By IINA,
Abu Dhabi : The UAE will remain open to the world as a confluence of cultures, while holding on to its traditions and values of tolerance and coexistence, top officials told a conference on national identity. “Our commitment to the indigenous traditions which are embedded in Islamic and Arab values and traditions does not, in any way, mean that the UAE is parting with the values and constructive interactions with the modern world,” Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, said in his keynote speech at the conference titled “The National Identity … Prospects and Challenges”. Sheikh Mansour opened the conference on behalf of Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
“We endeavor to further consolidate integration between our national identity and our connection and belonging to our Arab and international character. The co-existence of a large number of nationalities, cultures and ethnicities does contribute to the process of building.
This has to be utilized to further enrich our national Emirati character through interaction which should preserve our established values and convictions,” Sheikh Mansour said. The conference is held in response to President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s call to make 2008 the UAE national identity year. Sheikh Mansour stressed that effective patriotism entails huge challenges that mandate a certain system of values and principles based on dedication to the homeland as well as making efforts to attain knowledge and achieve development.
Addressing the two-day conference, Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the UAE needs to interact positively with new international realities as “we can not and we don’t accept to live in an isolated island on the pretext of preserving our values and identity … On the contrary, we are proud of our national identity which maintains high profile at international scenes and we should boost this presence through positive interaction with the world.” Sheikh Abdullah said tolerance and openness of the UAE’s foreign policy have enhanced its specialty and helped turn the country into a model for an Arab, Muslim nation confident of its identity. “This policy has enabled the country to extend cultural, social and economic bridges with other nations. The peaceful co-existence prevailing among the diverse mix of Arab and foreign nationalities living and working in the UAE is one of the salient outcome of this policy,” he said.