United Arab Emirates

I started learning German for professional reasons, when I worked with a German fashion designer who spoke a few words of Arabic. This encouraged me to do the same in German. Later, I met more Germans in the fields of medicine and culture, and they left a vibrant impression of the German world on me by displaying an immense diligence in their respective professional work. From this point on I paid closer attention to the German language.

While learning German I came across the word 'Erde', which means 'earth' in English. In Arabic, the word for earth is pronounced 'ard'. I found so many more words that cross the barriers of language, but to see the common roots of the word 'earth' in Arabic, German and English really motivated me to take an interest in the history of human development.

Now I always stress the importance of exposing common ground rather than differences, despite the severe enmity that is present in some cases. Moreover, in this day and age when we are striving for a global awareness of cultures, it is appropriate that these cultures express themselves through the identity of their people.

My ongoing studies of the German language are greatly inspired by the knowledge that our mother tongues’ word for the life giving earth has common roots.