How do the UAE’s educators plan to integrate the Year of Tolerance into schools and why is this such an important value for today’s youth?

When the Year of Tolerance was announced as the national theme for 2019, it was perhaps the education sector that was most eager to get going on the subject and spread the message among students.

Living in a multi-cultural society where one classroom may have over ten nationalities represented, children in the UAE are arguably already more tolerant than their global counterparts, or at least more aware of people who have different backgrounds and beliefs to themselves.

What is tolerance?

The concept of tolerance is rather general. What tolerance really stands for is peaceful co-existence, open-mindedness and respect for others, regardless of differences in ethnicity, social standing, beliefs or ability.

“Tolerance is not just a buzzword exploited by the media in today’s society, but is a core social value that brings people of all races, religions and ideals into one place,” Dr Fatima Al Shamsi, deputy executive director at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, begins. “The UAE is the perfect example: It’s a place of diversity and therefore a place for tolerance.”

For Brighton College’s headmaster, Simon Corns: “The key value is mutual respect. Whether one agrees with another person’s view or not, let’s consider it and listen to each other rather than dismissing that which does not immediately accord with our own cultural values.”

Tolerance in the UAE

“I strongly believe that students in the UAE are naturally more tolerant given that we live in such a multi-cultural society,” Dr Fatima says. “They learn that it is acceptable not to like the same things, believe the same things or even celebrate the same things, but it is also expected in return that they accept and respect the other.”

Teaching respect

“Teaching tolerance should start from the early school years. The curriculum should be developed in the best way to provide children with opportunities to explore, recognise and accept that people are different. It is our differences that make this world a better place to live in,” Dr Fatima notes.

“Schools and universities play a major role in teaching tolerance; education can be a powerful tool to instil the values of tolerance from an early age.”

The year ahead

Just one month into the year, schools are already jumping on board to support the Year of Tolerance. Brighton College will host Global Awareness Day on 7th February. Sorbonne Abu Dhabi is set to host the Argumentation and Society conference on 12th and 13th February. At Aspen Heights British School, the Year of Tolerance will be celebrated through various programmes including Moral Education and My Identity.

For Simon, the Year of Tolerance is simply a platform: “Tolerance does not just exist for a year because that is what we are focusing on. What really counts is whether we are embedding tolerance in all that we do, and are becoming better human beings because of it, not for one year but for every year.”