Government initiative to extend message of tolerance beyond 2019

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - As the Year of Tolerance comes to an end, the UAE is putting policies in place to ensure its message extends well beyond 2019.

The values of tolerance must be enmeshed in society and institutionalised at a government level to cement the country’s position as a leader and “incubator of tolerance”, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai said as he chaired a UAE Cabinet Meeting on Sunday.

At the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, the Cabinet approved a national initiative that will ensure tolerance is at the heart of all government programmes and activities.

We will continue to consolidate [tolerance] in our society to set an example for the world

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

"We want the culture of tolerance to be a lifestyle in the fabric of our policies, work environments and society as a whole, such that the UAE be a leader in the field of tolerance and a unique model for spreading it globally," Sheikh Mohammed said.

The initiative aims to establish a culture of tolerance among employees of federal and local entities and in their everyday processes. In turn, this will guarantee that tolerance is at the centre of all policies and will be spread to every sector of society.

"The Government is the first incubator of tolerance. Its practices, laws and processes will continue with us … and everyone will be an ambassador for tolerance and responsible for promoting its values," he said.

Sheikh Mohammed said tolerance was part of the UAE’s heritage, having been established by the country’s founding fathers.

Under the new initiative, all future government programmes and activities must fulfil five strategic priorities. These include the stimulation of tolerance, awareness and empowerment in tolerance, aligning tolerance with business policies and work processes, convergence and participation, and measuring tolerance. Systems will be established to ensure the five priorities are being met.

Sheikh Mohammed described the Year of Tolerance as a year of “achievements and giving”, having succeeded in instilling the values of coexistence and acceptance, but the time had come to make it a sustainable value in the UAE society and beyond.

“We will continue to consolidate [tolerance] in our society to set an example for the world," he said.

On Sunday, Sheikh Mohammed also attended a graduation ceremony for first batch of graduates from the International Expert of Tolerance Programme.

Organised by the International Institute for Tolerance in Dubai, one of the initiatives launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the programme aims to teach students specialised knowledge and skills related to tolerance.

In other federal matters, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the UAE Food Security Council, which was formed to oversee the implementation of the National Food Security Strategy — a plan to strengthen the UAE’s food security through trade, domestic produce, reduction of waste, and increased sustainability.

The Cabinet also approved a Resolution regulating umbilical cord blood stem cell centres, which aims to improving the services provided in these centres, in addition to achieving the desired benefits within a legislative framework that helps enhance public health, reported state news agency Wam.