UAE summit fosters tolerance

OWN CORRESPONDENT

The concept of tolerance was taken further last week in a leadership summit hosted by the UAE embassy and Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria with the theme, “Year of tolerance; prospects for peace and stability in Africa.”

At the event, His Excellency Mahash Saeed Alhameli, the UAE ambassador to South Africa, opened the colloquium with messages of acceptance and understanding.

The country is conscious of its religious and cultural diversity, and aims to promote its values globally. It was a great privilege to be invited to represent the Jewish faith. I was asked to talk about peace, living together, and the doctrines of progressive Judaism.

The conference focused on how education and knowledge-sharing can be a powerful tool to raise tolerance of diversity. We analysed tolerance and peaceful co-existence, and their impact on the social fabric of society. Knowledge is power, and if I managed to educate the audience to view Judaism from my perspective, and see the religious angle as inclusive, then I achieved my goal.

The conference was warm and welcoming, fostering feelings of hope, mutual respect, understanding, and a focus on commonalities. Delegates left workshops and sessions with a better understanding of one another, and their cultural and religious beliefs.