Tolerance should be a way of life, says Lubna

Dubai - The minister noted that the country is "an oasis of peace and respect where people enjoy the opportunity to reach their full potential as human beings

Create a world of 'partnership spirituality' was the message conveyed by Shaikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, to leaders of the Sikh community in Dubai at the Gurunarak Darbar Sikh Temple in Jebel Ali on Wednesday.
"Let's embark on an interconnecting human path, to carve out one world and enhance tolerance as the 'Vehicle of Life', where adversity is understood as the convergence of different approaches of one shared human endeavour," said Shaikha Lubna.
The world's first Minister for Tolerance highlighted in her speech that "religious tolerance is a fundamental pillar of a strong state, and a catalyst of prosperity in today's world.
In the UAE, she said, "the Government has adopted supportive measures to consolidate religious tolerance stemming from the tolerance of Islam, which calls for continuous interactive connection and mutual respect among cultures."
The minister noted that the country is "an oasis of peace and respect where people enjoy the opportunity to reach their full potential as human beings."
She encouraged the audience to "show to the world the best mixture of ethnicities, religions and cultures, at a time where many divisive issues threaten global peace and plague the modern world.
Shaikha Lubna earlier announced the launching of the world's first tolerance charter to spread tolerance as the basis for building societies, and promote respect of cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence, rejecting violence, extremism and racism.
She stressed the Federal Decree Law No. (2) of 2015 on Combating Discrimination and Hatred, which stipulates that: "No words or action which may incite to commit the crime of blasphemy or defamation of religions may be debated on the right of freedom and expression. Also, no offending, insulting, disrespecting of any religion or any of its rituals or sacred things, by violence or threat is allowed."
Surender Singh Kandhari, chairman of GuruNanak Darbar Gurudwara, Dubai, said: "We are indeed most fortunate that we are in the UAE that not only values harmonious coexistence but also upholds these values to be sustained and echoed to the rest of the world.
He noted that Guru Nanak Darbar Dubai sponsored and co-organised the first World Interfaith Harmony Day (WIHD) UAE early this year as a "platform to all interfaith groups to promote harmony and goodwill in the world."
The event was attended by 250 local and international delegates representing Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.
Kandhari also announced that the second World Interfaith Harmony Day in Dubai will be held February next year.
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• UAE