Dubai Press Club a haven from the heat for media reps
The Dubai Press Club, located on the 22nd floor of the Twin Towers in downtown Dubai, looked quiet when we arrived.
Soon after reporting to the receptionists, dressed in Muslim black dress and head scarves, we were received by External Media Relations Coordinator Rhonda Palmer, who wore casual western dress.
After a few minutes of pleasant chatting with Palmer, the executive manager, Mona Al Marri, came out to meet us.
Mona said that the initial investment for the press club was a considerable 5 million dirhams (there are about 3.5 dirhams to the U.S. dollar).
"It was Gen. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and United Arab Emirates defense minister, who initiated the establishment of the Dubai Press Club. He also financed the project. But the Dubai Press Club is independent," Mona said.
Established in November 1999, the press club's aims include fostering interaction among journalists and professionals from around the world.
"We have hosted several prime ministers and other very important persons. They came here to talk to the press when they visited Dubai. I'm sorry that your Vice President (Hamzah Haz) did not have much time to visit the press club during his recent visit to Dubai," Mona said.
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and Singapore prime minister Goh Cok Tong are among those who have visited the club, she added.
Mona said that the Dubai Press Club has official relations with 18 other press clubs in major cities around the world, including the NPC Washington Press Club, Press Club de France, Press Club of Singapore and Press Club of India.
She said that the Dubai Press Club also organized high-profile media summits on a regular basis and other press meetings.
The club has a business lounge, which can be hired for hosting seminars, workshops, press conferences and other media events.
"But we have to be very careful in holding press meetings," she said, adding that she did not want any parties to misuse the center.
Other facilities include an auditorium, with seating capacity for 120 people, private meeting and conference rooms and a cafe.
The latter has a lounge with a large recreation center equipped with amusement games.
Staffed by 10 professionals, the press club currently has 1,500 visiting members.
"Between 200 and 300 journalists from all parts of the world visit us every month. They have practically become our visiting members," said Mona.
The club offers six kinds of membership: practicing member, which is restricted to UAE-based editorial personnel, visiting member, which is open to media professionals from any part of the world, affiliate member, which is for freelance media and journalism professionals, student member for journalism and media students in the UAE, and corporate member, which is only for prominent members of the community and is by invitation from the management of the Press Club.
Not more than one hour after Palmer asked for our photographs, she appeared with visiting member cards for us.
"Whenever you come to Dubai, you are welcome in this club, and you can use all the facilities you need for anything relating to journalism," she said, pointing to the library where books in English and Arabic are available. (Soeryo Winoto)