International and regional leaders to headline tolerance summit
Two-day World Tolerance Summit to begin on November 15
Dubai: Ministers, parliamentarians, diplomats and spiritual leaders will headline the World Tolerance Summit (WTS) that begins in Dubai on Thursday.
Among the leading dignitaries will be Princess Lamia Bint Majid Al Saud from Saudi Arabia, Gilles Pargneaux, member of European Parliament, Amre Moussa, former secretary general of Arab League, and Prof. Salvatore Martinez, President Vatican Foundation.
Local and regional luminaries include Shaikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance, Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, UAE Minster of Happiness and Wellbeing and Dr. Abdul Latif Al Zayani, Secretary General, Gulf Cooperation Council, among others.
Part of Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Iniatives, the two-day congress being jointly organised by the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and International Institute of Tolerance, will host a series of panel discussions and workshops promoting an understanding peaceful coexistence and harmony, while rejecting violence, extremism and discrimination.
“The UAE has been a model of tolerance since its establishment. The country was founded by late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and fellow founding fathers on the enduring values of tolerance, mutual respect and harmony. The same is being continued by the UAE leadership now as it is reflected by peaceful coexistence of more than 200 nationalities in the UAE now,” said Dr Hamad Al Shaibani, Chairman of the Higher Committee of WTS, announcing the details of the summit.
He added that with the growing incidents of hate and violence taking place around the world, it is highly important that the message of tolerance and peace is communicated among the youth at every stage.
“It is the need of the hour to introduce education for tolerance in schools, governments, workplaces and social clubs and one of the reasons we are organising this summit is to engage the youth and thought leaders on this issue and promote the value of tolerance,” said Al Shaibani.
First of its kind global congress dedicated to promote the value of tolerance among the international communities, the inaugural edition of WTS coincides with the International Day of Tolerance and the National Festival of Tolerance.
Apart from discussions and workshops, the summit will host Zayed Majlis for Tolerance, art and photography exhibition, tolerance library and tolerance awards.