The continuing war is exacerbating a stressful situation in the Arabian Gulf, not least because of the uncertainty and possible repercussion for the entire region.
But if there is one clarity that has emerged in this cloud of uncertainty, it is the way that residents, who make up between 60-90 per cent of the population in these countries, have rallied around the host nations, redefining what home means to them.
The usual instinct at a time of strife, conflict, uncertainty, and indeed, war, is to escape to a safer place.
In the ongoing conflict around the countries in the Gulf, however, what has been apparent is the tenacity and resolve of all residents to stay with the countries of their residence and not give in to fear.
This has been apparent right from the beginning of the conflict. In spite of many notices from, mainly western, countries to their citizens to leave, many across the Gulf chose to stay, taking advantage of the facilities provided to everybody, including working from home, clear messaging, and open communication corridors.
A rising number of social media influencers have also participated in educating the community and the world about the everyday, normal life that they are engaging in, bringing much-needed comfort to the nervous few.
All this has redefined the way that home is being conceptualised by residents in the Arabian Gulf. Much research has shown the temporary nature of workers in this region, with large populations of expatriate communities from all corners of the world, as far as Brazil and Japan, working and living harmoniously together.
For many of them, home has been a distant place to go back to every few years. But now, when having to make a choice, many of them have actively adopted their place of residence as their home.
This is not taken lightly. Home has many connotations, including that of safety, comfort, meaning and hope of a happy future. By aligning their futures with those of their host countries, a growing group of residents has created new relationships and found new communities that they can be a part of.
In today’s globalised world, home carries a different meaning from that of earlier generations, owing to increased mobility and better communication with the homeland.
One is never far away from home, as it is just one digital device away. Yet, there is a new trend that is the result of this mobility. This is the creation of new homes, new hybrid identities that are possible when living in a new land.
This new identity is best reflected in the way that residents in the Gulf have intertwined their futures with those of their host countries, making common cause and having an equal stake in their future.
Such an international community showcases much-needed hope in a world which seems to be more divided than united. It is also generating a vision of home that is defined by more than just a physical space but by a sense of a community and purpose.
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