ABU DHABI // The Ministry of Tolerance is preparing several local, regional and international initiatives to promote tolerance and coexistence and help make the region more secure.
Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance, announced the initiatives to coincide with the International Day for Tolerance on Wednesday.
A National Programme For Tolerance, launched in June, is being implemented by the ministry as part of Vision 2021 and it focuses on five pillars.
They are: strengthening the government’s role as an incubator of tolerance; the consolidation of the inter-related role of the family in nation building; promoting tolerance among young people and preventing fanaticism and extremism; enriching scientific and cultural tolerance content; and contributing to international efforts to promote tolerance.
“The National Programme For Tolerance works with local and international entities. For example, when it collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the United States to launch the Sawab Centre, which aims to harness social media to correct misconceptions and provide a bigger platform for moderate voices,” Sheikha Lubna said.
“[For example,] the Voice of Tolerance initiative will highlight the voices of community members and those contributing positively in spreading the values of tolerance locally, regionally and internationally. Particularly those who use media platforms and their accounts on social networking sites, and those who write articles and columns in newspapers to express their views.”
The Tolerance Thinkers Council, a group of distinguished thinkers will devise initiatives and activities that promote tolerance and help set tolerance policies and strategies.
One of their mandates will be to revise UAE laws and regulations to promote tolerance and renounce violence, extremism and fanaticism.
Sheikha Lubna went on to talk about the Tolerance, Co-existence and Peace Charter, which will include the founding of charters for teachers, students, citizens, expats and employees.
“The Tolerance, Co-existence and Peace Charter will contain the most important terms for domestic and international laws related to tolerance, peace, coexistence and harmony on one hand, and the denunciation of hate, racism, extremism and terrorism on the other,” the minister said.
The Ministry of Tolerance will also launch joint initiatives with bodies such as the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Community Development, Ministry of Education, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments and the National Media Council, to target individuals and families in the promotion of tolerance among youths, and to protect them from fanaticism and extremism.
“The national programme is based on ... the consolidation of the role of the family in building society and promoting tolerance among young people. Many of the initiatives and activities are designed to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the Emirati community as a tolerant and open society to all cultures, nationalities and religions,” Sheikha Lubna said.
Many partnerships have also been forged with international organisations to further the cause of tolerance and reach beyond UAE borders.
“The Government is working heavily on ensuring that hatred, discrimination and extremism are fought locally, regionally and internationally,” the minister said. “It continues to work with various agencies and organisations, within the UAE and abroad, like the Al Azhar Al Sharif and the Vatican, to promote religious tolerance and highlight the benevolence of the monotheistic religions.
“We also work closely with the Hedayah Centre, as part of a strategic partnership.”
Hedayah was created in response to the growing desire from members of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum and the wider international community for an independent, multilateral counter-extremist centre, for which the UAE offered to serve as host.
The centre, which opened in Abu Dhabi in December 2012, is devoted to dialogue and communication, capacity building programmes and research and analysis to counter violent extremism in all its forms.
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