Nahyan bin Mubarak opens conference of Religious Diplomacy

The conference welcomed a line-up of academics, clerics, diplomats and foreign affairs experts from around the world to discuss the importance of religious diplomacy and interfaith dialogue as a diplomatic tool for spreading peace, promoting tolerance, and influencing foreign state policies.

The unique forum focused on three interconnected aspects of religious diplomacy, namely its role in defusing conflict by identifying the actors involved in the promotion of interreligious dialogue and interculturality. It also sheds light on religious diplomacy as a more impactful alternative to classical diplomacy in defining methods of action and objectives, as well as its role as a powerful force for shaping foreign policies.

During the opening session, Sheikh Nahyan said, "In the United Arab Emirates, we have always strived to serve as a catalyst for peace, tolerance, understanding, and stability in the world. We are aware of the considerable common ground among tenets of different faiths. We believe that uniting people of differing faiths, finding common ground among those who come from different cultural traditions, harnessing the core values that are common to all religions – these principles should lead people everywhere to work together for a world of mutual understanding, a world of tolerance, empathy, and justice – a world without extremism, violence, and hate – a world of peace, prosperity, safety, and a better future for all human beings."