History Made During the Year of Tolerance

The declaration of 2019 as the Year of Tolerance in the United Arab Emirates, highlighted the country as a beacon of coexistence and of openness to different cultures. During this important year, His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of Catholic Church, and His Eminence Dr Ahmad Al Tayyeb, Gran Imam of the Al Azhar Al Sharif, accepted the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to visit the country in February, marking an important step in interfaith relations between Muslims and Christians.

The historic event was the first time a pope had visited the Arabian Peninsula. At the time, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “It (this visit) embodies our belief in the values of love and tolerance as a pathway for humanity towards peace, security, stability and rapprochement between different people and cultures.”