ABU DHABI, 1st May, 2019 (WAM) — Tolerance is like oxygen and the people of the UAE are the trees helping equally to produce the oxygen of tolerance, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Tolerance said today. The greater the participation of the country’s people in promoting tolerance, the more harmonious, peaceful and prosperous the country will be. The Minister was talking to students at Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Academy.In defining the Ministry’s role, Sheikh Nahyan described it as a Ministry for all – all nationalities, all religions, for men and women and for all ages. So, you see, he told the students, the Ministry of Tolerance is also for you and your friends and not a Ministry just for your parents and other adults. It seeks, he said, to help everyone in the UAE practice tolerance in its broadest definition. My responsibility as Minister is to make the Ministry the leader in promoting attitudes and behaviours that exhibit tolerance across the UAE and beyond. Neither a single nation, nor a single culture, nor a single type of government, nor a single philosophical belief, nor a single person is exempt from practicing tolerance. Noting that the Ministry undertakes projects and initiatives that fight misunderstanding, prejudice, ignorance, fear, and hate, Sheikh Nahyan went on to say that we promote dialogue and mutual respect, as well as education and understanding. We celebrate our shared human values and virtues. Al Bateen Academy, one of the Aldar Academies group of schools, has, according to its Principal, students from 65 different nationalities.Besides the opportunity to get a world-class education, Sheikh Nahyan told the students, you also have the opportunity to study in a multi-cultural setting. Together, you learn to know and respect others who come from different cultures and background. As I look around this room, Sheikh Nahyan told his audience, I see students who must be of many different nationalities, speak different languages, practice different religions and have different cultures. Getting to know and respect those who are different from you is, my young friends, the basis for tolerance. Describing the school as an excellent example of tolerance grounded in a world class educational environment, the Minister said, here you are being empowered to become our next generation of leaders who will shape the future of the world. As the mission statement of Al Bateen Academy says, you are ‘locally educated and globally minded.’ All of us in education, business, and government can learn sound lessons from your example, he added. The most important lesson may be the value of understanding and respecting others. WAM/PH The full text of the Minister speech follows.Good morning Students, School Leaders, Teachers, Parents, Governors and Distinguished Guests.It is an honour to be here with you this morning as it provides me with the opportunity to meet some of the future leaders of our country.One of the great pleasures of my responsibilities as the Minister of Tolerance is the opportunity it gives me to talk with students in every region of the United Arab Emirates, Emirati and expatriate students alike. I always learn so much from those students and I am sure that I will learn from you today.At Al Bateen Academy, you have the opportunity to get a world-class education. You also have the opportunity to study in a multi-cultural setting. Together, you learn to know and respect others who come from different cultures and background.In fact, Al Bateen Academy brings the world to you! As I look around this room, I see students who must be of many different nationalities, speak different languages, practice different religions and have different cultures. Getting to know and respect those who are different from you is, my young friends, the basis for tolerance! Congratulations to each of you! I am often asked by students what a Ministry of Tolerance does? When I was appointed the Minister of Tolerance, I asked myself the same question? What is a Ministry of Tolerance and how can it contribute to the peace and prosperity of the UAE and the world? This was a challenging question as there are no other Ministries of Tolerance in the entire world! The wise leadership in the UAE had decided that we would be the first country in the world to create a Ministry of Tolerance. Its mission would be to address critical issues of how to help in building and maintaining a country that is a global leader in promoting peace and prosperity for everyone no matter their race, religion, language, age, ability or economic status.I decided that the Ministry of Tolerance in the UAE would be a Ministry for all – all nationalities, all religions, for men and women and for all ages – so, you see, the Ministry of Tolerance is also for you and your friends and not a Ministry just for your parents and other adults.The Ministry of Tolerance aims to help everyone in the UAE practice tolerance in its broadest definition. My responsibility as Minister is to make the Ministry the leader in promoting attitudes and behaviours that exhibit tolerance across the UAE and beyond. The Ministry undertakes many projects and initiatives that fight misunderstanding, prejudice, ignorance, fear, and hate. We promote dialogue and mutual respect, as well as education, and understanding. We celebrate our shared human values and virtues.In our work at the Ministry of Tolerance, we are committed to being a ministry of action, outcomes, and impact. The Ministry undertakes all its initiatives, activities, and events with a wide range of partners who work with us to keep the UAE a peaceful, harmonious, and prosperous country. The Ministry’s success, will be measured by the extent to which we succeed in embracing all members of our society.The work of the Ministry of Tolerance is never-ending because we must be ever vigilant in fighting intolerance while continuously nurturing and promoting tolerance. The ministry working alone cannot do this. As I always say, the Ministry of Tolerance is a ministry for all the country’s residents and it must embrace all stakeholders and communities in its initiatives, activities and programmes. Tolerance is like oxygen and the people of the UAE are the trees helping equally to produce the oxygen of tolerance. The greater the participation of the country’s people in promoting tolerance, the more harmonious, peaceful and prosperous the county will be.Since its founding almost 48 years ago, the UAE has been blessed with wise leadership. Our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, understood the importance of tolerance, compassion and dialogue in building our country. With the help and support of the Emirati people and those from many other countries, Sheikh Zayed was able to build a successful, peaceful and prosperous country.Today our President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, supported by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai,, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, continue to build on Sheikh Zayed’s legacy. Proclaiming 2019 as the Year of Tolerance clearly says to us who live here, and to the world, that tolerance is of great importance in the United Arab Emirates.Students: Al Bateen Academy is an excellent example of tolerance grounded in a world class educational environment. Here you are being empowered to become our next generation of leaders who will shape the future of the world. As the mission statement of Al Bateen Academy says, you are locally educated and globally minded! All of us in education, business, and government can learn sound lessons from your example. The most important lesson may be the value of understanding and respecting others. We can also learn from you the value of listening carefully to one another and seeking to understand the ideas that motivate all of us. You, as future global leaders, have a responsibility to seek common ground among people of all cultures and backgrounds. You have a duty to work together for the service of society and the world. At your Academy, you are demonstrating that common purpose is possible when all people come to know and respect one another as equals in their quest for peace and harmony. You are demonstrating that everyone can and should participate in true and fruitful dialogue. Neither a single nation, nor a single culture, nor a single type of government, nor a single philosophical belief, nor a single person is exempt from practicing tolerance. Facts and reason rule the best of dialogues. We commend your energy, your intellectual engagement, and your ideals.To make sure that your engagement in all these worthy endeavours will help carry out your commitment to tolerance and coexistence for all who live and work in the UAE, the Ministry of Tolerance has, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, created a programme called: Celebrating Tolerance in Our Nation’s Schools. This programme brings together students from public and private schools to design and carry out projects of common interest. We currently have these projects in 19 schools and are seeking to add more than 150 others. Should you wish to know more about this initiative, one of my colleagues from the Ministry will be available to discuss it with you.Congratulations, my young friends, on choosing to study at the Al Bateen Academy. Your parents, teachers and I expect great things from you! Thank you and best wishes.”}]