'Build Bridges, Not Walls': UAE Official Calls For Effective Media Storytelling

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A country does not need to manufacture a narrative when its achievements speak for themselves, Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee at the UAE Federal National Council, said on Tuesday, during a session titled 'Speaking in a Global Language' at the Arab Media Summit, which kicked off in Dubai.

“If you serve your people and achieve success for them, you will automatically produce a convincing narrative for your people and for others,” Al Nuaimi added, calling on Gulf and Arab countries to build their global image by investing in people and delivering tangible results at home.

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He said countries should not begin by trying to construct an image for international audiences. Instead, they should focus first on improving the lives of their own people, with successful domestic policies eventually becoming the foundation of a credible international narrative.“Build the human being, serve the human being,” he stated.

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He said the UAE's national agenda is centred on serving and caring for people while preparing them for the future, with the country's leadership looking beyond immediate priorities to where the UAE should be decades from now.“The narrative comes as a result of internal successes, not from creating plans and publicity,” he said.

Effective storytelling

Al Nuaimi also urged journalists, media professionals and content creators to take greater responsibility for how the UAE and wider Arab world are represented internationally, particularly as social media has made communication more direct and global.

He said years of accumulated stereotypes have shaped perceptions of Arabs, Muslims, Gulf nationals and Emiratis, but developments in the region have challenged many of these assumptions.

Rather than responding defensively to criticism or portraying the UAE as a victim, communicators should showcase the country's achievements and present them in a way that resonates with international audiences, he said.

“We should not enjoy the role of the victim. We built our successes, we take responsibility for solving our problems, and we must compete with the world in everything and present a model to the world,” Al Nuaimi said.

He stressed that effective storytelling also requires respecting the intelligence of audiences, avoiding exaggerated claims and messages designed only to reassure people at home.

“The other side needs a convincing message for them - not a message that only convinces us,” he said.

UAE's soft power

Al Nuaimi pointed to the UAE's digital transformation as one area where achievements can form part of the country's soft power, from government services available through smartphones to the growing use of artificial intelligence and smart systems across sectors.

Digital diplomacy, he said, provides an opportunity to create direct connections with people around the world and communicate developments taking place on the ground.

He also stressed the importance of allowing people to experience the UAE for themselves, saying direct interaction with the country can challenge stereotypes more effectively than promotional messaging.“We should build bridges, not walls; open doors and open hearts,” he said.

Al Nuaimi said this approach should extend beyond the UAE to the wider Arab world, highlighting the importance of creating opportunities for young people across the region to contribute to human development regardless of political differences between countries.

He said the UAE remains open to working with everyone and believes in the common ground shared between people.

“We believe in what we have in common, and we believe that those who deserve to be supported first are the Arabs,” he said.

For Gulf and Arab countries seeking to develop their own narratives, Al Nuaimi returned to the same principle: the story should begin at home.

“If you serve your people and achieve success for them, you will automatically produce a convincing narrative for your people and for others,” he said.

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