ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 09th Oct, 2019) The 7th GCC Heritage and Oral History Conference 2019, organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi, DCT Abu Dhabi, at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, continued for the second day under the theme, "Zayed and Tolerance: A Community’s Culture & Leadership Approach", celebrating 2019 as the Year of Tolerance.
Mohammad Haji Al Khoury, Director-General of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, said in a working paper entitled, "Zayed and Tolerance: Concept and Practice", "Usually one cannot mention the UAE without mentioning the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a tolerant leader who was able to assemble and build the state and promote it in only a few years. I affirm our endeavour to be an extension of Zayed and to preserve the legacy that he left us, to follow his path and follow his footsteps in goodness, tolerance and humanitarian giving, which have become a feature of the citizens of the UAE."
The second day included three sessions, in addition to specialised art workshops for students on the value of tolerance, organised by the Intangible Heritage Department and Education Department at DCT Abu Dhabi.
The first session was led by Dr. Yagoub Al Kandari, with the first paper being presented by Professor Dr. Ayed Al Zahrani, Vice President of the Arab Academics and Scientists Union, titled, "Cultural Features of Tolerance in the UAE".
In the second paper, "Features of Tolerance in the Foreign Policy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan", Dr. Nasser bin Saeed Al Atiki, Head of Post and Documents Department at the Directorate General of Education, Ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate, stated that "the principles of tolerance in the late Sheikh Zayed's policy are reflected in the UAE’s foreign policy principles, which are well known both locally and internationally for tolerance".
In her paper titled, "Values of tolerance in Sheikh Zayed's thought (a reading from British explorers’ texts and documents)", Dr. Alia Khamis Al Badwawi, Assistant Professor at Zayed University, said, "The late Sheikh Zayed was a pillar of tolerance in all statements and actions. This was abundantly clear in his personality and it had a profound impact on his surroundings. These attributes have become features for which his children and people are known. They have become part of the very fabric of Emirati society."
The second session was chaired by Dr. Abdullah Abdul Rahman Yateem, with participation from Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Al Dabal, Director of Khalifa Empowerment Programme for Students- AQDAR. He presented a paper titled, "The Culture of Tolerance between Individual and Social Responsibility", discussing the importance of finding common ground for a relationship between the individual and society.
In his paper titled, "Sheikh Zayed and the Culture of Tolerance", Dr. Hamdan Rashed Ali Al Darai, Head of Research and Studies Department at the Zayed Centre for Studies and Research, said, "Sheikh Zayed laid the foundations of a far-reaching culture of tolerance to include openness to other religions."
Dr. Moza Issa Aldwi, Assistant Professor at the University of Bahrain, presented a paper on pioneering experiences of tolerance in Bahrain and the UAE, while Professor Yousif Mohamed Ismail, Director, Directorate of Media Administration, Bahrain, also presented a paper titled, "Towards a Common Culture of Tolerance in the GCC".
The third and final session of the conference was chaired by Dr. Musa Al Hawari. In this session, Aisha Al Muhairi, Head of the Evaluation & Experimentation Department, Ministry of Education, discussed the role of the Emirati school in instilling the value of tolerance in the UAE.
Meanwhile, Fatima Mohamed Al Abdouli, Islamic Education Mentor in the Fujairah Educational Zone, discussed "the role of the Islamic education curriculum in enhancing the values of tolerance in the UAE" in her paper.
Finally, in her paper titled, "Tolerance in Emirati schools according to the Moral Education curriculum", Anoud Ahmed Al Obaidly, Head of Islamic Education and Curricula Specialist at the Ministry of Education, discussed several points, namely "the Moral Education curriculum is the culmination of the unique ideals of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces".
