Badouhan Emirates Project

Badouhan (Window) Emirates Project by Azad-Hye

This is a project where UAE Armenians express their views about community and other issues.

(16/12/2008) C. Grogan from the Armenian Community in Dubai said: There are so many Armenian families and individuals in Sharjah and Dubai that have difficulty in attending the Church services, only because their financial means are not sufficient to pay for transfer expenses.

These people are neglected by the others, although all they are asking for is to attend the Church.

I believe measures should be taken to facilitate the presence of our needy compatriots amid us (a bus service would be a good idea). Their presence could be combined with parallel activities that can be arranged during and after Church service. For example it is possible to work with them and attract their presence in the Church by encouraging them to prepare home made items and handwork and create a sort of continuous bazaar in the church yard during Fridays, an act that will help the livelihood of these families and will create a certain element of community support and compassion. Besides the fact that it can revive some of our best-known national cooking and handicraft traditions.

The main idea is to create a sort of activity around the Church that will change the present-day idea of churchgoing as a mere ritual. For this purpose the ladies? union should be revived.

The 10th anniversary of the Church is something good and memorable but it is after all a one-day event, which will fade out by time. The essence of a community life is something totally different than taking commemorative photos.

We need actions that last for much longer time and have substantial influence on our population and things that can practically bond our believers with the church and fellow compatriots.

(25/11/2008) E.M. is a very communicative personality. Once he knew the subject of our discussion was the Armenian community, he felt comfortable and seemed eager to talk openly and to express his views without reservation. He lives in Sharjah.

He said that the Armenian Council has neglected the young and is not catering for their needs. He remembers a bowling event that happened few years ago in Ajman. Since then he does not remember anything related to the youth in this community.

Location is not a problem to E.M. He can go wherever needed in order to attend an Armenian event. “Traffic does not scare me off. Just tell me there is an event that suits my needs and I am ready to attend”, he explained.

The monthly calendar of events in the community is very weak, he said. Many things could be done in order to improve this situation.

“I am sure dozens of Armenians are arriving every week in this booming country. There should be someone, maybe a body, who could keep track of these arrivals and see how they can be integrated in the society. It is important to know what talents and capabilities these new comers bring with them and how they can contribute to the wellness of the community, besides providing them with solutions about their ordinary problems”, he said, emphasizing that the traditional events in 24 April, 28 May and 21 September are not enough to create community bonds.

*Photo taken from the new premises of the Embassy of Armenia in Abu Dhabi.

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