no longer to overwhelm the senses, but to gently recalibrate them. At the same time, private wellness retreats are becoming destinations in their own right. These spaces are often deliberately discreet, accessible through invitation or membership rather than public visibility. Their value lies not in how widely they are known, but in how carefully they are experienced. Guests arrive not to be seen, but to disappear temporarily from being seen at all. Within these environments, silence becomes an active experience. It is not the absence of sound, but the presence of awareness. Meals are unhurried. Conversations are minimal and intentional. Digital devices are often restricted or removed entirely. The focus shifts from external validation to internal restoration. This growing appreciation for silence reflects a deeper transformation in how success is understood in the region. In earlier phases of rapid economic growth, visibility was synonymous with achievement. To be seen was to succeed. Today, however, a parallel narrative is emerging, one where the ability to step away from visibility is equally valued. High net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and creatives are increasingly recognising that sustainable performance requires cycles of withdrawal. This is not rejection of ambition. It is refinement of it. The psychology of wealth is therefore evolving from accumulation towards calibration. It is no longer solely about expansion, but about balance. The most desirable lifestyles are not those that maximise exposure, but those that preserve inner equilibrium while maintaining external success. Digital detox culture sits at the heart of this transition. While technology remains essential to modern life, its overuse has created a counter desire for boundaries. Short term disconnection has become a form of restoration rather than escape. Even brief periods without digital engagement are now considered valuable interventions in mental clarity and emotional wellbeing. In this context, silence becomes a form of design. It is curated into schedules, integrated into travel experiences, and embedded into lifestyle choices. From private island retreats to mountain hideaways and desert sanctuaries, environments are being intentionally constructed to allow individuals to experience absence as luxury. What makes this shift particularly distinctive in the Gulf is its coexistence with continued innovation and urban intensity. The same region that builds some of the most visually dynamic cities in the world is also cultivating some of the most refined spaces of stillness. There is no contradiction in this duality. Instead, there is balance. Luxury, in its most contemporary form, is becoming dual in nature. It exists in both expression and withdrawal, visibility and invisibility, sound and silence. The ability to move between these states is increasingly what defines modern sophistication. Ultimately, the luxury of silence is not about rejecting the world. It is about re-entering it with

Sharjah Shines as the Global Jewellery Trade Gathers for the 57th Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show

Sharjah Shines as the Global Jewellery Trade Gathers for the 57th Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show By Feature Reporter As the global appetite for luxury jewellery, precious gemstones and investment-grade gold continues to accelerate, Sharjah is once again preparing to take centre stage in the international jewellery industry. From 10 to 14 June 2026, the 57th edition of the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show will open its doors at Expo Centre Sharjah, bringing together hundreds of exhibitors, renowned designers and industry leaders from around the world. Widely regarded as the Middle East’s premier gold and jewellery exhibition, the event has evolved into far more than a trade show. It has become a key marketplace where craftsmanship meets commerce, innovation intersects with tradition, and global luxury trends are unveiled before an audience of buyers, collectors, investors and jewellery enthusiasts. A Global Gathering of Luxury and Craftsmanship Organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), this year’s edition will welcome 400 exhibitors from 19 countries, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most influential jewellery exhibitions in the region. The show’s international reach reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of the luxury jewellery market. Alongside exhibitors from across the GCC and wider Middle East, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon and Yemen, participants will arrive from major global markets such as China, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States. Adding further international depth, five dedicated country pavilions representing Hong Kong, India, Italy, Singapore and Thailand will showcase some of the world’s finest jewellery craftsmanship, manufacturing expertise and emerging design trends. These curated displays are expected to provide visitors with unique access to exclusive collections and insights into the evolving direction of the global jewellery and watch sectors. Riding the Wave of a Booming Gold Market The exhibition arrives at a particularly significant moment for the global gold industry. Demand for gold reached unprecedented levels in 2025, surpassing 5,000 tonnes for the first time in history and generating a market value of approximately US$555 billion. This remarkable growth highlights gold’s dual appeal as both a luxury commodity and a strategic investment asset. