Yousef Al Shamsi has been a Cultural Speaker since 2021. He was born and raised in Dubai during a time when the city was undergoing many exciting transformations and loves to share the experience of witnessing those changes.

He studied English Literature at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. He worked in South Korea for 10 years where he got exposed to a whole new culture. Living in many different cultures has helped him understand and appreciate his own culture a
lot more.

Yousef is passionate about theater, movies, history and learning languages. He has done a lot of work with local theaters and wants to spread awareness about the art scene in Dubai. He speaks Arabic, English and French fluently, is proficient in Korean and is studying Russian and Japanese. He hopes to share that passion and share his history and heritage with others.

In his presentations, he likes to create a light, relaxed atmosphere where people feel comfortable sharing their questions and experiences.

Ahmed Al Jafflah joined the Centre in 2016 as the Protocol Manager and senior Cultural Speaker. He was born in 1964 before the union of the Emirates and therefore has many interesting stories and memories to share about life before and after the union in 1971.

Ahmed brings with him 29 years of experience with Emirates Airlines which he joined in 1986. He also represented the airline and the UAE at cultural events in the UK, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, France, and Portugal.

He worked as a VIP controller at Dubai Airport and then as a cabin crew manager responsible for the recruitment, induction, cultural training, and promotion of the crew.

Ahmed spent four years in the UK where he received a diploma in business studies and computer technology from Exeter college, he then joined British Airways before returning to the UAE.

During his time off you will find Ahmed in the desert tending to his farm and herd of camels, this is where he finds solitude and he reconnects with his past.

Ahmed enjoys presenting his culture and religion to others and he is always willing to answer guests’ questions, you will find him to be very approachable and knowledgeable.

Tracy Flook is known by all as Latifa. Latifa joined the Centre in 2006 as a Cultual Speaker in the Jumeirah Mosque Visit. She is also the Jumeriah Mosque Majlis Supervisor. She has been commitmented to ‘Open Doors, Open Minds,’ philosophy, sharing it with the guests of the mosque’s guests.

In 1992, Latifa moved to Dubai from England when she married her Emirati husband and became a mother to three Emirati children. She is a true bridge between the UAE’s international guests and the local community.

Full of knowledge and having a friendly, welcoming personality, she uses humor to engage with her guests and captivating them with her tails and stores. Latifa is also fluent in Arabic.

Zaina Al Jabri first joined the Centre as a volunteer since 2012. In 2017 she was appointed as an educational cultural speaker as well as the Human Resources Coordinator. Zaina presents different cultural programs for different educational groups of various ages, she emphasizes the Emirati values and traditions which are still practiced by Emiratis in a way that is relatable to the students adding a youthful perspective.

She has graduated from the University of Sharjah, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management of Human Resources. In which she gained knowledge regarding different aspects of business and how to empower, communicate, and support employees at the organization.

In her free time, Zaina enjoys socializing with family & friends, shopping, and camping in the desert during the winter season.

Ruqaya Al Hamiri joined the Centre in 2018. She is working toward creating a productive collaborative workspace. Ruqaya is a Cultural Speaker and she believes that this position gives her the opportunity to share her culture and family history as well as share her perspective on being a traditional Emarati woman.

Ruqaya graduated from Zayed University, with a Bachelor of Art in International Studies. In which she gained knowledge regarding sociology, anthropology, history, and culture. As well as, acquiring communicational and public speaking skills. She has trained in the Cultural Intelligence train-the-trainer program since 2021.

Ruqaya has gained experience from Royati Society, a non-profit association by women and for women. It aims to spread awareness and help the community. She participates in different programs and weekly activities as a member and a volunteer. From her participation over the years, she has learned how to become adaptable and how to create connections with people of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds.

In the cultural programs, Ruqaya brings a different atmosphere by including her family history who has lived in one of the oldest areas in Dubai in Shindagha, as well as her interests in cultures and religions add a unique perspective to the sessions.

Reem Al Hussaini first joined the Centre as a volunteer in the summer of 2012 and found sharing Emirati culture, heritage, and history with the world so inspiring that she took up employment at the Centre in 2016 and has been working here ever since and is also a Senior Business Development Executive.

Being chosen to be part of Expo2020’s UAE Pavilion protocol team prior to and for the duration of the event as a training manager Reem trained over 150 candidates to become protocol officers and was also chosen as a spokesperson for the pavilion for national and international media, this unique opportunity allowed her to excel and gain invaluable experience.

Reem loves learning languages and in addition to being a native Arabic speaker, she speaks English fluently and speaks Turkish intermediately, and knows basic German.

She graduated from the University of Sharjah, with a Bachelor of Science program in Management Information Systems and a minor in Marketing. It allowed her to gain knowledge in different aspects of business administration and connect with international students from different backgrounds and cultures.

