Year of Tolerance: UAE shines as an epitome of amity

The peoples of this land have, since time immemorial, welcomed and accepted travellers of all religions and faiths.

First-time tourists to the UAE this weekend would have been pleasantly surprised by the abundance of religious ceremonies being observed by the country's diverse expat community who live and learn peacefully in this oasis of religious and cultural harmony. After the Good Friday which was marked by prayers for peace, love and hope by the UAE's Christians who thronged the country's dozens of churches, yesterday was a historic Saturday, with Abu Dhabi witnessing the laying of the foundation stone of the first ever traditional Hindu temple in the country.
The two existing Hindu temples in the UAE are housed in regular buildings in Dubai, whereas the upcoming BAPS Hindu Mandir will be constructed in the traditional Hindu architecture and on a grand scale - on an 11-acre land gifted by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The mahapuja (grand prayers) and the Shilanyas Vidhi (foundation stone laying ceremony) was presided over by Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj, the president and spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu socio-spiritual organisation responsible for building the temple.
Among the UAE officials to grace the venue was Minister of Tolerance Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan who, along with other ministers, diplomats, dignitaries, devotees, and priests participated in showering flower petals and sprinkling water brought from three rivers in India. Amazing images and multimedia clips from yesterday's shilanyas ceremony were broadcast 'live' across the world by local, regional and international media including Khaleej Times. Several television and radio channels, online news media and, of course, print media (check out our extensive multimedia coverage on our social media channels and www.khaleejtimes.com, showcased the chanting of Vedic mantras and Sanskrit verses at the venue to their global audience. 'Abu Dhabi' and 'Hindu' were among the Top 10 Twitter trends in the UAE yesterday (April 20) afternoon, highlighting the social media buzz created around this momentous event.
The peoples of this land have, since time immemorial, welcomed and accepted travellers of all religions and faiths. The virtues of tolerance have been traditionally ingrained in the fabric of the UAE, whose founding father late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the biggest proponent of peace and acceptance. In the first few months of the Year of Tolerance, the UAE has already welcomed several religious heads, including His Holiness Pope Francis, who visited the country in February on the invitation of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince. That was also when the Head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City met, for the first time, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The UAE has historically been a cauldron of culture, bonding communities together with its sweet syrup of peace and the freedom to practise religion. Besides the numerous mosques, there are at least 40 churches, two Hindu temples, two Sikh gurudwaras, and a Jain temple, among others, in the UAE, offering places of worship to over 200 nationalities that call the country their home. The UAE's initiatives of peace and tolerance are like welcome rain in the scorching summer of hate that this world is experiencing. The world now needs to follow the UAE's example and emulate the doctrine of tolerance to bring about a positive climate change in our existence. Here's wishing you a Happy Easter!