UAE awarded a seat in UNESCO

The essence of the UAE’s success story is grounded in diversity of cultural expressions, as well as tolerance and openness. This week, the UAE was awarded a seat on Unesco’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

One of Unesco's missions, meanwhile, is to foster a culture of peace. Recognition from the UN body in the country’s 50th anniversary year serves to underline that the UAE is aligned with such universal values.

The decision recognized the cohesive and distinctive nature of society in the UAE where people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds co-exist peacefully. The country has houses of worship for multiple religions, catering to people from across the world who call the UAE home.

The UAE's legal framework is in place to make sure no one is subject to discrimination, abuse or racist slurs. The country's law against hate crimes and discrimination has ensured that people of all ethnicities feel safe and the UAE remains a place that champions tolerance and human dignity.

Perhaps, no better illustration of upholding diversity in the UAE than the under construction Abrahamic House, which, in recognition of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, will house a mosque, a church and a synagogue.

The UAE's contribution in Mosul, in support of Unesco's work to rebuild historic treasures in Iraq – among them, the 800-year-old Al Nuri Mosque, which was destroyed by ISIS, shows the country's commitment to upholding values that extend beyond its own borders.

The path that the UAE has made for itself in embracing diversity and expressing tolerance, is an achievement that can be emulated by others.