.jpg?20260205')
For 10 years, the Gulf Daily News has been more than a newspaper to me. It has been a space of trust, a platform for thought, and a companion in a long intellectual journey shaped by dialogue, difference, and shared concern for society and public affairs.
When I first began writing this column, I did so with one simple intention: to express honest opinions, raise questions that matter, and contribute, however modestly, to the public conversation. That GDN opened its pages to me for a decade is something I will always regard as a privilege, not a right.
I extend my sincere appreciation to the management of GDN, past and present, for the confidence they placed in my pen and for the professional freedom they afforded me throughout the years. Such trust is rare, and its value only grows with time.
In May 2025, I reached a deeply personal milestone with the launch of my first book, The Spirit of Law, a collection of my articles in both Arabic and English. Bringing those writings together between two covers was not merely an archival exercise; it was a moment of reflection on a journey shaped by passion rather than profession. I was humbled that this occasion took place in the presence of the Shura Council chairman, a gesture that added great meaning to that moment.
None of this journey would have been possible without the readers.
To those who agreed with me, challenged me, criticised me respectfully, or simply took the time to read – I thank you. Your encouragement, messages, and engagement over the years gave purpose to every deadline and meaning to every column. A writer exists because of readers, and I have been fortunate to have thoughtful and loyal ones.
Today, I write this column knowing that it marks the closing of an important chapter.
This is not a farewell to writing, nor to ideas – but a pause in one space to serve in another.
I leave this column with gratitude, humility, and pride in what it represented: a bridge between thought and reader, between concern and hope.
Gulf Daily News will always remain part of my story, and I hope that, in some small way, I have been part of its story too. Thank you for the space, the trust and the journey.
Zuhair A Tawfiqi
Editor’s note: Mr Tawfiqi has taken up a senior post at an Arabic newspaper.