EMIRATES DECLARES 2019 THE YEAR OF TOLERANCE

Leaders say it will be an extension of Year of Zayed, instilling Founder’s ideas

The President, Sheikh Khalifa, has proclaimed that 2019 will be the Year of Tolerance to strengthen the country’s role of encouraging stability and prosperity in the region.

Leaders took to social media to announce the move, following on from the Year of Zayed in 2018 and Year of Giving in 2017.

“Instilling values of tolerance carries on Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and teachings,” Sheikh Khalifa said yesterday.

“It is one of the most important attributes that we can impact on our people and the global community to ensure the safety, stability and happiness of peoples across the world.”

Last week it was revealed that Pope Francis will visit Abu Dhabi in February, showing that the UAE is welcoming and tolerant of all religions.

And last month, a World Tolerance Summit in Dubai attracted regional leaders and national figures calling for tolerance to bring peace and stability.

Yesterday Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, also posted the announcement on Twitter.

“The President has issued a directive to announce 2019 as the Year of Tolerance in the UAE, with the aim of solidifying the international role that the country plays as the capital of co-existence and meeting of civilisations,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote.

“Tolerance is the cornerstone of advanced societies, intellectually and humanely, and is one of the tools of empowering civilisations and ensuring stability and flourishing of nations.

“In 2019, we will endeavour to establish this value and lead the intellectual, media and research production movements to reaffirm this value in our region, which has suffered a lot because of extreme allegiance to ideologies or factions or parties.”

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said the “world today needs universal human values to be promoted for the sake of future generations”.

The theme will be an extension of the Year of Zayed, as it upholds the values of tolerance and co-existence that the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed, established among his people.

This year, the UAE announced that it will be a global co-ordinator for co-operation within a new Global Tolerance Alliance to promote acceptance around the world.

An agreement on tolerance was signed by dignitaries from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and the US – as well as the Emirates Human Rights Association, Higher Colleges of Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.

The Papal visit will be marked with a mass at Zayed Sports City on February 5, where more than 100,000 people are expected to attend.

He will also visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the Founder’s Memorial.

The Special Olympic World Games, to be held in Abu Dhabi from March 14 to 21 next year, are also expected to feature heavily in the year-long series of events promoting tolerance and acceptance.

It will be the first time for the Games to be held in the Mena region, and they are expected to attract more than 7,500 athletes from around the world and an estimated 500,000 spectators.

Tolerance themed events will continue throughout 2019.