UAE declares 2019 as Year of Tolerance
INSTILLING VALUES OF TOLERANCE CARRIES ON ZAYED’S LEGACY AND TEACHINGS, LEADERS SAY
The UAE yesterday announced that 2019 will be the ‘Year of Tolerance’ to position the country as a global capital for tolerance.
President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the Year of Tolerance is an extension of the Year of Zayed (2018), as it upholds the values of tolerance and coexistence that the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan established among the people of the UAE.
“Instilling values of tolerance carries on Shaikh Zayed’s legacy and teachings,” Shaikh Khalifa said.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said: “We want government policies that further consolidate tolerance and a deep sense of community, and to spread these values among our youth and future generations.”
Commenting on the announcement, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said: “The UAE is a place of tolerance, co-existence and openness
to other cultures.” He noted that Shaikh Zayed established the UAE as a global model for tolerance, co-existence and cooperation, and was keen to inculcate these values among his people, who to this day continue to embody their meanings in every way, both within the UAE and beyond.
The UAE will mark 2019 as the ‘Year of Tolerance’, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared yesterday.
The move will highlight the UAE as a global capital for tolerance, via its various legislative and policy-oriented goals to enhance the role of the country in instilling the values of coexistence and peace in local, regional and international communities.
Shaikh Khalifa said the Year of Tolerance is an extension of the Year of Zayed (2018), as it upholds the values of tolerance and coexistence that Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan established among the people of the UAE.
“Instilling values of tolerance carries on Shaikh Zayed’s legacy and teachings,” Shaikh Khalifa said.
The Year of Tolerance will focus on five main pillars. First, to deepen the values of tolerance and coexistence among cultures and peoples by concentrating on teaching the youth the values of tolerance.
The second pillar seeks to solidify the UAE as the global capital for tolerance, via a series of initiatives and projects specialised in tolerance and dialogue between various cultures and civilisations.
Third, enacting multiple cultural programmes and contributions to build tolerant communities.
As for the fourth pillar, the focus is on legislative and policyoriented objectives that contribute mandating cultural and religious tolerance, via dialogue.
Lastly, the fifth pillar will be promoting tolerance and coexistence via targeted media initiatives and projects.
The President also said: “Here in the UAE, the Year of Tolerance will be celebrated as a national effort towards further advancing a decadeslong dream of creating a tolerant and cohesive society, open to peoples of varying cultures and religions from around the world. The UAE and tolerance go hand-in-hand.”
UAE’s key role
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said: “We want government policies that further consolidate tolerance and a deep sense of community, and to spread these values among our youth and future generations.
“The UAE must lead the way for intellectual, cultural and media initiatives that further consolidate the values tolerance and coexistence, opening up to cultures of the region and the world as a whole.”
Commenting on the announcement, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said: “The UAE is a place of tolerance, coexistence and openness to other cultures. He noted that Shaikh Zayed established the UAE as a global model for tolerance, coexistence and cooperation, and was keen to inculcate these values among his people, who to this day continue to embody their meanings in every way, both within the UAE and beyond.
National initiatives
In July 2015, Shaikh Khalifa issued Federal Decree Law No. 2 of 2015 on Combating Discrimination and Hatred. The law aims to fight discrimination against individuals or groups based on religion, caste, doctrine, race, colour or ethnic origin.
Also, in 2016, the UAE Cabinet introduced the first post of the Minister of State for Tolerance. In the same year, the UAE Cabinet launched the National Tolerance Programme to boost the values of tolerance and coexistence and to reject attitudes of discrimination and hatred. The UAE also established various centres to counter extremism, including the International Institute for Tolerance, Hedayah Centre, and Sawab Centre.