
Happiness in the UAE: Rumana Nazim, Omaira Al Olama and Saeed Arjumand in Conversation

Vogue Arabia’s ongoing celebration of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee and the run-up to the Ball of Arabia was joined by Rumana Nazim, Omaira Al Olama, and Saeed Arjumand with a light-hearted discussion on happiness. Each member of the trio took a turn randomly choosing from a vase of our specially curated questions, cored around the theme of ‘happiness’. Why happiness? According to UN World Happiness Report 2017, the UAE came first in the Arab world for three consecutive years and also has a CEO of happiness and wellbeing. And what better note to celebrate the nation in?
The discussion began with the founder of The Edit, Nazim’s happiest memory in the region, which she recalled was from her childhood in the UAE. “I feel very blessed to have had such a wonderful, safe, and positive childhood,” she shared. With open arms and a warm embrace, the UAE welcomed most of Nazim’s family members coming from India 50 years ago, becoming a homeland to herself and her extended family.
Emirati entrepreneur TedTalk speaker Al Olama pitched in with her creatively visual input, associating UAE with the color yellow. “Yellow always makes me feel happy, it’s bright,” she shared. She referred to her home as a multicultural melting pot that prioritizes everybody’s need for happiness, bringing them together to create a feeling of community.
Towards the end of the conversation, the owner of Dubai’s first standalone comic book store Arjumand picks up a blue note that asks what the common misconceptions about the UAE are, and he openheartedly shared “that everything in the UAE is made of gold, everything’s expensive,” causing a stir between the three as they spoke about their experiences of equality between Emiratis and non-Emiratis.
Honoring the UAE’s golden milestone, Vogue Arabia will soon throw a lavish red carpet charity event on December 12, in the ballroom of Raffles The Palm Dubai. The evening will expect celebrities, designers, royalty, and business icons dressed in aureate shades of gold. Find out more about the Ball of Arabia here.
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Video: Sonia Alsowaiegh