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and shifting investment patterns, consumers and investors alike continue to view precious metals and gemstones as stores of value, driving sustained demand across international markets. For exhibitors, the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show offers a timely platform to capitalise on this momentum, connect with buyers and explore new business opportunities across the region and beyond. Driving Innovation Across the Industry According to H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Chief Executive Officer of Expo Centre Sharjah, the exhibition’s continued success mirrors the strong growth trajectory of the UAE’s gold and jewellery sector. He emphasised that the event forms part of a broader vision aimed at supporting the sustainable development of luxury jewellery, gemstones and rare collectibles industries. More than simply showcasing products, the exhibition provides a strategic platform for unveiling innovation, identifying emerging market trends and facilitating meaningful business connections. Al Midfa noted that Expo Centre Sharjah remains committed to enhancing the experience for both exhibitors and visitors through a fully integrated exhibition ecosystem supported by comprehensive logistical and operational services. This commitment, he explained, continues to attract growing international participation while strengthening Sharjah’s position as a major investment destination within the global jewellery and watch market. Beyond its commercial impact, the exhibition also contributes significantly to business tourism and international collaboration, creating new opportunities for emerging designers and innovators to access global markets and investment networks. Exclusive Collections and Rare Creations Covering an impressive 30,000 square metres, this year’s exhibition will feature an extensive array of products spanning the luxury spectrum. Visitors can expect to discover diamond jewellery, gold, platinum and silver collections, coloured gemstones, pearls, fashion jewellery and luxury timepieces. Reflecting the industry’s changing landscape, dedicated sections will also focus on lab-grown diamonds, advanced jewellery manufacturing technologies, precious metals and innovative packaging solutions. Among the highlights will be a selection of exceptional jewellery pieces and limited-edition collections inspired by diverse cultural influences. Many of these creations will incorporate highly sought-after materials including emeralds, rubies, opals and gold, appealing to collectors and connoisseurs seeking rare and distinctive pieces. These exclusive showcases are expected to further enhance the event’s reputation as a destination for discovering extraordinary craftsmanship and investment-worthy acquisitions. Celebrating Emirati Talent One of the exhibition’s standout attractions will be the Emirates Jewellers Platform, a dedicated initiative designed to spotlight the creativity and expertise of Emirati designers. The platform provides local jewellery creators with the opportunity to present their work alongside major international brands, highlighting the UAE’s rich heritage of craftsmanship while showcasing contemporary design innovation. For visitors, it offers a unique opportunity to explore jewellery that reflects the country’s cultural identity, blending traditional artistry with modern aesthetics. The initiative also underscores the UAE’s growing status as both a regional and global hub for jewellery design, manufacturing and trade. A Showcase of Opportunity With extended opening hours designed to maximise visitor access, the five-day exhibition promises an immersive retail and business experience featuring limited-edition collections, artistic masterpieces and the latest offerings from leading international brands. Whether attending as an industry professional seeking new partnerships, an investor exploring emerging opportunities, or a collector searching for exceptional pieces, visitors will find a showcase that reflects both the heritage and future of the global jewellery market. As the doors open on the 57th Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show, Sharjah once again demonstrates its growing influence within the international luxury goods sector. Bringing together world-class exhibitors, pioneering designers and global buyers under one roof, the exhibition serves as a powerful reflection of an industry experiencing unprecedented growth and transformation. In an era where luxury, craftsmanship and investment increasingly converge, the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show continues to cement its position as a leading global platform, one that not only celebrates excellence in jewellery and

Our Heroes, Our Shield, Inside the UAE’s Silent Architecture of Power, Protection and Modern Guardianship

Our Heroes, Our Shield, Inside the UAE’s Silent Architecture of Power, Protection and Modern Guardianship By Janhavi G In the United Arab Emirates, heroism does not announce itself. It does not arrive with spectacle, nor does quiet, precise, and deliberately engineered. It is embedded in institutions, reinforced through discipline, and expressed through people who rarely define themselves as heroes even when the nation consistently frames them as such. Here, protection is not an event. It is a condition. And that distinction changes everything. Because in most national narratives, heroes are remembered as individuals who emerge in moments of crisis. In the UAE, the logic is different. Heroism is not treated as an interruption. It is treated as infrastructure. It is built, trained, repeated, and maintained. It exists in the sky before it exists on the ground, in readiness before recognition, in structure before story. It is less about the dramatic visibility of a single act and more about the sustained architecture that ensures such acts are rarely required in the first place. This is why the idea of the “guardian” in the UAE carries a different weight. It is not a symbolic decoration reserved for military mythology or historical memory. It is a living category