“The UAE has always been, and still is, a proponent of peace and a symbol of tolerance among people” – UAE President…

On Sunday, July 21, 2024, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan took to social media platform X (previously Twitter) to speak about the importance of peaceful coexistence.

In the post, he states, “More than 200 nationalities live side by side in the UAE, all contributing to the ongoing development of our nation.”

He added, “Security and safety are the bedrock of our society”. The UAE President further encouraged “everyone who calls the UAE home to uphold these principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding.”

UAE tolerance

Did you know the UAE has a Ministry of Tolerance? The UAE launched a Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence back in 2016 to serve as a reminder that tolerance is not a given, but something that must be cultivated and maintained through the efforts of individuals, organizations, and governments.

In 2016, during the 45th anniversary of the UAE National Day, the UAE President declared that the UAE is a nation of tolerance, peace, cultural diversity, and coexistence. He added that the UAE law ‘guarantees respect and dignity for everyone, and criminalises hate, racism and all forms of discrimination.’

The UAE has even been lauded by Pope Francis who extended a warm greeting to the people of the UAE before his first visit to the country in 2019. In a video posted by The Vatican on YouTube, Pope Francis extended a warm greeting to the people of the UAE, saying he is “happy to be able to visit your country, a land that seeks to be a model of coexistence”. In the clip, Pope Francis also describes the UAE as somewhere “where many find a safe place to work and live freely while respecting diversity’.

The same yeat was also proclaimed The Year of Tolerance by the then UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which emphasized creating a tolerant society and underlining the significance of human communication. Speaking on the declaration, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated that The Year of Tolerance would be an extension of the Year of Zayed (celebrated in 2018) and that it would uphold the same values that the late Sheikh Zayed established among the people of the UAE.

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