Dubai: The Dubai residents have happily welcomed the new plan to build community spaces that showcase the spirit of the old-style Emirati neighborhoods. The Hewi Dubai Initiative, led by the emirate’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, aims to create public places that can serve as places for community gatherings, helping to build stronger social connections.
In the Emirati dialect, the word Hewi means a house’s outdoor courtyard, which is a place for family get-togethers, entertainment, and leisure. Meanwhile, it used to be the most significant part of a house, where the entire family gathered. Also, neighbors would stop by here to talk about things in their neighborhood and used to celebrate many important occasions together.
Hewi Dubai: Strengthening Community Bonds through Public Spaces
Under the Hewi Dubai initiative, next-generation neighborhood parks will be developed that will prioritize comfort, belonging, and everyday life rhythms. Highlighting the emotional impact of this initiative transforming Dubai community spaces, Government Communications Department’s Director Alya bint Sultan Al Joker said this community initiative matters so much for them. She added that, “ If we don’t have a ‘Hewi’, then Dubai will be your ‘Hewi’. Many consider this initiative a best startup story in the realm of community development and cultural revival.
She further added that public places under the Hewi Dubai initiative will bring neighbors closer, give them a place to celebrate joyous occasions, and spaces for their children to enjoy and play. Highlighting the importance of communal spaces in fostering creativity and social connections, she said that the Hewi used to be the only place where we used to gather to create our best memories. In the present time, we have access to even larger spaces that connect us with our loved ones and families.
Hewi Dubai: Transforming Urban Life and Social Connections
Lisha Ali Al Balooshi, a 64-year-old Dubai resident, called this initiative, led by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, a beautiful idea. She said the initiative is trying to bring them back to the good old days when everyone knew each other. Recalling fond memories of her childhood in Bur Dubai, where daily family and neighbors’ gatherings were usual, she said her mother was the only sister among the seven brothers. All of them, her mother and her brothers, used to gather every morning in a common yard to eat and drink, and in the afternoon, neighbors used to join them there. She added that life was beautiful then, unlike today, where everyone is isolated from one another in their homes.
Manal Al-Mansouri, a resident of Al Mankhool, appreciated the Hewi Dubai initiative, as it will bring families closer and restore beautiful memories of the past. She said that it is a wonderful initiative that will restore the old good days by bringing Emirati families together under one roof. She added that today we know almost nothing about our neighbors, and our children wish to live the stories of the past we tell them. She said that Hewi Dubai is like a big home that will bring us together and revive our actual identity.
The Hewi Dubai initiative highlights Dubai’s dedicated vision to reinforce social connections and preserve the cultural identity that is being lost with rapid urban development. The emirate’s residents are hoping that these old-style Dubai community spaces will promote social connections, rebuild old neighborhoods, and celebrate their shared traditions.
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