Translation is not merely a linguistic exercise but a cultural process that transforms ideas into action and helps shape the future, said Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai. He was speaking at the ongoing 18th Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai.
Addressing a session held at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, Lt. General Al Marri highlighted that translation plays a vital role in building bridges between cultures and strengthening communication among people. He noted that this approach aligns with Dubai’s broader vision of celebrating diversity and transforming it into shared human values.
The session was attended by several prominent figures, including former minister Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi; cultural adviser to the UAE President and Chancellor of UAE University, Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh; Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Hala Badri; renowned psychologist and academic Dr. Rafia Obaid Ghubash; and Emirates Literature Foundation founder and board trustee Isobel Abulhoul. The discussion also featured Dr. Khalifa Ali Al Suwaidi, Assistant Professor at the College of Education, UAE University.
Lt. General Al Marri said the festival’s central theme of “Translation” reflects its importance in fostering mutual understanding across cultures. He added that meaningful translation goes beyond words to enable dialogue, empathy, and cooperation among societies.
Referring to lessons from My Life Lessons, a book by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Al Marri said these principles have guided efforts to bring about positive change. He stressed that challenges should be viewed not as obstacles, but as starting points for development and progress.
He also noted that GDRFA Dubai currently provides its services in more than 55 media languages, reflecting the authority’s commitment to inclusivity, respect, and ensuring that information is accessible and easily understood by all segments of society.
“True value lies not in the beauty of words, but in the change they create in society,” Al Marri said, adding that Dubai is a city that translates not only languages, but perspectives into achievements.
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, one of the Arab world’s most prominent literary events, has brought together leading writers, thinkers, and intellectuals from more than 40 countries, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for culture, dialogue, and knowledge exchange.