of civic identity shaped through governance, education, leadership visibility, and institutional design. It is not something the nation only remembers. It is something the nation actively produces. To understand this system, one has to begin with how the UAE itself was formed. Unlike many modern states whose security identities evolved through centuries of conflict, the UAE’s national identity emerged through rapid consolidation, accelerated development, and deliberate state-building within a compressed historical timeline. That compression matters. It created a governance model that prioritizes foresight over reaction, design over improvisation, and stability as a permanent objective rather than a periodic achievement. In such a system, security is not simply a military function. It becomes a philosophy of governance. The state does not wait for instability to define its response. It constructs systems designed to prevent instability from taking shape in the first place. Civil defence frameworks, emergency response protocols, aviation readiness, and national service structures are not separate domains. They are interlocking components of a single architecture of continuity. Within this architecture, leadership is not distant from public life—it is embedded within it. A figure such as Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed Al Maktoum reflects this philosophy of engaged leadership, where authority is not symbolic distance but operational responsibility. His public roles across sports governance and youth development reflect a wider national logic: leadership is expected to participate in shaping systems, not merely oversee them. In the UAE model, visibility is not decoration. It is an instruction. It tells society that responsibility is shared across layers, not concentrated at the top. But while symbolism shapes perception, systems determine reality. One of the most important systems in this structure is the national service. It is often described in administrative terms, but its real significance is cultural and psychological. National service is where abstract ideas like duty, discipline, hierarchy, and collective responsibility become physical experience. It is where individuals are temporarily reorganized into structured environments designed to simulate the logic of national defence. A young recruit waking before dawn in a training camp near Abu Dhabi or Al Ain is not encountering ideology. He is encountering structure. Uniforms are not symbolic; they are equalizers. Orders are not abstract; they are immediate. Time is no longer personal; it is regulated. And although national service is often discussed in terms of military preparedness, its deeper impact extends far beyond defence. It shapes how individuals understand structure itself. It builds habits of discipline that continue into civilian life, influencing workplaces, institutions, and even social expectations long after formal service ends. In a rapidly modernizing society, that shared structure becomes stabilizing. Alongside this institutional framework, one of the most significant transformations in the UAE’s modern identity has been the increasing presence of women in defence, aviation, and security roles. A defining figure in this shift is Mariam Al Mansouri, widely recognized as the UAE’s first female fighter pilot. Her emergence marked not just representation but structural transformation. It redefined competence as the only relevant criterion for participation in operational defence roles. Her name became widely recognized after her participation in air operations, but within institutional circles, her significance lies deeper. She represents a shift in training philosophy—where access is determined by capability, not category. In the years that followed, women increasingly entered aviation programs, military academies, emergency response units, and national security training pipelines. What began as a landmark became a system. What began as an exception became normalization. And in that shift, the idea of the guardian itself began to change. The guardian was no longer a fixed image. It became a distributed identity shaped by capability. And capability, in this system, is always institutional before it is individual. There is another layer to this transformation that is often less visible but equally significant: aviation. In the UAE, aviation is not just transportation. It is national language. It represents precision under pressure, technological mastery, and control within complex systems. At Al Dhafra Air Base or Al Minhad Air Base, pilots do not prepare for flight as a moment. They prepare for flight as repetition. Simulation rooms, checklists, technical calibration, and continuous drills form a rhythm that removes unpredictability from performance. The image of flight, often celebrated publicly, is only the final surface of a long system of unseen discipline. When aviation intersects with leadership visibility, the symbolism becomes even more layered. It reinforces a cultural expectation that responsibility is not separate from authority but embedded within it. Yet aviation alone does not complete the picture. The UAE’s definition of guardianship extends beyond Earth itself. Sultan Al Neyadi, the first Arab astronaut to complete a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station, represents this extension of discipline into space. His mission reflects the same institutional logic that defines defence and aviation: endurance, preparation, and precision under

Yasmeen Jisri, Building Bake My Day Without Losing Herself

