DUBAI, 13th October, 2026 (WAM) -- In the presence of H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the ‘New Global Narrative’ Majlis explored how Dubai can translate the trust it has established globally into sustainable economic value, strengthening its ability to attract investment, business and talent while enhancing its competitiveness in the global economy.
The discussion, held as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum, comes at a time when trust is playing an increasingly important role in shaping investment and business decisions, destination preferences and market trends.
The Majlis was also attended by Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office, alongside several Dubai leaders and distinguished global experts.
In her opening remarks, Mona Al Marri emphasised that a genuine narrative extends beyond a story told or an image created and presented to the world, saying it is an experience people live and share with others.
She said that Dubai has succeeded in building a narrative founded on a solid foundation of trust, which gives it strength, effectiveness and influence.
Dubai’s achievements, she said, have never been the result of promotional campaigns or media messages, but rather the outcome of real experience in which investors, business owners, creatives, innovators and forward-thinking individuals have found the support and attention they seek.
She cited one of the most challenging experiences faced by Dubai and the world: the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the world was thrown into uncertainty, cities shut down and trade and travel ground to a halt, one question dominated: what would happen next?
Dubai, she said, didn’t respond with promotional campaigns.
Instead, it acted through clear decisions and an integrated operational framework, supported by world-class infrastructure and teams united by a shared sense of purpose to protect people and ensure the continuity of life and essential services.
This approach was among the key factors that enabled Dubai to recover rapidly and shortly afterwards host one of the world’s largest events, Expo 2020 Dubai, at a time when much of the world was experiencing one of the most turbulent periods in its history.
Over six months, the event welcomed 24 million visitors.
“We did not need to tell the world that Dubai was ready. The world came, saw and experienced it for itself. This is the most powerful narrative when people experience what a city offers and discover it for themselves. The impact is far deeper than anything the city could say about itself,” Marri said.
She added that exceptional circumstances only strengthen Dubai’s determination to emerge stronger and continue its inspiring journey.
“Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international visitors in 2025. In the same year, the emirate attracted 1,253 new foreign direct investment projects, retaining its position as the world’s leading destination for new FDI projects for the fifth consecutive year,” she said.
“These figures raise an important question: why does the world continue to choose Dubai?”
She said that investors do not solely invest in assets, tourists do not choose only a hotel, and talented individuals do not select only a job.
“Each element places part of their future in Dubai, making their decisions fundamentally rooted in trust,” she added.
She recalled how His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, emphasised that the UAE has built this trust over decades, and that it is a shared responsibility to strengthen, protect, and build upon it.
She addressed the factors shaping Dubai’s narrative, particularly emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, which have transformed the speed at which narratives are created, the scale of their reach, and their ability to influence trust.
Referring to the use of these technologies during the regional crisis, she highlighted how they contributed to the rapid spread of fake news and disinformation, which the UAE confronted firmly and decisively.
“If AI can generate disinformation, it must also become part of our ability to counter it. And if it can spread a false narrative within minutes, it must help us detect it, understand it and deliver the truth faster,” she said.
She also pointed to the establishment of the Dubai Media Narrative Committee, pursuant to a decision of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.
Chaired by Al Marri, the committee is tasked with reinforcing the foundations of Dubai’s narrative through the highest levels of coordination across the emirate and developing it in line with surrounding developments.
Its work aims to ensure that every experience in Dubai becomes a further source of trust, grounded in transparency, swift action and information sharing.
“Let our actions come before our words, our experiences before our storytelling, and let technology be a tool for protecting the truth, not obscuring it. Above all, let trust remain the most powerful story Dubai tells the world,” she said.
Global reputation expert David Haigh, founder and CEO of Brand Finance, explored how reputation evolves from international visibility and standing into a powerful influence on decision-making.
He highlighted the role of leaders in building experiences that strengthen trust and transform it into economic value and enduring global standing.
During a session titled “A dialogue on the new global narrative: how can leaders turn a city’s experience into global trust?”, Haigh examined the reputation of cities beyond the traditional concepts of branding and media campaigns.
He said the image formed of a city is shaped by the sum of people’s experiences of its services, institutions, initiatives, projects and everyday life.
“A city’s reputation is the sum of the experience people have there. Services, institutions, initiatives and everyday experiences come together to shape its global perception,” he said.
“This is why consistency between the promise a city makes and the experience people have, as well as between its ambitions and the results they see on the ground is so important.”
He highlighted Dubai’s established global presence, noting that the next phase requires moving beyond international visibility towards delivering more precise, integrated and consistent experiences that strengthen trust, boost competitiveness and create long-term value.
He emphasised that protecting a city’s international reputation requires leaders to view every aspect of the public experience as part of a single, interconnected system.
Consistency between ambition and execution, he added, is fundamental to sustaining trust and strengthening global value.
In a second session titled ‘Reputation as a magnet for talent, investment and trust’, Haigh moved from examining how trust is built to exploring how it becomes a force that shapes decisions.
“The most important stage in building a global reputation is moving from being known as a city or institution to becoming a preferred choice for people and organisations,” he said.
“A positive reputation can reduce hesitation, boost confidence and enhance the ability of cities and institutions to attract talent, investment, partnerships and global attention.”
He added that the real value of reputation lies not simply in whether people know a city or institution, but in whether they choose it.
“When reputation reduces hesitation and strengthens trust, it becomes a powerful influence on investment decisions, talent attraction, visitor and partner engagement and the expansion of global reach,” he added.
He emphasised that leadership plays a central role in creating this preference through a clear identity, consistent experiences, high-quality execution and the ability to turn promises into tangible outcomes.
The ‘New Global Narrative’ Majlis is one of several specialised majlis meetings held as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum.
These included the ‘Future Economy’ Majlis to explore growth and innovation trends, and the ‘Future Cities Leadership’ Majlis to review best practices in urban management and smart infrastructure development.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum, the premier annual gathering dedicated to management and leadership, was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together over 1,000 key government and private-sector leaders in Dubai, alongside a host of experts, decision-makers and academics.