What does tolerance mean to students in UAE?

Arvind Sethu, 15,

Indian, Year 11 student of Jumeirah College.

“Tolerance is the ability to accept another person’s opinions, culture and traditions, whether or not you believe in them. I have friends from different backgrounds and we all get along.

I am a foodie and personally, having access to various cuisines in the UAE is an example how tolerant we are as a nation.”

Abigail Spencer, 18,

Jamaican, First Year media student at Middlesex University

“Tolerance is more than just showing other people respect. It is about an attempt to understand others in order to communicate effectively and operate as a functional society. Understanding comes from learning and to learn, we must listen. This means stepping out of our bubble of convenience.

Shivani Mathur, 19,

Indian, Third Year Undergraduate majoring in media studies at Middlesex University

“Tolerance represents virtues such as acceptance and inclusion. Respect for people different from you. Removing ignorant and discriminatory attitudes as well as bullying and bias against people different from you through awareness is an important step to propel tolerance among youth and people.”