With the launch in Dubai in July 2000 of the first Middle East branch of the WORLD MANX ASSOCIATION Mrs. Gil Costain-Salway (President) extended the aims and objects of the 'parent association' on the ISLE OF MAN to the Manx expatriate and all others who have the interests and welfare of the Island at heart. Mrs Costain-Salway is a true Manxman herself with roots going back to the 9th century where her maiden name Costain originated from the Viking, Thorstein. The Costains are no strangers to the Arabian shores however, as the late Sir Richard Costain, founder member of the building company 'Costain International', played a major part in building the infrastructure of the UAE and the Middle East.

The WORLD MANX ASSOCIATION was founded in 1911 by the then Chairman of the Castletown Brewery, Mr. Richard Cain, who was inspired by a remark made by the Manx national poet T.E. Brown about Manxmen returning from overseas. During a lecture Mr Brown said "We should welcome them back with a shake of the hand and a clap on the shoulder". Though not founded until after T E Brown's death, the occasion was well documented in a newspaper at the time, the ‘Mona's Herald’, which reported "a gathering of unique character at Rushen Abbey." The meeting was of a number of visiting Manx emigrants from as far away as North America, South Africa and Australia and it was Mr. Cain's idea to make it a formal occasion "whereby Manx colonials and their friends could extend to each other the hand of friendship".

So why start the Dubai Manx Society? Mrs Costain-Salway explained, "For several years people had come up to me and said, 'Do you know so-and-so? They're Manx?' and I would try to make contact with them, if only to exchange the 'skeet' and extend that warm Manx handshake and clap on the shoulder! The Isle of Man has become a major player in the world of finance and commerce, and Dubai is very much in the forefront of this aspect of business. This means more and more people from the Isle of Man are travelling to these shores. Most know very little about this region, not all are Manx but they do hold the Isle of Man and its welfare at heart. So why not lend a hand and extend the usual Manx hospitality to newcomers, tourism and business alike? Encouraged by the Committee members of the Association back in Douglas and feeling starved of our culture and all things Manx I set the wheels in motion for setting up the Dubai Manx Society.

We held our Inaugural Dinner on 12th October 2000 at the Aviation Club in Dubai, which was a Manx fun-filled night and I brought as much Manx culture, tradition and even our language into the event as possible. This is something I intend to do in all our future events. Few people know that we have our own language, though it is true to say it has been little used during the last half century. My Father spoke it and so did many people of his generation, but sadly the following generation preferred English. However, the Manx Language Society is making a concerted effort to revive the language, which is based on a mixture of Latin and Gaelic. The motto in Latin surrounding the Manx three legs of Mann symbol for instance 'Quocunque Jeceris Stabit' means, "which ever way you throw me I will stand" (that's the Manx, versatile!)

The Parent Association and indeed the Manx Government have met our new branch with enthusiasm, offering every assistance in finding anybody connected with the Island in the UAE and Middle East, and giving them our contact details. So who knows, 'from little acorns mighty oaks grow’! We have started small but with a big heart and every intention of placing the ' Manx welcome mat' firmly on the Middle East doorstep!