Leaders of the UAE during signing of “Human Fraternity Document” in February 2019. (Credits: Protocol Department – Dubai)
MANILA – The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Manila on Sunday commemorated the International Day for Human Fraternity, emphasizing the promotion of the values of solidarity, peace, equity, tolerance and cultural diversity.
Since the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2020, proclaiming 4th of February as the ‘International Day for Human Fraternity’, it has become a day celebrated every year by countries around the world. It serves as a poignant reminder of the imperative to peacefully coexist.
The initiative was first introduced by the UAE, which hosted and advocated for the meeting between His Holiness Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, on Feb. 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, which resulted in the signing of the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”. The UAE declared that year as the “Year of Tolerance.”
“International Day for Human Fraternity is marked this year as the world struggles for peace. This should be a moment to reflect on how we should all peacefully coexist, to realize that our purpose should not be to engage in conflict, rather to spread tolerance, understanding and peace. The world is big enough to accommodate us all,” His Excellency Mohamed Obaid Alqataam Alzaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines, said in a news release.
Ambassador Alzaabi underscored that the UN resolution acknowledges the significant contributions of people of all religions and beliefs to humanity.
He commended all international, regional, national, and local initiatives and the efforts made by religious leaders to promote inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue.
“The wise leadership of the UAE has dedicated considerable efforts over the past year to support these values. Notably, the country inaugurated the Abrahamic Family House, a ground-breaking inter-faith complex comprising a mosque, a church and a synagogue,” Alzaabi said.
“Additionally, the UAE Higher Committee of Human Fraternity launched the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, which seeks to honor the legacy of His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE, by celebrating people and entities whose embodies his lifelong commitment to human fraternity,” he added. (PNA)
