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Every day is tolerance day in UAE: Minister

Dubai - Celebration of International Day of Tolerance

Hundreds of Dubai residents from various nationalities, religions and cultural backgrounds joined in the march to celebrate International Day of Tolerance, in Dubai, on Wednesday.
Holding banners and little flags bearing the slogan #tolerance_unites_us, the participants, led by UAE Minister of State for Tolerance Shaikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, marched around Burj Plaza and converged at the foot of the iconic Win Love Victory hand statue popularised by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The event, organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiative and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Award for Tolerance, symbolised "the unity of all nationalities and religions and was aimed at showcasing Dubai as the world capital of tolerance," according to the organisers.
After the march, Shaikha Lubna gave a brief speech and said: "Every single day is tolerance day."
She earlier said that "today, the UAE stands as the 'country of tolerance' par excellence, home to a melting pot of more than 200 nationalities from around the world, living in complete compatibility, regardless of their ethnicities, cultures or religions. All of them dwellers of this land, enjoying peace and harmony, and interacting in cultural coexistence and social cohesion. This reflects clearly the genuine and prominent face of the UAE as the state of tolerance, coexistence, love and brotherhood."
Students, pastors, monks march the tolerance path together
Rohan Kapur, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student from Delhi Private School Sharjah, who joined the march with his parents, said: "Tolerance unites us not only today but everyday and this walk is a strong testament to that."
Visiting pastor Harry Ching from Hong Kong said: "I am grateful that the government has been giving us the opportunity to practice Christian religion and to worship freely here."
Christ Church Jebel Ali chaplain, Reverend Tim Heaney, noted: "Tolerance has always been practised in Dubai. But what's great about the last few years is that it has been much more explicit and deliberate, especially with the creation of the Ministry of Tolerance under Shaikha Lubna."
He added, "The rulers have made a very clear statement that tolerance is something they truly believe in and that they will protect by passing laws."
Buddhist monk Mahindabodhi Thero from Sri Lanka, said tolerance "has a lot to do with patience."
"When someone says rude to you or you experience a painful situation, you just tolerate it. You don't get mad or upset. You say it's okay because it will not last forever.
Meanwhile, tolerance means good karma, according to Girish and Surekha Shirsalkar. The couple joined the Maharashtra Mumbai community in the march, wearing their tradtional clothing.
angel@khaleejtimes.com