Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities to hold major religious conference

Scholars from around the globe to discuss fraternity, tolerance and co-existence

Pope Francis at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi for a public mass in 2019. It was the first visit by a pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula. EPA

The UAE is to host a major religious conference addressing fraternity, tolerance and co-existence.

The two-day event – Renewing Religious Discourse – is being organised by the Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities and will be staged on November 9 and 10, Abu Dhabi Media Office reported on Thursday.

Scholars and experts from around the globe will attend the academic conference to discuss renewing religious discourse, principles of moderation and equality, and promoting the values ​​of human fraternity, tolerance and co-existence, which the UAE adopts.

The rejection of violence and hatred is expected to among the conference themes.

Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities was established in 2020 and will offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in social studies, humanities and philosophy.

The conference, meanwhile, is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, and will be chaired by Islamic scholar Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah. The Mauritanian academic has served as head of the UAE's Fatwa Council and is also on the "supreme academic council" of the university.

The UAE has long embraced ideals of tolerance and many faiths are free to worship in the country.

Pope Francis made a historic visit to the UAE in 2019 – the first by a pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula – where he gave a public mass in Abu Dhabi for Catholic worshippers.