UAE’s First-Ever World Tolerance Summit A Huge Success
The first-ever World Tolerance Summit has added a milestone in the history of United Arab Emirates as it attracted an impressive turnout of delegates and participants from around the world to discuss the creation and promotion of a culture of dialogue, peace, and tolerance in all tiers of society. The summit was held in Dubai on November 15-16, 2018 in conjunction with UNESCO’s International Day for Tolerance.
Day one of WTS 2018 was graced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, and the Ruler of Dubai. In his presence, His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Institute for Tolerance, made a commitment on behalf of the ministry to solidify UAE’s stance on tolerance. MoT Action Plan include the creation of Global Network for Tolerance, International Expert Program on Tolerance, Challenge of Tolerance, and Youth Forum for Tolerance, Happiness and the Future. The opening ceremony was followed by panel discussions on spreading tolerance among the youth and women, promotion of the cause in all educational institutions, ensuring practice of tolerance in private organizations and workplace, and the role of the governments in creating a happy, tolerant society.
A simultaneous series of workshops were held on the second day of the summit. Tolerance Majlis-Room A discussed Tolerance Through the Aesthetic Arts conducted by Dr. Noura S. Al Mazrouei, Assistant Professor at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (UAE). A workshop on The Youth of Today, The Leaders of Tomorrow followed led by Pr. Dr. Malek Yamani, General Manager of YAMCONI. He expounded on how investing in people, especially on the youth, and believing in their abilities can build a vibrant, happy, and responsible society. Abdulla Mahmood Al Zarooni, Head of Personal Status Settlement Section, Dubai Courts, led the workshop on A Tolerant Country, A Happy Society where the essence of true tolerance as the key to genuine happiness and as a strong foundation of civilization was discussed.
Tolerance Majlis-Room B started with Zayed Values led by Dr. Omar Habtoor Aldarei, Executive Director of Islamic Affairs, General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments (UAE) and Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Mohamed, Member of the Emirates Association for Human Rights (UAE). They emphasized the values of tolerance inculcated by UAE founding father, the late H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This was followed by a workshop on Women Empowerment & Gender Equality. H.E. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Member of the Board of Directors, Center for Strategic Development, Ministry of Economy and Planning, (KSA) and H.E. Ms. Hoda Al-Helaissi, Member of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council and former Vice Chairperson of King Saud University (KSA). The workshop discussed equity and equality, and the advancement of the role of women in consideration of traditions and customs. The promotion of values of citizenship and tolerance in education was discussed during the workshop on Promoting Tolerance in Education conducted by Dr. Shebi Badran, Dean of The Faculty Education, Alexandria University (Egypt) and Dr. Khaled Salah Hanafi Mahmoud, Assistant Professor of Pedagogy, Alexandria University (Egypt).
At the closing ceremony, UAE’s Declaration on Tolerance was presented by Ambassador Mussie Hailu, global envoy of United Religions Initiative at the United Nations in Africa and Geneva. It was affirmed that the nation will continue to promote and inculcate the values on tolerance among the youth through education and knowledge-sharing, as they are the future leaders. It was also declared that the use of social media platform must ease social tension and must be utilized to spread positivity and promote the culture of dialogue. The declaration also emphasized the significant role of international governments in securing an enabling environment so that their citizens, with emphasis on the youth, become an ideal member of a global society championing progress and prosperity through tolerance in diversity, peace and harmony.
WTS 2018 was an initiative of the International Institute for Tolerance, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.
