In July 2019, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan chaired a meeting of the Supreme National Committee for the Year of Tolerance, attended by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and deputy chairman, to review progress in the first half of the year.
The committee reported that more than 1,400 initiatives and projects had been delivered during this period across the seven pillars of the Year of Tolerance, with government, private and media organisations all contributing. The community pillar accounted for the largest share — 687 initiatives — followed by education with 465 initiatives. Diplomatic missions abroad delivered more than 45 initiatives in their host countries.
The committee said legislation that embeds the values of tolerance and coexistence in society was a top priority, noting that the law for licensing places of worship in the UAE was in its final stage. The law sets out the requirements and standards for licensing places of worship — a tangible expression of tolerance on the country's soil — with the Ministry of Community Development tasked with issuing licences and regulating worship sites once it is announced.
His Highness also directed the Ministry of Education to design awareness programmes for school students around the Document on Human Fraternity ahead of the next academic year, along with training for teachers, given that the document sets out principles of peace, dialogue and rapprochement between peoples and cultures.