MILAN // Emirati volunteers for the UAE pavilion at Milan Expo see themselves as fortunate to have the chance to represent their country at such a major event.
They are also lucky to have a couple of “old hands” in their midst.
Wafa Al Katheeri and Nabil Al Mana have volunteered for the UAE before – at the Shanghai expo in 2010 and the 2009 Venice Biennale art festival in 2009, respectively.
But sharing Emirati culture at a major global event, through the Takatof volunteering initiative, never loses its gloss.
“I’m proud to represent the UAE and tell people about our achievements and what happened,” said Ms Al Katheeri, 34, who works for the Abu Dhabi Government. “I tell them about our suffering before and our achievements now.”
She said Milan was a far cry from her first expo. “In China, when they saw us wearing traditional dress – abaya and kandura – it’s the first time for them. Everybody took photos.
“We were celebrities in Shanghai. Here in Europe, maybe they’re more familiar because it’s multicultural.”
“Here in Italy they say ‘marhaba’ and ‘as-salamu alaykum’. They say as-salamu alaykum because it’s famous,” Ms Al Katheeri said.
At the Venice Biennale, Mr Al Mana was Saadiyat Island’s volunteer representative, again through Takatof.
The following year he was a UAE volunteer on a three-month voyage on the Ship for World Youth, which left Japan and called in at ports including Singapore and Dubai before returning to Japan.
He has also carried out volunteer work in Nepal, where he helped to build houses in a village.
Now Mr Al Mana, 30, is a national leader among the UAE volunteers in Milan, and while most volunteers are here for a few weeks, he will stay for four months.
His employer, Emaar, supports his volunteering efforts.
“Each event teaches you something different. Each event enriches you with knowledge of different cultures, different mentalities. Each is different and special,” Mr Al Mana said.
“Here the experience is on a much bigger scale. You have more people. It feels amazing to be with these people, to interact with the people, to guide them through the pavilion.”
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