I write to you in reference to your editorial First Emirati in space carries nation's hopes (September 26): Hazza Al Mansouri's recent trip to space is another mark of the swift progress the UAE has made over the past five decades. After transforming the desert into a modern habitable place, the country put itself on the world map in such fields as health, tourism, trade and education. It has now taken a big step towards exploring space. The UAE has made these achievements while maintaining excellent relations with the international community.
K Ragavan, Bengaluru
The world needs more inspirational heroes like Greta Thunberg
I write to you in reference to Nick Webster's article UAE minister says nation's youth can be inspired by Greta Thunberg (September 24): the 16-year-old environmental activist should indeed be complimented for her passionate and informative speech at the United Nations Climate Action summit earlier this week. Some lines in her speech carried plenty of punch, including: "We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is the money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you?"
The world needs young and committed leaders like Ms Thunberg at a time when it is looking for leadership on today’s most pressing issues. I hope her rebuke of today’s leaders for not doing enough to tackle the problem of global warming will serve as a wake-up call.
Rajendra Aneja, Dubai
Wearing a hijab isn’t always a case of making a personal choice
I write to you in reference to Shelina Janmohamed's article Choosing to wear a hijab or not is a personal choice (September 26): the author is right when she advocates freedom of choice to wear or not wear a hijab. But the question is whether women living in conservative, patriarchal societies are free to exercise personal choice by not wearing it.
Venu Menon, Fujairah