As 2017 marks the ‘Year of Giving’ in the UAE, what better way for the community to respond to this calling than by celebrating what this country so proudly achieves – unity in diversity.

Dubai hosted its very own ‘Breakfast For Diversity’ event, which saw representatives of 101 nationalities sit down in harmony to share a meal and revel in a celebration of tolerance and unity that fortifies the very foundation of the UAE.

Organised by the Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh foundation in Jebel Ali, the event also saw Dubai achieve another world record with the ‘Most Nationalities Having a Continental Breakfast’ together.

‘His Highness Sheikh Mohammed called upon communities to play their part in the Year of Giving, and we responded to this calling by celebrating this country’s diversity,’ said Bubbles Khandari, Vice Chairman of the Sikh Gurudwara.
 
Surender Kandhari, Chairman of the Gurudwara added: ‘Diversity has always been part of our faith and belief. Every day, we feed around 1,500 people who cross our threshold, while on Fridays, this number goes up to 10,000.’

Sabah Al Balooshi, an Emirati national attending the event said: ‘As a citizen of this country, I can safely say that we cannot take a step ahead without the joint efforts put in by all the nationalities that form the fabric of the UAE.

‘We as a community are looking beyond prejudices to embrace all that the UAE and its multicultural population stands for. And even if there are 2 people against, we prove that a 1,000 are still standing with you.’

Spanish national Ignacio Prados agreed, saying: ‘In the current political turmoil the world is facing today, I think that it is important that we all sit down for a moment and look at the person beside us and try to understand that we are all not that different.’

‘When you come to the UAE, it broadens you somehow, largely because you are interacting with people of different backgrounds and ethnicities,’ added Kenyan national Emily Okelo.

‘We are all giving something in the larger scheme of things; be it experience, knowledge or our time. And I am a firm believer that when you give something, you always get equal or more in return some day.’
 
Year of Giving Series

With the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan declaring 2017 as the ‘Year of Giving’, the call of the hour is to gauge our contributions by the differences we make: the differences in someone’s life, in a society, or in a nation.
 
With these words as our guide, Dubai Post brings you some heartwarming stories that celebrates this initiative through deeds, actions and personal achievements that will give back to the community at large.