Shaikh Mohammed announces award, institute for tolerance

Dubai - The initiatives will look to encourage tolerance, and honour champions of tolerance throughout the world.

"Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population."
This quote from Albert Einstein is exactly the philosophy His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, supports.
So much so, he launched two global initiatives - the 'Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Tolerance' and the 'International Institute for Tolerance' - on Saturday.
Announcing the news on Twitter, Shaikh Mohammed said the initiatives will look to encourage tolerance, and honour champions of tolerance throughout the world.
Using his official handle, @HHShkMohd, he tweeted: "Both initiatives have been designed to boost and promote toleration, coexistence and acquaintance in our region."
The award will lay the foundations for developing young Arab leaders and will provide support to the intellectual, cultural and media promotions of values of tolerance and openness.
"The new award will help communicate with young people and encourage their artistic, cultural, and visual productions, particularly those on the social media, in order to reinforce tolerance in our region," he said.
Shaikh Mohammed also announced the establishment of the 'International Institute for Tolerance'.
This will be the first of its kind in the Arab world to offer advice and expert views on policies for promoting values of tolerance among nations.
The institute will also release social studies on the root causes of fundamentalism, seclusion and sectarianism. It will further provide support to Arab and international experts and specialists in tolerance, and contribute to developing educational systems.
The centre will be tasked with publishing studies and research reports on tolerance, and it will work with relevant authorities to instill principles of tolerance in the younger generations.
The information garnered at the centre will contribute to developing educational systems too.
The institute will also act as a nurturing ground for young talents in tolerance, community service and countering extremism.
The award is the latest to join the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, which will reach more than 130 million people in the coming 10 years.
"The UAE has established itself as a global role model for tolerance. We cherish tolerance as a key value. Yet, we intend to transform that value into a sustainable institutional work that will reflect positively on our peoples in the Arab world," said Shaikh Mohammed.
"Our Arab societies need to be prepared intellectually to embed the culture of tolerance, openness and peaceful co-existence."
He also urged adopting measures to provide a cultural immunity to the youth, as they form the frontline of defence against the forces of extremism and exclusionism.
Meanwhile, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Future, and Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, described the award as a practical response by Shaikh Mohammed to the sources of tension in the region.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE