With the theme “Prospering from Pluralism: Embracing Diversity through Innovation and Collaboration” , the two-day summit brings together more than 1,000 high-ranking government officials, specialists, academics, peace experts, social activists, diplomats, international and local organisations, intellectuals, stakeholders and representatives of the public and private sectors.
Gracing the summit with their presence will be Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, who will also deliver the keynote speech at the opening ceremony, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for the summit and the Managing Director of IIT, Dr. Hamad Sheikh Ahmed Al Shaibani.
The participants in the event will discuss several issues including how to spread the message of peace and tolerance globally, and the role of governments in promoting tolerance, peace in diversity, the role of social media in spreading social messages to ensure respect for cultural and religious pluralism, and the commitment to dialogue, peaceful coexistence and the role of the academic curriculum in promoting tolerance and peace.
The summit will shed light on the key topics that will be presented in six sessions, in which 30 speakers will participate, in addition to six specialised workshops. The first sessions, which will be chaired by Imane Lahrache of Sky News Arabia UAE, will include a panel discussion with world leaders in tolerance. This will be led by H.E. Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, President of the Federal National Council, Her Royal Highness Princess Lamia Bint Majed Saud AlSaud, Secretary General and Member of the Board of Trustees of Alwaleed Philanthropies from Saudi Arabia, H.E. Dr. Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Adama Dieng, Special Adviser of the UN-Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide, and Ambassador Dr. Ahmed lhab Gamaleldin, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Human Rights and International Humanitarian and Social Affairs from Egypt.
The second session will be chaired by Dr. Akima Umezawa, Consul General of Japan in Dubai, on ‘The Role of Governments in Promoting Tolerance, Peaceful Coexistence and Diversity’ with first speaker H.E. Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, UAE Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing and Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office. Other speakers include H.E. Amre Moussa, former Secretary-General of the Arab League; and H.H. Dr Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad International Centre for Peaceful Coexistence in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and, H.E. Faisal Bin Abdul Rahman Bin Muammar, Secretary-General King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue in (KAICIID) Austria, James Flynn, International President, Global Peace Foundation, USA. They will highlight the role of laws in promoting social cohesion and harmony, and government policies to prevent extremism to promote citizenship for diversity, economic benefits to governments and their peoples.
At the third session, five speakers will discuss Collaborative Efforts from International & Local Associations to Promote Harmony and to Address the Issues of Intolerance, Fanaticism, and Discrimination to be led by the Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr. , Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative (URI), Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Chairman of Emirates Fatwa Council and President of Forum for Promoting Peace, and James Patton, President and CEO of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy in the United States , H.E. Maqsoud Kruse, Executive Director, Hedayah, The International Center of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, UAE, H.E. Abulfas Garayev, Minister of Culture, Republic of Azerbaijan, Dr. Aziz Hasanovic, President of Meshihat (Mufti) of Islamic Community in Croatia, and H.E. Martin Chungong, Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union in Switzerland.
The fourth session is entitled ‘Social Media and Promoting Positive Messages on Tolerance and Respect for Diversity’ with Ibrahim Al Tamimi, Director of the Bahrain Center for Government Excellence & Best Practices, Nina Kowalewska-Motlik, CEO of New Communications in Poland, and Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Fawzan, Secretary-General of King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue in Saudi Arabia. The session will discuss the impact of social media, corporate policies in addressing hate speech and promoting tolerance, as well as reviewing successful initiatives to promote a culture of tolerance.
The sixth session will be moderated by Dr. Nouf Ali Al Ghamdi, CEO and Founder of the Chief Outsiders Consulting Group in Saudi Arabia, and will focus on the role of companies and institutions in creating a culture that promotes tolerance and peace by discussing the challenges of managing the multi-national business environment and the reasons for failure to instill tolerance among its employees.
This will be attended by four speakers including Maysoun Ramadan, Head of Communication and Public Affairs, Middle East Roche Diagnostics, and Effenus Henderson, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion, USA, Surender Singh Kandhari, Chairman of Al Dobowi (Dubai), Eternity Technologies (RAK), and GuruNanak Darbar Gurudwara (Dubai), and Kulwant Singh, Founder and Managing Director of LAMA Group in UAE.
The first day of the WTS will conclude with a summit on Youth of Today which will be chaired by Suhail Ghazi Algosaibi, Founder and Chairman of the Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue, with panelists Saleh Al Wahaibi, Secretary-General of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Malik Yamani, General Manager, YAMCONI, Victor Och e n, Founder and Director of the African Youth Initiative Network, Maria Lucia Uribe, Director of Arigatou International in Switzerland, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmed, Founder and Chancellor, Jamia Markaz in India and Chairman of Sheikh Zayed International Peace Conference. The 40-minute session will highlight the importance of education in spreading tolerance among young people.
World Tolerance Summit will provide an innovative and creative solution to spreading awareness of tolerance among the youth and promote education about the active implementation of tolerance in one’s daily lifestyle.
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