A group of 25 youth representing variety of Arab communities in the US and Europe met yesterday with His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The meeting, which was held at the Dubai School of Government, discussed ways of building new bridges of cultural and civilised communication between the East and the West. Shaikh Mohammad welcomed and acquainted himself with the youth. He discussed with them a number of political, cultural, economic and media issues in the Middle East and the UAE in particular. The visiting group aimed at strengthening ties between Arabs and the West as part of an initiative by unofficial bodies to enhance dialogue between the two blocs. The non-profit charitable initiative is within the framework of a voluntary project that was launched in February to organise visits to some Arab countries for youths and academic and media personalities that represent various Arab communities in the US and Europe. A spokesman for the visiting delegation said during their visit to the UAE, what the members of the group saw greatly contrasted with what they heard, read and saw in the media about the country, which sometimes distorts the truth. They praised Shaikh Mohammad\'s vision, which has made Dubai a global city that people seek for safety, security, successful investments, and a tolerant and cohesive society of various religions and ethnicities. From / Gulf News