What Public Speaking in the UAE Taught Mohammad Tabrizian About Global Communication

By bridging cultures with words, Mohammad Tabrizian has spent over a decade shaping voices, stories, and narratives across borders. With dual residency in the UAE and the UK, and fluency in English, Arabic, and Farsi, Mohammad’s journey as a public speaker has been anything but conventional. His experience speaking across the Emirates—one of the world’s most culturally diverse hubs—has deeply informed his philosophy on global communication.

The UAE: A Living Laboratory of Languages and Cultures

Public speaking in the UAE is not simply about commanding a stage—it’s about navigating a mosaic of nationalities, traditions, and communication styles. With over 200 nationalities coexisting, every audience in Dubai or Abu Dhabi is a dynamic mix of perspectives. Mohammad often reflects on how this diversity challenged him to become more adaptable, empathetic, and intentional with his words.

“You’re not just speaking to Emiratis or expats,” he says, “you’re speaking to people who carry the weight of different histories, different silences, and different storytelling traditions.”

This required him to hone an acute sensitivity to cross-cultural cues—something he later formalized through a Certification in Cross-Cultural Communication from the British Council in Dubai. It taught him that effective communication doesn’t just cross borders—it honors them.

Language: More Than Just Words

One of the key insights Mohammad gathered in the UAE was the emotional texture of language. While English might be the lingua franca in many professional settings, the emotional resonance of Arabic or Farsi often held deeper meaning, especially in more intimate or community-oriented talks.

He began incorporating Arabic proverbs and Farsi poetry into his speeches—not as gimmicks, but as cultural bridges. This multilayered approach earned him widespread recognition during his time as a Motivational Speaker for the UAE Ministry of Youth Affairs (2016–2019), where he led workshops across universities and schools in the Emirates.

“In the UAE, I learned that silence can speak as loudly as words, and that a pause, a proverb, or even a respectful greeting in someone’s mother tongue can open doors that formal rhetoric cannot.”

Building Eloquence Across Borders

These lessons laid the foundation for Eloquence Academy, which Mohammad founded in London in 2019. The academy now runs international programs, coaching clients on how to speak not just confidently, but consciously. The annual “Voices of Tomorrow” summit—held both in London and Dubai—embodies this philosophy, spotlighting emerging voices from different cultures and sectors.

What sets Mohammad’s global communication philosophy apart is that he doesn’t treat cultural differences as barriers—but as building blocks. “You don’t simplify your speech for global audiences,” he often teaches, “you deepen it.”

The UAE’s Influence on Global Speaking Trends

Mohammad also credits the UAE with influencing his understanding of how storytelling, non-verbal communication, and emotional intelligence translate globally. For example:

• Storytelling: In Emirati culture, storytelling isn’t just entertainment—it’s education, legacy, and belonging. Mohammad learned to weave anecdotes that resonate universally, while still being rooted in local color.
• Non-verbal Cues: Through interactions across genders, age groups, and ethnicities, he became more attuned to body language that is respectful yet expressive. These skills became central to his second book, Stage Whisper: Lessons from the Silent Moments.
• Emotional Intelligence: With audiences ranging from teenagers in Sharjah to corporate leaders in Abu Dhabi, Mohammad developed a versatile emotional vocabulary—something he now teaches in his visiting lectures at University of Birmingham (UK) and Zayed University (UAE).

A Final Word: Speaking With, Not Just To

Ultimately, what public speaking in the UAE taught Mohammad Tabrizian is that global communication is less about projecting and more about connecting. It’s not about diluting your message, but enriching it with awareness, humility, and authenticity.

In his own words:

“Every time I speak in the UAE, I’m reminded that a good communicator adjusts their volume. A great communicator adjusts their frequency.”

And it is this wisdom—born under the minarets of Sharjah and the skyscrapers of Dubai—that continues to shape Mohammad’s global journey in giving voice to the voiceless, and building bridges one speech at a time.