A Letter to My Son

You were born in Al-Andalus, a land that was the crossroads of diverse cultures, faiths, and traditions. A land that brought Muslims, Christians, and Jews together in a spirit of tolerance and harmony. A land where Arabic, Castillano, and Hebrew were spoken side by side. A land where the pursuit of knowledge was prized above all. A land that witnessed the rise and fall of some of the world’s greatest civilizations.

 

Where are you from?

 

Your father hails from Egypt and your mother from Spain, two lands on diametrically opposite ends of the Mediterranean. Despite both being parts of the same Roman and Islamic empires, Egypt is now Arab and Muslim and Spain is now Western and Catholic. Your father speaks Arabic and your mother speaks Spanish. When they talk to one another, they speak English.

 

What is your nationality and what is your native language?

 

You are spending the first years of your life in the United Arab Emirates, a young and ambitious country. Even though you are a foreigner here, you are part of the multicultural majority. You have friends from every corner of the world here. You and everyone who lives here belong.

 

Where is your home?

 

You are a child of the East and the West. They are not separate. They might seem like opposite directions on a compass, but they are united in you. They might appear to have different cultures, faiths, and traditions, but they need one another to survive and thrive. They are like the yin and the yang. While they can clash at times, they ultimately complement and enrich one another. Transcend the differences and strive for unity. You were brought into this world to be a bridge between the East and the West, the past and the future. You were brought into this world to bring peace. Go beyond the superficial and strive for the universal and the eternal.

 

You are a citizen of the world.