Published on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the confederation of the United Arab Emirates, ‘50U’ tells the story of the seven Gulf states in 50 portraits of people, plants, and places. Designed by Irma Boom, the book paints an intimate picture of life in the Emirates through the memories, hopes, and ambitions of its inhabitants. Over a period of just half a century, they have witnessed the transformation of a partly nomadic, partly urbanised community into a metropolitan and globally active society, from open desert to high-rise buildings. Numerous interviews with people from all walks of life give a first-hand impression of what it has been like to grow up or settle in the region.