Every resident is an ambassador of tolerance, says Sheikha Lubna
dubai — It is an important duty of everyone living in the UAE to deliver to the world the message of tolerance, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance, said in a talk at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature on Wednesday.
Citing the fact that the UAE is a country of more than 200 nationalities, Sheikha Lubna said: “We may live in a small country but we are a multi-cultural society who live in harmony.
“We are happy and comfortable but we need to change the perspective of other people in the world. Everyone in the UAE (citizens and residents alike) can become an ambassador who can talk about tolerance and how we live (in harmony),” she underlined.
Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi likened the spirit of tolerance in the UAE to a beautiful symphony orchestra, with everyone having a part to play but co-dependent on one another to produce melodious music.
She said the government is the conductor or maestro and every member is trying to perfect his/ her own part in the orchestra. “It requires a lot of patience but when there is harmony, this is translated to joy and acceptance.”
Reacting to Sheikha Lubna’s speech, Rev Canon Andrew Thompson MBE, senior Anglican chaplain at St. Andrew’s Church in Abu Dhabi, told Khaleej Times: “It is very important to counteract the negative opinion of people living outside the UAE.”
“The best way to do that is when we (expats) go home, we talk about what it’s like to live here. There are many ways to tell our stories to our family, friends, the media, etc. that the Middle East is not a monolithic region where there is rampant terrorism, breaking out all over,” added Thompson.
Citing his personal experience, Thompson said: “Every time I go home to the UK, I encounter people who are surprised of the religious freedom we enjoy in the UAE. They thought Christians were persecuted in the region; maybe in some places it’s true but not in the UAE.
“The vast majority of Muslim Arabs are peaceful and tolerant citizens just like anyone in the world. Therefore, we need to counter the stereotypical Islamophobia and negative prejudices in the West by promoting the story of the UAE as a great model of tolerance.”
“In my congregation in Abu Dhabi, at least 15,000 Christians attend our service and 45,000 Catholics go to nearby St Joseph’s Cathedral every Friday.”
The biggest Roman Catholic church in the world outside of a Christian country is in Dubai with around 75,000 worshippers every Friday. These sheer numbers alone talk about tolerance from the perspective of a religious minority.”
angel@khaleejtimes.com