BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
“In the UAE, everyone is Emirati.”
When UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conveyed this message amid regional developments, expats - especially those who were born, raised, and have built their lives here - felt seen.
“This made me feel so proud to call the UAE my home,” said Charita Nagarajan, an Indian national born in Abu Dhabi. Nagarajan pointed out that she has always felt a sense of belonging to the UAE.
“I feel like I belong just like any other person here. Whether other residents or Emiratis, I always feel connected with everyone, like I am part of a community,” she told Aletihad.
For Jordanian expat Ahmad Al Halabi, home is also nowhere else but the UAE - and he is grateful to have been raised in the country. “Home is where you truly feel that you belong, where you are safe, accepted, respected, loved and valued,” said the 32-year-old, who grew up in Abu Dhabi.
In the UAE, he found windows into different pockets of the world, experiencing a richness of diversity unlike anywhere else. “Growing up in the UAE creates a unique blend of cultures within you,” the 32-year-old, who lives in Abu Dhabi, told Aletihad.
With more than 200 nationalities living side by side, the UAE forms one of the most diverse societies in the world. Residents and citizens say the country feels less like a shared space and more like a true, welcoming home.
Al Halabi said that growing up and going to school in Abu Dhabi taught him to respect people of all nationalities and backgrounds. Diversity was not a concept but something he experienced every day.
“A single classroom could have 20 different nationalities, yet we connected effortlessly and built genuine friendships. I have Emirati friends who are like brothers to me. There is no sense of difference between us,” he said.
Living in a multicultural society teaches you something powerful, Al Halabi said. “Despite our differences, we are all human.”
Celebrating diversity, however, is a two-way street and Nagarajan also values the opportunity to share the traditions and colours of her homeland.
During the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, for example, the UAE dazzles with decorations and festivities reminiscent of her roots.
“It feels nice to share my culture with everyone around me, I have Emirati friends and other friends from all over the world, and it is always special when we all celebrate each other’s occasions, it feels like we are one and the same,” she said.
Chloe Robyn Wilson, a British resident who has been living in Abu Dhabi since she was 19, said the UAE is the place where she grew, built friendships, created a community, and met her husband.
“The UAE gave me opportunities, independence, and a lifestyle that has really allowed me to figure out who I am. I have stayed all these years later because there is always this feeling that I can grow more here. The country is constantly evolving, and I plan to evolve with it,” Wilson told Aletihad.
One of the best parts of living here is the people, she said. “At a recent event I held for the Stronger Together community, we had over 15 different nationalities, which is just so special.”
Having also met many Emiratis through the years, Wilson has witnessed firsthand the core values that define the UAE. “Emiratis are generous, welcoming and kind, and really proud of their culture in such a beautiful way,” she said.
Through her Stronger Together community, Wilson gathers women for different activities and events. “It really does not matter where you are from, there is shared energy, support, and encouragement that makes it feel like one community,” she said.
Emiratis also say diversity has become a natural part of the country’s identity, describing a sense of community built not only on coexistence but daily interactions in workplaces, schools, and neighbourhoods.
Hessa Al Mansoori, a UAE national, said the country’s social fabric is built on inclusion and hospitality. “We grew up seeing people from many nationalities living here, working here, raising families here. For us, residents are not strangers. They are our neighbours, our colleagues and, of course, our friends,” Al Mansoori told Aletihad.
She added that Emiratis are proud to have such a diverse community that stands together no matter the circumstance. “It feels good when we see people from all over the world express their solidarity and love for the UAE, that is something we are proud of, that people feel safe and respected here,” Al Mansoori said.
Khalid Al Matroushi, another Emirati, emphasised that the UAE was built on the idea that people from different cultures can live together in harmony. “We see residents not as outsiders but as part of our community. Many have grown up here and contributed to the country’s progress, which creates a sense of unity,” Al Matroushi told Aletihad.
Reflecting on his own experience, he views diversity as part of daily life. “My best friend is from Jordan. I have colleagues from Germany, Morocco, and all over the world. At the end of the day, we all come together without any differences between us, and we share everything, the good and the bad.”