Tolerance is a highly respected religious and cultural value in the UAE, and the people have acquired this quality from their forefathers and have been practising it as part of their faith, said Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, in his speech on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance, observed on 16th November.

Al-Zeyoudi said that tolerance is expected to be shown by the strong individuals and nations as they are better able to implement this value than the weak.

"In the UAE, we have been conceiving a greater meaning for the word tolerance than merely forgiving the mistakes of others. The mutual respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of various world cultures prevailing in our country since its inception are globally appreciated. In short, the UAE is a place where all cultures, freedom of expression and human values are respected as stated in the Universal Declaration of Principles on Tolerance," he added.

The Minister also noted that the peaceful co-existence of more than 200 nationalities in the UAE is an unparalleled example of tolerance on a global level. The high level of peace and harmony has been achieved as a result of the nation’s deep-rooted humanitarian values, including tolerance. As a result, the UAE occupies the third rank in the national culture index for tolerance and openness of the local culture to accept others, according to the annual report of global competitiveness 2016.

"In spite of our confidence in traditional and cultural values to spread tolerance, we have been keen to promote it through legislative and institutional frameworks. This decision came in a context of increasing religious, sectarian and ideological fanaticism and extremism in the recent years, in addition to the abuse of modern communication channels to spread heartedness among nations and people," he said.

"Considering this global phenomenon, the UAE has established a dedicated ministry for tolerance and launched a national programme for tolerance, aiming at strengthening the culture of tolerance among citizens and residents. It has also issued a law to fight against terrorist crimes, discrimination and heartedness in the country." Al-Zeyoudi noted.

The UAE has also offered to serve as the host of the International Centre of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism and established the Sawab Centre, a joint UAE-US initiative to combat Daesh propaganda on social media.