US religious freedom report lauds tolerance in the UAE

Abu Dhabi: The US Department of State has lauded the religious tolerance and cultural coexistence found in the UAE.

The International Religious Freedom report 2008, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour affiliated to the department of state, surveyed the life in the UAE to establish that the country keenly protects freedom of faith and encourages tolerance among the followers of various religions.

The recent edition of the report cited several efforts being made in the country to boost interfaith understanding.

Symposium

Among them was a symposium organised by the Centre for Information Affairs in Abu Dhabi on the role of the Vatican in spreading the principles of coexistence in the world and religious tolerance in the UAE.

On April 15, 2008, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received the credentials of 13 ambassadors, including a new envoy from the Vatican.

The Vatican envoy passed to Shaikh Khalifa the greetings of Pope Benedict XVI, who paid tribute to the country's leadership for its care for cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue. He touted the country as a model in its support for and advocacy of tolerance. Shaikh Khalifa reaffirmed the country's determination to foster dialogue among cultures and civilisations, the report cited.