Yasmeen Jisri, Building Bake My Day Without Losing Herself The Woman Behind Dubai’s Viral Cookie By Hafsa. Qadeer Dubai has a way of making everything look effortless from a distance. The city moves quickly, speaks loudly, and rewards those who can keep pace. Success here is often associated with scale, polish, and momentum. But behind the scenes, the most enduring stories are rarely built that way. They begin more quietly, in spaces that feel ordinary at first: a kitchen counter, a late-night craving, a decision made for no one else but yourself. Before Bake My Day became one of Dubai’s most talked-about dessert brands, before its cookies turned into a viral sensation across social media, Yasmeen Jisri was simply making something that felt true to her own taste. “It was a selfish project,” she says, almost with a smile in the sentence itself. “I was just doing something to satisfy my own cravings.” There is something refreshing about that kind of origin story. It does not try to sound strategic. It does not pretend that the brand was born out of market research or a grand business blueprint. It started with instinct, with desire, with a feeling that deserved to be made real. And in a city where people are constantly trying to build the next big thing, that kind of honesty can be more compelling than any polished pitch. Today, as the founder of Bake My Day and the force behind one of Dubai’s viral cookies, Yasmeen stands at the center of a brand that has grown well beyond its beginnings. Yet even as the spotlight has widened, she keeps returning to the same instinct that shaped it from the start: stay anchored. “Dubai constantly raises the bar,” she says. “Being here pushes you to grow alongside it, to want to rise to the same standard and refuse anything less than excellence.” That pressure can be energizing, but it can also be destabilizing. In a city that never seems to slow down, it is easy to lose sight of the thing that made you start in the first place. Yasmeen is clear about that tension. “With all that, I’ve learned the importance of staying anchored,” she says. “Coming back to my roots, my voice, and what I stand for.” What is striking is how unshowy that instinct is. There is no performance of wisdom here, no attempt to package groundedness as a branding exercise. It sounds like something she had to learn the hard way, through the mess of building something from scratch, through the pressure of being visible, and through the reality of becoming the face of a brand people now recognize instantly. That visibility came with vulnerability. When she first started Bake My Day from home, there was no distance between the product and the person creating it. Every tray, every batch, every reaction felt direct. Every piece of feedback landed immediately. “It was the fear of rejection,” she admits. “Because the brand is so personal. It felt like my baby being put out into the world and immediately judged.” That line tells you almost everything you need to know about the emotional cost of building something from scratch. A business is rarely just a business when it starts in your own kitchen. It carries your taste, your standards, your habits, your instinct, your sense of self. When people respond to it, they are responding to more than a product. They are responding to a piece of the person who made it. Back then, there were no layers to soften the experience. “It was a very direct customer-to-business relationship,” Yasmeen says. “Raw, immediate feedback. And that made it a lot more vulnerable.” That vulnerability, however, became part of the brand’s strength. Because what people were responding to was not just the cookie itself, but the feeling behind it. Bake My Day was never only about sweetness. It was about comfort. Familiarity. Memory. A certain kind of emotional ease. “100%,” Yasmeen says when asked whether the brand reflects something she personally needed. “It was very personal.” She pauses there, then continues with something that feels almost like a confession and a philosophy at once. “There’s real comfort in nostalgia for me,” she says, “in looking back and appreciating where things come from.” That sense of nostalgia sits at the heart of what Bake My Day has become. Cookies, in many ways, are easy to underestimate. They are often treated as simple, even childish. But Yasmeen saw something different in them. “I never liked the idea that they’re ‘just for kids,’” she says. “I wanted to break that.” What she built instead is something layered and emotionally legible: desserts that carry the softness of childhood while being reimagined for an adult audience. “I love childlike desserts and the comfort they bring,” she explains. “But I wanted to bring that into an adult space. For me, it’s about keeping that little kid in us alive.” That is perhaps the most compelling thing about Bake My Day. It is not trying to be clever. It is trying to be felt. It invites people toward something familiar without making it feel small. That emotional intelligence is part of why the brand has resonated so widely. The virality came later, but the emotional core was already there. Still, once a brand becomes visible, the story people tell about it changes. The public sees the orders, the social media posts, the queues, the buzz. They see the end result, not the strain behind it. Yasmeen is candid about the gap between the two. “From the outside, it can look glamorous,” she says. “But behind the scenes, it’s constant pressure.” The pressure never really leaves. It just changes shape. “Your head is split in a million directions,” she explains. “Yet you’re still showing up like everything is under control.” That sentence carries the fatigue of someone who has had to keep functioning while carrying more than most people realize. The emotional labor of entrepreneurship

Aparna Verma, Leading Education with Substance in an Age of Noise

