THE image of the rich designer-dressed Arab tourist drinking coffee in a Knightsbridge cafe in London, who only shops all day and party’s all night, is a reality only for a small minority who visit the city. For the rest, it is just a cliche, and hardly reflects the reality of most Arabs living in London.

Arab culture in London thrives. There are numerous Arab cultural events that are held in the city of London, like poetry evenings, exhibitions, lectures and seminars, which are attended by both men and women. There are also yearly events, like the celebration of Arab national days, iftar evenings and Eid celebrations held in embassies and hotels.

London is not a city where an individual coming from an Arab country feels isolated and detached from his traditions. On the contrary, such an individual finds his culture redeployed. He meets other members of the Arab community and they have lunch in a Lebanese, Moroccan or Syrian restaurant, followed by a cup of mint tea and a shisha on the sidewalk. The Arab community in London socializes and catches up on news that relates to their culture and society back home. In this way, their identity is reinforced.

Although racism against Arabs exists in the UK, it is a minor problem when compared to that which plagues other countries in Europe. Arab families meet regularly and go on house visits and days out without harassment. Although there were reports of isolated incidents involving hate crimes against Arabs following Sept. 11, the situation has been steadily improving since — not least because London has for many years been somewhere people have been vocal on insisting their human rights are respected. Largely, they have been listened to.

A Saudi woman who lives in London with her husband and children related her story.

"I have hardly ever been subjected to any harassment in London, although I’ve lived there for five years. I wear hijab and go out shopping with no trouble at all. But since Sept. 11, when I go out I get a few stares and people say things under their breath. Lately, this has been fading, because with time people are beginning to understand more about the situation and how it is unfair to judge the entire Arab world according to the actions of a few."

She studies in London. When she first moved there, the first Ramadan was particularly difficult because she was away from her family in Syria. Then she got to know other Arab and Muslim students, who told her there was an iftar everyday at her college. As she got to know the Arab community there and the places to go, she felt more and more at home — the only real problem being the weather!

Arab children in London receive a high standard of education and they have plenty of chance to practice their Arabic. The King Fahd Academy in London, established in 1985, is one of the many private schools that teaches Arab students Arabic. The school teaches the Saudi Arabian National curriculum, and science subjects in English. Many students who graduate from King Fahd Academy go on to work in Arab countries. They generally have no trouble settling into an Arab country.

So there is a difference between Arab tourists who visits London and the London’s Arab residents. For the residents, the priority is keeping in touch with their Arab roots. The tourist, on the other hand, is typically seeking a break from them.