ABU DHABI, 15th November, 2023 (WAM) — The National Festival of Tolerance, organised by the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, will begin tomorrow at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), held under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.
The activities and sessions, aligned with the UAE’s celebration of the International Day for Tolerance, will feature prominent local and international intellectual leaders and focus on the role of social and institutional tolerance in fostering a sustainable future, as well as showcase the ministry’s initiatives and programmes.
Afra Al Sabri, Director-General of the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, highlighted the ministry’s commitment to fostering the values of coexistence and tolerance among all segments of society, especially the younger generations, as well as Sheikh Nahyan’s efforts to encourage collaborations between the ministry and various UAE and international institutions to promote the values of tolerance and coexistence.
The launch of the festival is a significant step in this direction, she added, noting that eagerness shown by leaders of several local and international institutions to participate in the festival sessions, especially in the main sessions, titled “Social Tolerance for a Sustainable Future” and “Institutional Tolerance and its Role in Fostering a Sustainable Future”, reflects their confidence in the UAE’s vision for tolerance, coexistence and human fraternity, and its noble aspirations to promote global tolerance, coexistence and peace.
Al Sabri also mentioned the inauguration of an art exhibition at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which will present artistic expressions of tolerance by the Emirati youth through paintings and photographs, symbolising their creative perspectives on tolerance in the UAE.
She then emphasised the festival’s commitment to open its doors to all segments of society, intellectuals, university students, and anyone interested in tolerance and coexistence, so they can participate in intellectual sessions that will discuss the role of tolerance in promoting sustainable development at individual, institutional, and national levels, as it is as one of the most important values upheld by the UAE and its leadership.
The ministry has organised many activities and events, including lectures, art exhibitions, and dialogue sessions, in collaboration with various educational and local institutions across all emirates to mark the International Day for Tolerance, she added.
Al Sabri also mentioned the opening of the Ta’ayosh art exhibition, organised by the University of Sharjah and sponsored by the ministry at the College of Fine Arts in Sharjah. The exhibition features elite visual artists from 30 countries collaborating with the Emirates Fine Arts Society and Solo Art Gallery.
