Diversity and Innovation: Building a Nation Through Our Differences
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Oh, the Power of Diversity! Allow me to begin with a profound quote from Dan Brown’s novel Inferno : “Seek and you shall find.” This phrase encapsulates my life’s journey, where self-discovery became the pathway to innovation and transformation. From a young age, I’ve learned that diversity—whether within ourselves or our communities—is the cornerstone of creativity. To build a brighter future for any nation, we must embrace and celebrate our differences. A Crisis of Identity: The Start of Discovery My name is Arafa Al Hammadi, and I am named after the sacred day of Arafa on which I was born. My upbringing was a tapestry of cultural and religious diversity—my parents came from different nationalities, and I grew up in a city rich with varied ideas and traditions. This diversity, while a gift, sparked an internal conflict. Questions like “Who am I?” and “What should I become?” haunted me. When we settled in Doha, I st...
