Ghaith’s project documents the history of the AlSiri family, whose lineage traces its UAE roots back to 1800 AD and is descended from the Al-Qemzi tribe.
Ghaith AlSiri has spent over a year documenting his family’s legacy from 1828 to the present day, covering more than 300 family members. He also spent six months carefully translating the source code of family tree software.
Last month, he received the prestigious Best Family Heritage Documentation Award at the Erth Dubai Awards from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
But the journey, he admits, was filled with doubts.
“When my cousin asked me to take on this task, I wondered, ‘Why should I create a family tree?’” Ghaith AlSiri recalls. Things changed when his daughters, Shamsa and Wadeema, were born.
“At family gatherings, my daughters would ask about relatives like my brother’s son, and I realised that if my child doesn’t know these connections, something is missing,” he said.
Labour of love
That moment sparked a dedicated effort. “I started entering data as soon as I received the documents from my cousin,” he said. “I was surprised by the amount of records and photographs the family had. I decided it needed to be on a platform so the rest of the family could access it.”
With only basic experience in website development, Ghaith discovered a family tree programme in English. Determined to make it accessible, he spent six months translating its source code into Arabic.
The process went far beyond simple data entry.
“Most of the information came from elderly family members,” Ghaith AlSiri said. “It strengthened my bond with them. I began speaking with them more often, and I developed a deeper understanding of my family history. Conversations would revolve around questions like: Who is this person? How are we related?”
The AlSiri family
Ghaith’s project preserves the history of the AlSiri family, whose lineage traces its UAE roots back to 1800 AD and descends from the Al-Qemzi tribe.
Notably, family members were entrusted with managing the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s historic farm in Al Khawaneej for more than five decades, a site that was later declared a national landmark.
The Erth Awards, which received over 25,000 submissions, recognise efforts to preserve Dubai’s living memory. Honourees included Nasser Al Serkal and the institution Uncle’s Shop.
Speaking at the event, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said that “whoever does not document their legacy will be forgotten by time.”
For Ghaith, the recognition reaffirmed his mission, and he now hopes to inspire others to document their own family histories. He added that the work is ongoing.
“Even today, I am still adding family members,” he said. “There was a recent marriage in my brother Saeed’s daughter’s family, along with newborns. My own daughter Hessa, born in November, was also added. The journey continues.”
