Manila: The UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has an honourable record of religious tolerance and co-existence among all those living on its land, a senior official said yesterday.
Dr Hamdan Al Mazroui, Chairman of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, said: "The UAE is today serving as a real, living melting pot for interaction of cultures, languages and 200 nationalities."
Al Mazroui was talking before the extraordinary meeting of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on inter-faith dialogue and cooperation for peace and development being held in the Philippines.
"The UAE has enacted legislations that guarantee and protect religions, respect traditions and norms and allow freedom of religious rituals with fair and transparency that do not spur rise of religious, ethical or sectorial fanaticism," he added.
"The religious co-existence in the open sky of the internet and thousands of TV satellite channels and advanced communications has become one of the most pressing issues that should be taken care of.
"Modern technology carries good and bad ideas and principles," he said, adding that some of these ideas disrespect religions and disseminate terrorism, fanaticism and chaos in communities.
"Islam preaches security and peaceful co-existence and UAE experiments in upholding these values is rich, given the fact that it is hosting workers of 203 nationalities and at the same time preserves its national identity," he said.
According to him, wise policies covering preventive security and moderate, neutral foreign policy, which culminated in a series of agreements with friendly labour-sending countries, have also contributed to creating an environment of cooperation.
Al Mazroui called on the conference to address the real challenges posed by some countries and groups who sponsor religious extremism, upset peaceful co-existence and tolerance.