Aparna Verma, Leading Education with Substance in an Age of Noise By Bill Brown In a region where education has become one of the most competitive and fast-moving sectors, clarity is increasingly hard to find. Parents are surrounded by claims of innovation, future readiness, and global excellence, yet many struggle to understand what truly matters for their child. Against this backdrop, Scholars International Group has taken a different approach, one shaped less by momentum and more by measured thinking, long experience, and a quiet confidence in fundamentals. For more than fifty years, Scholars International Group has been part of the UAE’s evolving education landscape. During that time, the country has transformed from a place with limited schooling options into a global hub offering a wide range of international curricula. Choice has expanded, information has multiplied, and expectations have risen. Yet, according to Aparna Verma, CEO of Scholars International Group, the essence of parental decision-making has remained remarkably consistent. Parents, she observes, have always been cautious when choosing a school. The difference today lies in the environment surrounding that choice. Families now navigate constant comparison, heightened competition, and a flood of information that often creates more anxiety than reassurance. In such a climate, schools carry a greater responsibility, not only to educate children, but to offer parents clarity, stability, and trust. Scholars International Group has responded to this reality by resisting the temptation to follow every new trend. Instead, it has focused on disciplined delivery: strong leadership, high-quality teaching, and consistency across its schools. For Aparna, leadership in education is not about visibility or volume of messaging. It is about sustained quality, delivered quietly and reliably over time. This philosophy shaped the launch of The Scholars School, SIG’s latest venture. Rather than beginning with assumptions about what families wanted, the group began by listening. A detailed Parent Insight Study was conducted to better understand how parents perceive education today and where they feel uncertain or unheard. The findings were telling. More than seventy-four percent of parents expressed a desire to be actively involved in their child’s education. Yet involvement did not mean control. Parents wanted understanding, reassurance, and visibility, not daily management of classroom decisions. Perhaps most importantly, they wanted to feel heard before being spoken to. This insight fundamentally shaped how SIG communicates with families. Instead of increasing the frequency of messaging, the group focused on structure and clarity. Clear routines, predictable rhythms of communication, and professional, open dialogue between teachers and parents became central. The aim was to build genuine partnerships, relationships in which parents feel confident and informed, and teachers feel trusted and supported. For Aparna, this balance is critical. Education works best when parents and teachers share responsibility without blurring roles. Trust grows when families understand how learning is delivered and why decisions are made, while teachers are given the space to apply their professional expertise. Consistency, in fact, has emerged as one of the most important markers of quality in the eyes of parents. Research conducted by SIG shows that families judge schools not only on academic outcomes, but on leadership stability and visible teaching quality. In response, Scholars International Group has built shared academic foundations across its schools, with common frameworks, clear expectations, and aligned teaching practices. The Scholars School is not treated as an isolated project. It is an extension of systems refined over decades. Professional development, academic oversight, and leadership presence are embedded across the group. These structures are not hidden; they are visible and accessible, allowing parents to see how quality is sustained in daily practice. Innovation, in this context, is approached carefully. In an era where educational trends emerge quickly and disappear just as fast, SIG has chosen to be guided by evidence rather than fashion. Parents, according to the group’s research, consistently express a preference for strong fundamentals over experimental approaches. This has shaped the way innovation is introduced, not as a headline, but as a tool to deepen learning. The Scholars School follows a British curriculum, internationally recognised for its rigour and structure. This is enriched by research-based frameworks such as High-Performance Learning and informed by insights from cognitive science. Oversight from an experienced board ensures that research is applied thoughtfully, always with a clear link to student learning. At the centre of this approach are teachers. Aparna is clear that student outcomes and teacher development are inseparable. Parents may speak about results, but what they are really observing is teaching quality and consistency. For this reason, Scholars International Group invests heavily in ongoing professional development aligned with its shared pedagogy. Training is continuous and purposeful, directly connected to classroom practice. Teachers are supported not only to deliver content, but to grow within a shared vision of education. This support, Aparna notes, has a ripple effect. When teachers feel valued and confident, school culture strengthens, motivation rises, and students benefit. Equally important is the way SIG approaches student wellbeing. Academic rigour and emotional safety are not treated as competing priorities. Research conducted by the group shows that parents value structure, predictability, and emotional security, particularly in the early years. These elements create environments in which learning can thrive without anxiety. Classrooms across SIG schools are designed to be calm and structured. Clear routines help children feel secure, build confidence, and develop a sense of belonging. For Aparna, emotional well-being is not an additional programme; it is the foundation that allows academic rigour to be sustained. Operating in the UAE adds another layer of responsibility. The country’s diversity and forward-thinking vision require schools to create inclusive environments that respect cultural context while preparing students for global citizenship. SIG’s research shows that many parents think deeply about how their children develop identity in a highly international setting. The Scholars School delivers the British curriculum in a way that reflects the UAE’s social and cultural fabric, enriched by global best practices drawn from across the group. This emphasis on belonging, stability, and family values aligns naturally with the UAE’s Year of

