UAE Celebrates ‘International Day For Tolerance’

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, highlighted the success of the UAE in reinforcing its position as a centre of international moderation and tolerance, through its efforts to promote soft power.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Nov, 2018) Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, highlighted the success of the UAE in reinforcing its position as a centre of international moderation and tolerance, through its efforts to promote soft power.

The UAE is joining the world today in celebrating "International Day for Tolerance" on 16th November, through the "National Tolerance Festival," which began on 9th November, 2018, under the slogan, "On Zayed’s Footsteps," and will conclude tomorrow.

In an interview with the Al Bayan newspaper, Sheikh Nahyan said that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan established a model of tolerance and peaceful coexistence while highlighting the fact that over 200 nationalities live together in the UAE.

"In the UAE, we consider tolerance as key to building our capacities and communicating with the world, under the framework of a smart and aware understanding of the nature of relations between communities in this era," he added.

The two-day "World Tolerance Summit," which began in Dubai today and is being attended by over 1,000 senior figures, crowns a series of related activities and events in the country, which aim to promote the values of tolerance and moderation, both locally and internationally.

The wise leadership also launched its "International Tolerance Initiative," to achieve security, stability, advancement and development, and the country appointed a tolerance minister in 2016.

In June 2016, the UAE Cabinet adopted the "National Tolerance Programme," which is based on islam, the Emirati constitution, the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, Emirati ethics, international conventions and common human values.

The UAE highlighted the importance of promoting the values of moderation, tolerance and pluralism among communities, to prevent extremist groups from using religion to recruit members. Law No.2 for 2015, issued by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, criminalised actions related to contempt of religions and their sanctities and combatting all forms of discrimination. The country also supported many related initiatives, including the Muslim Council of Elders, which aims to address the causes of sectarianism.

The issuing of legislation to combat extremism and terrorism is of major importance, so the UAE developed a comprehensive legal framework to address extremism. In 2014, The UAE approved amendments to its terrorism law, and since 2004, it issued new laws to combat terrorist financing and joined relevant international conventions.

The UAE also established the "Sawab Centre" in March 2015 to combat the promotional campaigns of Daesh, and promote moderation on social media.

The UAE also hosts the "Hedayah Centre," which provides support and training and conducts research, to help the international community build capacities and exchange the best practices in combatting terrorism.