UAE Global Initiative for Tolerance
Following the announcement of the National Program for Tolerance, the UAE increased its commitment to the value of tolerance by launching a landmark global initiative for tolerance on October 8, 2016. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed noted that its intent is to build up the UAE as a capital for tolerance and promote openness in the region. Weeks after this announcement, the hand sign of a dove (the Tolerance Sign) and a dedicated hashtag, #Tolerance_Unites_Us, were announced during an event that saw four doves being released into the sky at the base of Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
UAE Issues Law against Hate Crimes and Discrimination
The UAE has, for some time, sought to codify its stance on tolerance. In 2015, the UAE issued a new law against any form of discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, creed, doctrine, race, color, or ethnic origin following a decree by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The new law, No. 02 of 2015, commonly known as the Anti-Discrimination Law, criminalizes any acts that might stoke religious hatred and/or insult religion through any form of expression, be it speech or the written word, books, pamphlets, or via online media. The law also includes provisions punishing those who label other religious groups or individuals as infidels or unbelievers.
The law is intended to provide a sound foundation for an environment of tolerance, broad-mindedness, and acceptance in the UAE, seeking to safeguard people against acts that promote religious hate and intolerance regardless of their origin, beliefs, or race. Penalties for violating the law’s various provisions include jail terms ranging from six months to more than 10 years and fines ranging from AED 50,000 to AED 2 million (13,600 USD to 545,000 USD).
The law condemns any actions that would comprise hate speech or the promotion of discrimination or violence against others using any form of media, including online, print, radio, and visual media. It demands that strict action be taken against any form of expression of hatred or incitement to hate crimes spread in the form of speech or published media.
The law also criminalizes any act that amounts to abuse of religion or vandalism of religious rituals, holy sites, or symbols and takes a serious view of violence committed on the basis of religious doctrines.
Regarding entities or groups established specifically to provoke religious hatred, the law recommends stringent punishments for groups or supporters of any organizations or individuals that are associated with hate crimes. It bars any kind of event, such as conferences and meetings within the UAE, organized with the sole purpose of sowing seeds of discrimination, discord, or hatred against individuals or groups on the basis of faith, origin, or race. Receiving financial support for such activities is also punishable under the new law.
Moreover, it encourages anyone involved in any activity that violates the Anti-Discrimination Law to submit themselves voluntarily to the authorities and includes provisions allowing the courts to waive penalties in such cases.
Tolerance Award
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Tolerance Award is also introduced to honor global personalities who promote tolerance. The award, headed by Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance, embraces five branches, three of which will be dedicated to human intellect, literary creativity, and aesthetic arts, and the other two will be related to organizing innovative contests in youth projects and modern media.
According to a news article published by Gulf News on October 27, 2016, renowned Arab television presenter Lojain Omran was appointed as the ambassador for the Mohammad Bin Rashid Award for Tolerance with a task to spread the culture of tolerance and promote the values of peace across the region.
Lojain Omran, also a social media influencer with millions of followers from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the region, pledged to enhance and promote the values of tolerance and coexistence using her social media accounts, which she described as a powerful tool to reach out to people from various backgrounds.
Lojain Omran said the UAE is already a role model for tolerance, and with an initiative like this, the UAE will further nurture such values among the community, across the region, and the world.
“I call on everyone to be an ambassador of tolerance. Tolerance is something that begins from within us and is spread outwardly. I hope everyone can begin spreading this message. It is my responsibility as a human being to spread this message first, and now it is my duty as an ambassador to do so. I have always emphasized inner peace and values of respect and understanding with others and have learned to accept others regardless of their background.”
Omran said that she will work hand in hand with those working with the award to deliver “the humanitarian mission whose aim is to realize and achieve acquaintances, dialogue, understanding and respect in the Arab societies, hoping to strengthen the role of young leaders in the beloved UAE as well as the Arab world.”
The hashtag launched has been translated into different languages as a way to spread the message of tolerance coming from the UAE. Ahmad Al Mansouri, secretary-general of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Award for Tolerance, said the award carries a crucial message about the UAE, a country that has fostered the peaceful coexistence of people of more than 200 nationalities with different cultures.
“The tolerance initiative is one of the many noble initiatives launched by Shaikh Mohammad, with a goal to eliminate violence, extremism, hatred, and discrimination across the region and around the world while also promoting values of tolerance and openness to others,” said Al Mansouri.
He said The Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace has been officially changed to the Mohammad Bin Rashid Tolerance Award, adding that the award is open for participation to all groups worldwide and will be honoring global icons of tolerance.
The award will also support creative productions and youth leadership, providing them with opportunities to spread their creativity on social media.
International Institute of Tolerance
The International Institute for Tolerance is the first of its kind in the region to provide necessary consultations and experiences to consolidate the values of tolerance among peoples across the world.
The Institute is launched with broad objectives: it produces and publishes tolerance-related research, works with other cultural institutions in the Arab region, and teaches the new emerging generations about the values of tolerance. It conducts social studies to delve into the root causes of intolerance, isolation, and sectarianism; it also organizes a series of programs that aim to nurture distinguished young people and provide them with appropriate and healthy environments to deepen their awareness on issues related to tolerance and help them bring their ideas to fruition.
These steps are intended to sow the seeds of tolerance in the region and condemn extremism among peoples. I am confident that very soon our nation will be glorified by these profound approaches.
Tolerance Day
November 16 is the International Day for Tolerance. In 2016, on this occasion, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, tweeted, “What makes us proud is not the height of our buildings, but rather the openness and tolerance of our nation.”
The post of the Minister of State for Tolerance in UAE was first introduced in February 2016, when H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced structural changes to the 12th Cabinet, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to eradicate ideological, cultural, and religious bigotry in society. Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi became the first Minister of State for Tolerance. Celebrating the day at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, Sheikha Lubna described the occasion as a “renaissance, a moment of celebrations, which reflects cohesion and a feeling of being together.” She also said that unity, tolerance, and coexistence are the hallmarks of the nation; while November 16 is the International Day for Tolerance, “in the UAE, every single day is a tolerance day.”
Sheikha Lubna, the Minister of State for Tolerance, has topped a 2017 poll of the most powerful Arab women in government, according to Forbes Middle East.
In the Cabinet reshuffle of 2017, H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan was appointed as Cabinet member and the Minister of Tolerance in the UAE. On June 14 2017, as a practical application of the principle of tolerance, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE’s Armed Forces, ordered renaming the Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Mosque in Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, to “Mariam, Umm Eisa,” which is Arabic for “Mary, the mother of Jesus.”
In November 2017, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid named the pedestrian bridge over the Dubai Canal as the Tolerance Bridge. The announcement was made on the 22nd International Day of Tolerance.
Anglican Church
In a testament to the UAE’s multicultural tolerance, the region’s largest Anglican Church is currently being built in Abu Dhabi, with the land for the church donated by President H. H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Currently under construction in Musaffah, the All Saints Anglican Church will be able to accommodate over 4,000 worshippers when completed.
Merry Christmas
In December 2018, as a Christmas message, H.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, offered congratulations from the UAE to Christians across the world, tweeting as follows: “From the UAE, the land founded in the spirit of tolerance, love and coexistence, we congratulate Christians across the world and wish them peace and happiness in celebrating Christmas.”
2019 Year of Tolerance
I feel extremely proud to write here that the UAE government has announced that 2019 will be officially proclaimed the Year of Tolerance to strengthen the nation’s role of encouraging stability and prosperity in the region and the world.
The Year of Tolerance will focus on five main pillars: