ABU DHABI: Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, opened the inaugural Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue Forum at Abu Dhabi’s Abrahamic Family House. Organised by the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence in partnership with the Austrian Embassy, this forum is a highlight of the National Festival of Tolerance and underscores the UAE’s commitment to fostering international collaboration on tolerance.
Key attendees included Afraa Al Sabri, UAE Director-General for the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence; Ambassador Christoph Thun-Hohenstein, Deputy Minister for Cultural Affairs, Austria; and Austrian Ambassador to the UAE Etienne Berchtold. This forum marks the UAE and Austria’s ongoing partnership, strengthened by a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in 2021.
The forum featured three discussion panels, with Emirati and Austrian speakers addressing tolerance and moral integration, interreligious cooperation, and youth empowerment through digital knowledge. Austrian Ambassador Berchtold noted the forum’s alignment with the 50th anniversary of UAE-Austria diplomatic relations, underscoring shared values in cross-cultural understanding and youth exchange programmes.
Ambassador Thun-Hohenstein highlighted Austria’s long-standing tradition in fostering intercultural dialogue, noting its commitment to tolerance and mutual respect. Since 1912, Austria has legally recognised Islam, and since 2007, the Austrian Foreign Ministry has led efforts to strengthen dialogues across cultures and religions, promoting freedom of belief as essential for peaceful coexistence.
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This unique forum, utilising “Track 1.5 Diplomacy” to involve both state and non-state actors, is the first in Abu Dhabi to incorporate high-ranking religious representatives in bilateral dialogue. Ambassador Berchtold expressed hope that such exchanges would enhance cooperation between Austria and the UAE, using diverse participants to deepen insights and share best practices across both nations’ active civil societies.
