Editors-in-Chief of the UAE’s leading English newspapers today said that local media have a responsibility to support the country in tackling key challenges. Speaking at a panel discussion titled ‘Foreign Language Media in the UAE’ at the fourth annual Emirati Media Forum organised by the Dubai Press Club today, Aisha Taryam, Editor-in-Chief of The Gulf Today said that foreign language media in the UAE have displayed their patriotism by contributing to the effort to tackle the regional challenges faced by the country. It has also played a critical role in explaining and clarifying national issues to expatriates of different nationalities in the UAE.

Mina Al-Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National said that foreign language media have an opportunity to cover UAE news in a way that makes it interesting to international audiences, adding that The National has always sought to do this.

The panelists highlighted the cultural diversity in the UAE, saying over 200 nationalities live in the country in peace and harmony. In order to ensure national issues are understood well by the UAE’s expatriate populations, local media should cover news professionally.

Taryam said that expatriates in the UAE rely on local media to understand what is happening in the country. Gulf Today, she said, has hired talented people across nationalities so that the newspaper can communicate effectively to diverse communities.