Beyond Bricks to Bars, UAE’s Golden Legacy

Beyond Bricks to Bars, UAE’s Golden Legacy By Janhavi Gusani Gold has long been rooted in the UAE’s culture, woven into its traditions, trade, and family legacy, long before real estate reshaped skylines and before cryptocurrency entered investment conversations. While pearl diving formed the earliest backbone of the region’s economy, defining its wealth, silver and oil later transformed it, yet gold has maintained a timeless appeal. Unlike these other commodities, which depended on harvests, markets, or extraction cycles, gold offered families a tangible and portable store of value, one that could be passed down across generations without losing its significance. It has served as a silent keeper, valued both as adornment and inheritance, an expression of wealth that travels effortlessly through time. Gold’s appeal lies not only in its financial value but also in the trust and confidence it inspires, making it a cornerstone of cultural and economic life. In the UAE, gold is more than a commodity; it is a living part of family life. It has served as an anchor, offering permanence and security amid economic fluctuations. Unlike modern investments, whose values can swing dramatically, gold has historically provided liquidity across generations. Its enduring presence reflects a rare combination of financial stability and emotional resonance. Long before skyscrapers defined the skyline, the UAE was a regional hub for gold trade, welcoming merchants from the Middle East, India, and beyond. Dubai Creek and the Deira Gold Souk were central to this legacy, providing transparent markets and strict purity standards that built trust across buyers and sellers. These historic trading centers continue to attract investors and collectors today, reinforcing gold’s central place in the UAE’s financial and cultural landscape. Dubai’s label, the “City of Gold,” is earned through decades of heritage, commerce, and global reputation. Beyond its cultural resonance, gold has remained a constant witness to generational change, evolving markets, and the UAE’s transformation into a global hub for technology and innovation. Today, in a world of digital investments, from cryptocurrency and stocks to funds and real estate, the UAE honors traditional practices while embracing financial innovation. Gold remains the enduring, trusted source of security, while real estate and digital assets offer opportunities for growth, speed, and global connectivity. Real estate has become a defining symbol of the growing ambition of the UAE’s landmarks, making it a country of stable urban-vision and long-term growth. Iconic developments such as Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, and Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island offer investors tangible assets and a sense of ownership in dynamic urban landscapes. Yet, unlike gold, property is cyclical and influenced by market conditions, regulatory shifts, and global economic trends. Alongside property, cryptocurrency, blockchain adoption, fintech hubs, and international trade shows demonstrate the UAE’s forward-looking embrace of technology. These modern assets appeal to a younger, global investor base seeking fast, borderless opportunities. While offering high returns and diversification, they remain speculative and volatile, lacking the generational trust and cultural grounding that gold has maintained for centuries. Together, real estate and digital assets illustrate the modern investment mindset: driven by growth, innovation, and global connectivity. They coexist with traditional assets like gold, offering opportunity without replacing heritage. In the UAE, modernity complements tradition, creating an investment ecosystem where culture, growth, and stability intersect. Gold’s influence now extends into luxury, lifestyle, and design. It shapes architecture, home interiors, furniture, streetscapes, culinary creations, and leisure experiences. The upcoming Gold Street in Dubai, inspired by opulent design and gilded aesthetics, will attract retailers, investors, and tourists alike, cementing Dubai as a premier hub for both commerce and culture. From gold-embellished villas and hotels to desserts topped with gold leaf and specialty coffees, gold bridges heritage and modern lifestyle, elevating everyday experiences into expressions of prestige. The UAE stands at the intersection of heritage and ambition, where centuries-old traditions coexist with some of the world’s most striking developments. Investment here reflects culture, identity, and vision, not just financial returns. Gold continues to anchor wealth while influencing architecture, interiors, and lifestyle, embodying prestige alongside stability. Real estate and digital assets showcase the nation’s innovative spirit and global connectivity, but it is gold that links the past, present, and future, providing a living emblem of trust, value, and elegance. In this city and country of gold, tradition and modernity do not compete; they complement one another, crafting a narrative of extraordinary cultural and economic significance, a uniquely UAE story of wealth, heritage, and progress.