Mohammed Bin Rashid Library Celebrates Launch of 'Here, Wisconsin: A Gulf Arab Between Two Worlds'

Dubai, UAE, 5 November 2026: Mohammed Bin Rashid Library hosted a session to launch and discuss Here, Wisconsin: A Gulf Arab Between Two Worlds, by Emirati author Jamal Al Shehhi. Moderated by Dr. Sulaiman Al Hattlan, the discussion explored the experience of studying and living in the United States, raising questions about identity, belonging, and memory, and examining how exposure to different cultures shapes one's understanding of oneself and the world.

The session was attended by H.E. Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation; H.E. Prof. Dr. Jamal Sanad Al Suwaidi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR); H.E Dr. Mohammed Salem AlMazrooei, Board Member at Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation; and prominent Emirati author Abdul Ghaffar Hussein.

The session explored the cultural and social differences between Arab and Western societies, and how engaging with other cultures and experiencing everyday life in a different society can challenge preconceived notions and broaden mutual understanding.

In his remarks, Al Murr placed the book within the broader tradition of Arab literature exploring travel and study in the West, and the cultural and civilisational questions surrounding progress, difference, and engagement with the other.

The session also shed light on the relationship between writing and memory, and how the passage of time gives writers the perspective to understand their experiences anew. In the book, the UAE emerges as the homeland of roots and identity, while Wisconsin represents a place of transformation and self-discovery. Together, they form a narrative in which nostalgia intertwines with reflections on the meaning of belonging.

The session forms part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Library's cultural programme and reflects its commitment to supporting Emirati authors and celebrating their publications. It also highlights the Library's role in providing platforms for dialogue around literary and human experiences, strengthening the presence of books in the cultural landscape, and making reading a space for connection and the exchange of knowledge and ideas.