Tolerance cornerstone of UAE’s nation-building, says Ghobash

Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), affirmed that the UAE, since its founding, has followed a visionary and humanistic path that placed the values of peaceful coexistence, interfaith dialogue, and global peace at the very heart of its state-building model.

Ghobash made the remarks during his address at the Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, currently held in Rome, co-organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Italian Parliament, with broad participation from parliamentary leaders, international organisations, faith-based institutions, and civil society representatives.

Among the attendees were Tulia Ackson, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania;

Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, and Ignazio La Russa, President of the Senate of Italy.

The UAE delegation included several FNC members.

In his keynote, Ghobash spotlighted the Document on Human Fraternity, launched in Abu Dhabi in 2019 under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as a transformative milestone in interreligious and intercultural relations.

“This document was not merely a declaration of intent,” he said, “but a moral and philosophical framework transcending religious faiths, establishing a new global ethic that elevates human dignity above all affiliations.”

“We gather today as representatives of our peoples, who, despite their different languages, cultures, and religious traditions, are united by enduring human values — values that safeguard dignity, belief, and the right to live in safety and peace,” Ghobash added.

Ghobash also emphasised the symbolic importance of holding the conference in Rome, a city that has long served as a historic centre of human thought and civic development.

“Rome has, for centuries, embodied a dynamic civilisational path where nations interacted in the realms of philosophy, politics, law, citizenship, and pluralism.”

The event began in Rome on June 19 and will end on June 21.

It is jointly organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Italian Parliament.

Ghobash was to spotlight the FNC’s role as a platform for advancing parliamentary diplomacy, aimed at building bridges of understanding between nations and cultures.

The conference features a high-level session on countering religious hatred based on faith and belief as well as other sessions.

The sessions aim to identify challenges at the national, regional, and global levels and produce actionable recommendations to enhance cooperation between parliaments and faith leaders in addressing shared concerns.

The FNC delegation will also engage in two dedicated working sessions that will explore the promotion of coexistence and peace, the role of responsible leadership, and lessons learned from the Marrakesh Communiqué, which advocates for the protection of religious minorities and their rights.

Separately, Ghobash met Mexican Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña, on the sidelines of the Conference in Rome.

During the discussion, both parties emphasised the importance of enhancing parliamentary cooperation through exchange visits and closer coordination on issues of mutual concern.

The talks focused on reinforcing the strong and friendly bilateral relations between the UAE and Mexico, which are grounded in mutual understanding across political, economic, and cultural dimensions, supported by the wise leadership of both nations.

Ghobash welcomed Fernández Noroña, affirming that the meeting reflects a shared commitment between the FNC and the Mexican Senate to foster constructive parliamentary collaboration and the exchange of best practices.

He highlighted the significance of the Interfaith Parliamentary Conference as an international platform for promoting mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence, and inter-parliamentary dialogue to support a culture of openness and peace among nations.

The meeting also explored ways to expand bilateral cooperation in political, economic, and investment fields, including identifying promising opportunities across priority sectors in both countries’ markets.