Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the Federal National Council, FNC, stated that the UAE was founded on the established values of mutual respect and co-operation with others and the principles of tolerance and co-existence.

In her statement on the occasion of the annual International Day for Tolerance on 16th November, she added that the Emirati community is known for its noble heritage of tolerance, cultural pluralism, openness and co-existence with others, which was established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the other Founding Fathers and followed by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and their brothers, Their Highnesses, the Sheikhs, the Members of the Supreme Council, the Rulers of the UAE, until the country has become, in light of the directives of its wise leadership, a leading example and model of the values of tolerance and co-existence, which is respected and appreciated by the people of the world through its international initiatives that were launched to serve humanity.

Dr. Al Qubaisi stressed that the UAE represents the real tolerance, co-existence and humanitarian partnership that it believes in while highlighting the presence of 40 churches and Hindu temples and over 200 nationalities with various religions, languages, cultures and customs, who are living and working together in complete harmony and practicing their religious rituals with total freedom, without bias or discrimination in terms of religion, colour, sex or identity. This has all become possible due to vision of the wise leadership, which has placed a clear strategy to promote tolerance in the UAE, as well as encourage love and peace and establish a unique model of co-existence that is rarely matched anywhere else in the world, she further added.

She further said that the FNC focusses on diplomacy and communication with people across the world to stress the important role of parliaments in issuing and adopting the values of tolerance and co-existence as well as initiating dialogue between different cultures and civilizations. This serves the interests of humanity and shows the UAE’s experience, its leading role, and its international direction in raising the values of tolerance, as well as its initiatives and efforts in this regard.

In this context, she noted the commitment of the UAE to spreading the ideas of tolerance and peaceful co-existence and respecting diversity. This resulted in the creation of the Ministry of State for Tolerance, which is the first of its kind in government work in the world. She highlighted the role of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance, in representing the laws and legislation of the country, which translate its policy and vision in the field of tolerance. This guarantees the rights and dignity of humans and protects them from any violations, she added.

She also clarified that the UAE is committed to many international agreements concerned with ensuring tolerance and co-existence and rejecting violence and extremism. It is considered the first Arab country to issue a law against discrimination, which criminalises spread of hatred and contempt of religions.