Why ghaf tree is on the logo for the Year of Tolerance
abu dhabi — His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the official logo for the ‘Year of Tolerance’.
The logo, which is inspired by ghaf, the UAE’s national tree, is set to be used by government, private and media entities in all campaigns, initiatives and programmes launched during 2019.
Sheikh Mohammed, in a tweet, said: “Tolerance is a universal value, and ghaf is our authentic national tree, a source of life and symbol of stability in the middle of the desert. Under its shadows our ancestors gathered to consult on matters related to their daily lives. In the ‘Year of Tolerance’, we chose the ghaf as a logo for all of us to live by the principles of tolerance, coexistence and diversity.”
The Supreme National Committee of the ‘Year of Tolerance’, chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that the ghaf tree was chosen as a major component of the logo due to its great significance.
The committee went on to say that ghaf “represents a great cultural value in the UAE and is associated with the identity and heri-
Tolerance is a universal value, and ghaf is our authentic national tree, a source of life and symbol of stability in the middle of the desert. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum @HHShkMohd
tage of the country”.
“The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has given great importance to ghaf and issued laws and regulations prohibiting the cutting of the tree throughout the country,” a statement by the committee read.
“Our ancestors and tribes gathered under the shadows of the ghaf trees to discuss their daily matters. Also, a number of UAE rulers used
to meet their citizens and listen to their demands directly under the shadows of these trees,” the committee added.
“The ghaf tree symbolises stability and peace in the desert and it has the ability to adapt to the desert climate.
“It is planted in many countries around the world, particularly in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and the Americas, but under different names. For us, this year, we aim to establish it as a global logo for tolerance,” it added. —