In celebration of Emirati women and their great achievements, and recognition of their positive impact on society, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is organising a book-signing ceremony for ‘A Woman Ahead of Her Time’ by Dr Rafia Ghubash. The ceremony will be followed by a rich panel discussion, in which the author will talk about her book that recounts the story of a mother and a homeland. Dr Ghubash will also speak on her realisation, upon completing the book, of how its stories surpassed their biographical nature to present a societal memoir.

The event, taking place 6pm on Wednesday, 28 August at Al Safa Art & Design Library in Dubai, will be attended by Hala Badri, Director General at Dubai Culture, and a lineup of prominent authors, poets, and literary scholars.

Through this special event, Dubai Culture strives to drive knowledge creation in the UAE, highlight the role of Emirati women and their meaningful contributions to the cultural scene, and celebrate local creativity.

The book explores the personality of the author’s mother, Ousha bint Hussein bin Nasser Lootah, an exceptional woman who is a role model for Dr Ghubash. Offering details and insights on her mother’s life, the author delves into the social, economic, and cultural history of Dubai, portraying an ideal model of a female, who represents a perfect embodiment of the values of her community and an example in progressive thinking, leadership, and proactivity.

‘A Woman Ahead of Her Time’ depicts many events from the 1960s within humanitarian, psychological, and social contexts, detailing Ousha bint Hussein bin Nasser Lootah’s environment and her interactions with relatives, friends, neighbours, and people with whom she worked with in trade, culture, and literature.

In her book, the author also highlights the dynamic societal interaction during that period, underlining the active contributions of women in economic activity and the longing for emancipation, reflecting how distinguished these women were from previous and later generations.

Ghubash also evoked that period of history through nuanced images, portraying how humans uphold their values and heritage despite recurring societal changes.

The book is the product of the author’s nostalgic attempt to relive the life that her mother, Ousha bint Hussein bin Nasser Lootah, and people in her life experienced and that strengthened Dr Ghubash’s passion to write.

The panel discussion will feature a screening of a short film that captures the lives of Emirati women in the 1960s and the important roles they played at the time.

Dubai Culture aims to enhance Dubai’s cultural scene and draw attention to the UAE’s rich heritage. The Authority’s mandate is to build bridges of constructive dialogue between different civilisations and cultures to enhance Dubai’s position as a creative and sustainable global city for culture, heritage, arts, and literature, with the aim to empower these sectors by developing creative and innovative projects and initiatives locally, regionally, and globally.