Reem holds the Cultural Intelligence, ICDL, and Certified Business Professional (CBP) Executive certifications, the CBP Executive credential is for professionals who wish to demonstrate expertise in all five (5) CBP foundation courses including Leadership, Customer Service, Sales, Business Etiquette, and Business Communication.

In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with family, friends, and her pets. Reem also joins various workshops that allow her to gain knowledge in various fields. In addition to traveling and discovering new destinations and cultures.

In 2020, Mohammed Aljasmi joined the Centre as a cultural Ambassador for the newly launched “Heritage Express Trolly" program. As of present, he serves as the coordinator of the education department. Since the beginning, he has believed that sharing the message of cultural understanding and representing Emiratis in the best way possible is a huge responsibility.

Mohammed studied Healthcare Administration at the Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University. Mohammed is a passionate volunteer. He began volunteering in 2016, and one of his greatest achievements in that sector was managing a volunteer team at the 2019 Special Olympics. He was also the co-founder of the Asareer campaign, a charitable project.

Mohammed enjoys sharing stories about the history of the emirates, from the great leaders who founded the country to the lives of the people hundreds of years ago. Due to his passion for culture and history, he is now creating content for his social media accounts that showcases the incredible culture of the emirates in a simple and entertaining way.

Shaima Mohammed has been part of the Centre since late 2020. She first joined as the Cultural Ambassador for Heritage Express. With time she also became a Cultural Speaker at the Centre as well as joining the Business Development Team as the Business Coordinator.

Shaima’s aim at the Centre is to spread the cultural norms of Emiratis’ daily lives and to shed some light on her experiences of living in 3 different Emirates, as well as show how to keep values and traditions alive. She likes to keep her presentations and programs light with humor to connect with her guests.

Shaima has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Sharjah Majoring in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management and received her Master’s Degree in 2020 in Engineering Management. She’s also been a volunteer since 2009 with 900 hours completed in events all across the UAE some of which includes accompanying Diplomats and Consulates. She also holds a license in First Aid from Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services.

Fatima Al Otbi joined the Centre 2020 as a Cultural Ambassador for Heritage Express programs and tours. She has used her role to show her culture and share it with the guests.

She studied Law for her bachelor’s degree which she received in the year 2016.

Fatima enjoys sharing her culture with the guests and especially sharing her family stories who came from Shidagha one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Dubai.

In her programs, Fatima loves showing her culture in her outfit and even bringing tangible things for the guests to see for themselves.

Hamad Al Shezawi joined the Centre back in 2020 as a Cultural Ambassador for Heritage Express programs and tours. He highlights in his program his traditional upbringing and style.

Hamad studied Civil Engineering for his undergraduate bacholatre degree. He enjoys attending different courses to learn more and utilize his knowledge in his programs.

He is an avid volunteer as well, he volunteered during the Covid-19 pandemic with Dubai Ambulance and Dubai Healthcare for 3 months, and he volunteered during Expo 2020 and was a team leader during his time.

Hamad was honored to represent the Centre during Expo 2020 in the Youth Pavillion during their video exhibition highlighting different young Emiratis.

He also enjoys different hobbies like playing chess, hiking, and horse riding in his downtime.

Yousef Al Mannaee joined the Centre in 2021 first as a volunteer and is now the Media Supervisor and Cultural Speaker. He studied media and business at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai and he graduated in 2020.

Yousef is a passionate entrepreneur. He started his first business ‘Fekrah Media Production’ back in 2018 and which gave the opportunity to a lot of young Emiratis. He also had the chance to work with different government authorities to provide them with media services.

Yousef’is interested in international politics as well as staying up to date with national and international government developments. He likes reading, watching documentaries, and listening to podcasts.

In Yousef’s programs, he enjoys speaking about Ras Al Khaimah, his hometown. Highlighting the history of Ras Al Khaima, its development, culture, traditions, and its family-oriented atmosphere.

Sara Yousef, a graduate in interior design, joined the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Cultural Understanding in 2023, where she channels her passion for arts and culture into promoting and preserving Emirati heritage. With a particular interest in historic architecture and restoration, Sara applies her expertise to educate and engage others on the importance of cultural preservation.
In her programs, Sara delves into the social and daily lives of people in the UAE's past, highlighting the environmental and historical factors that shaped Emirati culture and traditions. She aims to illuminate the family life and dynamics of Emirati society, offering deeper insights into their unique way of life.

Noura Al Marzooqi is a young Emirati from Abu Dhabi who joined the centre in 2023. She always been passionate about the history of the UAE which made her to major about it. Noura graduated on 2019 from Zayed University. Her passion made her to come everyday all the way from abu dhabi to meet new people from different backgrounds and share her cultures and traditions in very simple and enjoyable way.

Noura believes that the Emirati youth are the voice of the country and should give back to the country. In her job as a cultural speaker, she tries to clarify some of the misconceptions that some people might have when visiting the UAE. However she always refers to the support that the youth in the Emirates gets from our leaders by providing the opportunities for the youth to be part of the country's success.