Dubai is my home as it is a city built not on sand but on tolerance, says British official

In a video message, Jocelyn Waller, UK Government’s Arabic spokesperson for the Middle East and North Africa, affirmed that she considered Dubai her home because it was a city built not on sand but on tolerance and human connection, expressing her displeasure with negative media comments that did not reflect the reality she experienced there.

“Hello everyone. Some of you may not know this, but my home is in Dubai. My family and I moved here last year when I took on my role as a regional spokesperson,” said Jocelyn Wallar in a video message via her account on X platform.

“In a city that opens its doors to the world, we live surrounded by families from all backgrounds. My children are learning Arabic alongside English at school and are growing up understanding that every culture has its value, its story and its place,” she added.

Commenting on the blatant Iranian attacks targeting the UAE and sister countries, Waller said: “In recent weeks, life here has been put to the test, but what I have seen has been something very special: continuous efforts by the UAE authorities to keep people safe and support them and communities that are coming together and helping each other to bond.”

“This is the Dubai I know. It saddens me when I read negative comments in the media that do not reflect the reality I have experienced. In this difficult time, this kind of negative attack is not helpful. We are supposed to stand together, not drift apart,” she said.

Expressing her admiration for the culture of tolerance that is deeply rooted in Dubai, Waller said: “This is my opinion: Dubai is not a city built on sand but a city built on the belief that people from all over the world live, learn and grow together, and this is something extraordinary. Dubai is a city built on human connection, a city that I consider my home.”