In an address on the International Day for Tolerance, His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development (DCD), said that the UAE has been actively promoting the values of mutual respect and tolerance among citizens and residents alike since its inception.
H.E. Dr. Al Khaili expressed his gratitude to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who carried on the legacy of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed, to build a modern society based on tolerance and mutual respect. He pointed out that the leaders played an instrumental role in inculcating these noble values in society in a way that they have become a way of life.
H.E. Dr. Al Khaili added that the exemplary social fabric not just earned the country global respect, but it has enabled the UAE to project itself as a model nation, where individuals are able to freely practice their respective faiths.
He also highlighted DCD’s effort to build a responsible and open society that embraces everyone with open arms, regardless of their religion and creed. The sense of equality, justice and love that form the foundation of society is reflected in the desire of millions of people to work and settle in the UAE with their families, as well as in the fact that many people call the country their second home.
He praised the department for inaugurating multi-religious rooms of worship, its role in enabling non-Muslims to obtain license for their respective places of worship and its supervision of churches and temples. The department also brought out a booklet called the Houses of Tolerance, which highlights the history of the various houses of worship in Abu Dhabi. The booklet is available in Arabic, English and Hindi.