Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI and MUDHI ALOBTHANI (ABU DHABI)
Ninety-two per cent of Abu Dhabi residents from different nationalities feel a sense of belonging to the emirate — a statistic that a senior official said reflects the success of government efforts to foster a community built on tolerance, respect, and social responsibility.
Shaikha Al Hosani, Executive Director of the Social Monitoring and Innovation Sector at the Department of Community Development, cited the figure from Abu Dhabi’s latest Quality of Life Survey, conducted among more than 115,000 residents representing over 170 nationalities.
“These are facts that reflect the results of the efforts made to build harmony among the many nationalities who call the UAE home,” she said.
Al Hosani spoke at the opening panel of the International Dialogue of Civilisations and Tolerance Conference, highlighting how AI and social media can be harnessed to build bridges between cultures rather than deepen divisions.
“We discussed the opportunities that lie in utilising these capabilities to serve the individual, the community, and humanity,” she said.
The UAE’s wider role in advancing international cooperation on AI governance was taken up in another session.
Dr Nidal A. Shoukeir, Executive Board Director at ICCEHS, pointed to the country’s partnerships with nations such as France and India as evidence of that commitment.
He described the UAE as a global model of soft power built on dialogue, development and optimism, where cultural identity, innovation and international engagement intersect to form a forward-looking national identity.
He added that the UAE’s approach to governance and diplomacy demonstrates how “smart power” can be built through the effective use of available resources to strengthen international standing and promote stability.
But the promise of new technologies also comes with real risks. Dr Bushra Al Blooshi, Executive Director of Cybersecurity Governance and Risk Management at the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, cautioned that the same tools enabling digital transformation can be used to spread misinformation, fabricate content and support cyberattacks — particularly during times of crisis.
Deepfake videos and misleading social media content, she said, pose a direct threat to social cohesion and national unity. The UAE has responded proactively, she noted, with detection tools developed as early as 2019 and advanced systems now in place to limit the spread of misleading content.
Fadeela Almaeeni, President of the UAE Journalists Association, echoed those concerns, warning that countries with strong global influence are frequent targets of coordinated disinformation campaigns.
In the country, cybercrime legislation and national media institutions help safeguard digital spaces, she said. Government entities, media organisations and regulatory bodies have been essential in ensuring accurate information reaches the public.
