TRENDS Global Showcases UAE’s Tolerance Diplomacy at Jordan Conference
A senior researcher from the Abu Dhabi-based think tank presented insights into how the Emirates has transformed coexistence into a cornerstone of international engagement at the Knights of the Message conference in Amman.
TRENDS Global, the research division of TRENDS Group, contributed to an international gathering in Amman dedicated to exploring moral leadership and peacebuilding. The Knights of the Message conference, organised by the Knights of Peace organisation, assembled scholars, academics and officials from across the Arab region and beyond to examine pathways toward greater harmony and understanding.
Alia Darwish Al Nuaimi, Senior Researcher at TRENDS, delivered a comprehensive paper examining how the United Arab Emirates has elevated tolerance and coexistence from foundational national principles into sophisticated instruments of diplomatic influence. Her presentation, titled “The Diplomacy of Tolerance and Peace: The UAE Model of Coexistence and International Presence”, traced the intellectual and institutional architecture undergirding this distinctive approach.
Ms Al Nuaimi elaborated on the historical trajectory of tolerance within the Emirates, anchoring its emergence in the visionary leadership of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This pioneering commitment to unity and mutual respect proved instrumental in constructing a cohesive society whilst cultivating understanding across diverse communities and worldviews.
The researcher explained how these foundational values matured through the development of constitutional frameworks, legislative instruments, and both national and international programmes. The UAE progressively channelled its commitment to tolerance into foreign policy mechanisms, deploying interfaith engagement, conflict resolution, humanitarian initiatives and collaborative multilateral approaches to amplify its soft power and strengthen its standing within the international community.
The TRENDS analysis examined the institutional scaffolding supporting this evolution, including the establishment of the Ministry of Tolerance & Coexistence and the National Tolerance Programme. It further considered legislative protections against discrimination and extremism, alongside landmark cultural initiatives such as the Abrahamic Family House and the Document on Human Fraternity, signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
Ms Al Nuaimi underscored the strategic dimension of this approach, connecting tolerance to broader soft power objectives. By fostering attraction and persuasion rather than relying upon coercive measures, states cultivate enduring influence and strengthen their diplomatic capabilities.
The paper concluded that the UAE’s conception of tolerance had evolved considerably, transcending its role as a core national value to become an integral component of the country’s international strategy. Through constitutional and legislative foundations, cultural and religious partnerships, and mediation and peacebuilding endeavours, tolerance has become central to enhancing the Emirates’ regional and international presence.
Source: WAM