This article was written by Dr. Abdul-Khaliq Abdullah, UAE Visiting Academic at Harvard University, and the views below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CNN.
Social networking sites, especially the Twitter platform, have recently witnessed a large and heated debate in the UAE about who is the Emirates? Who are we? What is fixed and variable in national identity?
One group then defined the Emirates as anyone with the UAE nationality and passport. But this formal and legal definition, despite its correctness and simplicity, did not appeal to many. While another group believed that the Emirates were a complete national figure, integrated with a set of values and social traditions inherited from father, grandfather and grandfather, who flocked to this land and contributed together and together to make it a safe, stable and earth thrives that embraces all and appreciates the contribution of all who participate in building an attractive Emirati model. This common definition, and it is widely shared, some of the latter have added elements such as the Arabic language and the Islamic religion, without which the Emirati identity would not be complete.
The dialogue between the parties was controversial, revealing and useful, but the question of who the Emirates are and who we are remained urgent and circulated between taking and attracting between a conservative current that wants to preserve values, customs and traditions consolidated and a modern and civil current that welcomes the new without fearing the national identity of the rapid transformations experienced by the Emirates and the developments of society in the last fifty years.
And from the question who are the Emirates and who are we, other problematic issues, such as the question, what is the constant and what is the variable in the national identity of the Emirates, and there is a hidden conflict between the fixed and the transformed into this identity? Is the fear of national identity right and requires urgent action, or is jealousy and fear of Emirati identity artificial, excessive and misplaced, and some use it to make factional agendas? More importantly, Emirati identity constants have become the target of an external invasion and as a result of the transformations of globalization and modernity that have been unleashed over the past fifty years, or the Emirates have become fully confident in its Emirates, adhering to its national earnings without fear and fear for its national identity?
The premise of these problematic issues that deserve a closer national dialogue is the emergence of a new generation in the society of the United Arab Emirates that differs in behavior, tastes, customs, traditions, aspirations, values and constants from customs, traditions and constants family that settled in souls and penetrated the hearts of generations in decades of ease and difficulty.
This globalized Emirati generation, which emerged from the heart of the new Emirati society, confirms its presence on the field day after day, increases its self-confidence in word and deed, claims to have the same rights as others and has the same duties of others, above all because he performs his duties towards his homeland in the best possible way, as in the case of a million Emiratis who love their country and are faithful to its leadership. Therefore, although he differs in taste, behavior, appearance and habits, he is no less Emirati than other Emirati men and women.
The Emirates, according to the logic of the 21st century generation, cannot be reduced only to appearance, behavior, taste and habits, but rather to belonging, fidelity and gift. Homeland membership is the constant that defines the national identity of the Emirates. With this national standard, there is no preference for an Emirati over an Emirati, except for loyalty to the homeland of all, the Emirates. The first element of the Emirati national identity is that the second December of each year is the birthday of every Emirati male and female. About one million Emirates have a common birthday on December 2. Nobody feels the value of this history as the Emirates do. This day has a special taste, a special taste and a special place in the heart of every Emirati. The Emirates are Emirates by virtue of this temporal affiliation.
Emirates are also Emirates by virtue of their geographic affiliation to a specific area of the globe of 83,000 square kilometers. This space alone is the geographic homeland of the Emirates. He was born here, he grew up here and when it’s time to leave he’s buried here. Every inch of this space is sacred and precious land for the Emirates, ready to pay their lives for it.
Additionally, Emirati youth and elders have only one national father, the late Zayed, the UAE’s founding father. A million Emirates are the children of Zayed, may God rest his soul, feel his pure spirit hovering in every corner of the Emirates and in every corner of the federal state, east and west, north and south.
Furthermore, what unites a million Emirates is the pride of the UAE flag. There are 200 flags in the world, but the Emirati flag only stops one flag to give its soul and stand up to greet it when the national anthem is played. The heart of the Emirates beats for a flag. It delights when it flutters high and is bred at national events and international forums.
These national symbols, more than other constants and variables, are what unites a million Emirates and distinguishes them from other peoples near and far, and by themselves constitute the constants of their national identity, and thus determine who the Emirates are and respond to question Who are we? Customs, traditions and values may change from age to age and from generation to generation, but these national symbols are fixed and do not change at all with the passage of time. The founding father is one and does not change, the area of the homeland increases and does not decrease, and the flag does not change. As for the second day of December each year, it is a day dedicated to the people of the Emirates and not other peoples.
The national identity of the Emirates has been linked to the institution of the UAE and the symbols of this country open to the world, and stressed that it is a flexible and inclusive identity that has not been monopolized for a generation and cannot be removed by a happy new generation with an Emirati model that embodies the best of openness and tolerance in the world.
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