The UAE's Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, launched a global call for tolerance on Monday as part of celebrations to mark the International Day for Tolerance.
The "Call for Tolerance" was made at 11:16, on the sidelines of the National Festival for Tolerance and Coexistence organised by the Ministry under the slogan, "Following Zayed’s Approach."
Over 226 federal, local and private authorities as well as non-profit organisations, clubs and students participated in the launch of the global call.
International foundations also took part in the initiative, such as the International Esports Federation.
The initiative invited entities and their representatives to send a message of tolerance in eight languages, to promote the values of coexistence, tolerance, compassion and peace among all communities around the world.
During the launch, Sheikh Nahyan stated, "We call on everyone to work together for a world full of compassion, tolerance, coexistence and justice, free from all forms of extremism, hate and violence, where we can achieve goodness, peace, security and a better future for all."
The call was attended by religious leaders from around the country, including Dr. Mohammed Mattar Salem Al Kaabi, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments; Bishop Paul Hinder, Vicar Apostolic of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia; Yehuda Sarna, Chief Rabbi of the UAE; Vasu Shroff, Head of the Hindu Temple in Dubai; Surender Singh Kandhari, Chairman of the Guru Nanak Darbar, Sikh Temple in Dubai, in addition to representatives of public and private schools, tolerance programmes, university clubs, religious people, public authorities, intellectuals and artists.
Sheikh Nahyan highlighted the UAE’s key legislative and global role in promoting tolerance, adding, "As we celebrate the International Day for Tolerance, we are reminded of important dates, including 2015 when we witnessed the issuance of the anti-discrimination law, and 2016 when we saw the introduction of the role of Minister of Tolerance, and 2018 when we hosted the historic meeting between Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Dr. Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, who signed the Human Fraternity Document, and 2019 that witnessed the issuance of the Human Fraternity Document and the launch of the Year of Tolerance, and 2020 when the ministry’s name was amended to the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence."
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