Tolerance committee to share UAE values with the world
A tolerance committee that will organise initiatives and develop laws to advance peaceful coexistence in the UAE and beyond was yesterday announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Sheikh Mohammed said the goals of the Supreme National Committee for Tolerance would include spreading the UAE’s values of social harmony to the rest of the world.
“We want the UAE to be the global reference point for a tolerant culture through its policies, laws and practices,” he said on Twitter.
Sheikh Mohammed said tolerance increases strength and resilience, and helps to establish a global, cohesive society, the state news agency Wam reported.
The committee will be chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.
Its members include ministers, officials, media personalities, artists and business leaders.
Sheikh Mohammed called on the committee to create a framework for next year, the Year of Tolerance.
The committee must come up with a plan to address the seven main pillars of the Year of Tolerance.
The first pillar promotes the value of tolerance among families and communities through activities at community centres.
The second aims to promote tolerance in schools and universities across the country, while the third is about creating a safe, tolerant and cohesive workplace in public and private sectors through educational programmes on equal opportunities for all.
The committee must come up with a plan to address the seven pillars of the Year of Tolerance
The fourth pillar promotes cultural tolerance through arts and cultural events, while the fifth presents the UAE as the global capital for tolerance through continuing projects to promote dialogue between cultures.
The sixth is tolerance in legislation and the development of policy and executive regulations, including a law on multiculturalism.
Under the last pillar, the plan calls for the use of traditional media and social media to spread the UAE’s message of coexistence to a global audience.
Sheikh Mohammed also called for local committees to be formed in each emirate to work with community members and businesses to achieve these goals in co-ordination with the Supreme National Committee for Tolerance.