More than four decades ago, Myrna Ayad left Lebanon and arrived in the UAE, where her maternal grandfather had already established hotels across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The UAE quietly became Home to her.

MADAME Arabia sat down with Myrna Ayad, Cultural Strategist, Editor and Writer based in the UAE, to talk about what home means to her, and what she believes about strength and resilience.

“Home to me …”  

Home to me is the UAE, the place where my family rebuilt our lives after leaving Lebanon in 1982. What was meant to be temporary became permanent. It’s where I grew up, where I found my education, my friendships, and eventually my work. I owe a great deal of who I am to this place.

“A lesson I learned from my home …” 

The importance of boundaries. Kindness doesn’t mean allowing people to overstep. Knowing where you stand - and standing by it - is something I value deeply.

“After all these years, the UAE to me feels like …” 

The place that allowed me to grow up alongside it. I watched it evolve from something still finding its identity into a global centre for culture, business, and ideas - and in many ways my own journey unfolded alongside that transformation.

“Strength to me is …” 

Belief - belief in yourself, in your values, and in your ability to keep moving forward even when things feel uncertain.

“A lesson about strength I learned from my mother is …” 

Simple: never forget who you are. No matter where you go, what room you walk into, or who you meet - remember who you are and what you're made of.

“The strongest woman I know is … because …” 

All women. We carry love, patience, foresight and power, and we always get things done. 

“One thing my family taught me about strength is …” 

That it already exists within us.

“To me, resilience means …” 

Faith - faith in God, in goodness, and in the idea that even difficult moments are part of a larger path.

“When life becomes difficult, I remind myself …” 

How fortunate I am.

“What continues to inspire me about this region is …” 

It's extraordinary history and cultural depth. This is the birthplace of civilisation — where science, astronomy, medicine, and the alphabet emerged, and where storytelling, poetry, and philosophy have shaped human thought for centuries. That legacy continues to inspire creativity and imagination today.