In a discussion that was moderated by John Defterios from CNN, H.E. Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Cabinet Member and Minister of State for Tolerance, UAE, and H.E. Omar Saif Ghubash discussed the importance of religious values, namely tolerance, and the role of governments in preserving these values.

Answering the question of why the position of minister for tolerance is important, H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi stressed the importance of tolerance in society and not taking values for granted. She also commented on the need for including youth and keeping them in mind, giving the example of the UAE Youth Minister position, which was created according to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s instructions, whose role includes conveying the needs and ideas of the youth to the government.

For his part, H.E. Omar Ghubash commented on looking at the Arabs as 300 million consumers, and said that he views them as 300 million individuals. He called for allowing individuals to flourish in their own light, and to give them broad guidelines instead of specific instructions, adding that this will lead to the individuals having more chances. He also commented on how the conceptual tools of the past are not efficient in analyzing the modern world for today’s youth. H.E. Sheikha Al Qasimi commented on the same topic by saying that there is a need to handle the youth completely differently than how previous generations did it. She said that Islamic curriculum is being delivered without the spirituality and values spurred by religion, and called for focusing on values when delivering religion to kids.

Moreover, the speakers talked about how governments can take a stand against populism and terrorism, and ensuring that religion does not get misused and hijacked by individuals carrying out political agendas. They both explained how the UAE government stopped aggression and hate by making sure that the essence and values of Islam are what is being presented in mosques.

Finally, H.E. Omar Ghubash commented on the model that the UAE is applying to deal with challenges and to preserve tolerance and values, and called on paying attention to the theory behind this model. H.E. Sheikha Al Qasimi also commended the UAE’s efforts in this regard, and said “We walk the talk, we lead by example.”

Co-Existing: Transcending Borders of Culture, Race & Religion

Speakers

H.E. Sheikha Lubna AlQasimi

Mr. Omar Ghobash