National tolerance program of the United Arab Emirates: universal and spiritual values

Abstract

The importance of tolerance in the multicultural reality of the modern world cannot be overestimated. Tolerance is essential in the conceptual foundations of many states’ domestic and foreign policy. Against the background of developing various models of tolerance in the world, there is also a reverse trend towards reviving traditional and religious values. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) promotes its position on the importance of traditional values and tolerance in shaping the conceptual foundations of the country's domestic and foreign policy. The UAE Federal Cabinet has approved a National Tolerance Program that promotes brotherhood and peaceful coexistence between different cultures and religions and fully supports traditional values. The article analyses the conceptualization of tolerance, its distinctive features, value bases and potential for implementation in the Middle East region. The methodological and theoretical basis of the research was the work related to approaches in interpreting different views on understanding the concept of tolerance in the UAE. The article concludes that the balance between universal and traditional values of the Islamic world is the main feature of the national tolerance program. It is also expected that, given the growing influence of the UAE in the Middle East, this model of tolerance may become widespread and become a new basis for consolidation in the Middle East.