The Role Of Women In Fostering Values Of Coexistence
Her Excellency Afra Al Saabri, General Director of the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence asserted that in organizing this conference under its over-arching title, “The Role of Women in Fostering Values of Coexistence,” marking the Emirati Women’s Day, the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence holds high the generous patronage of this important conference by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and (Mother of the UAE). With its themed slogan, “An Outlook of Women’s Contributions into the Next Fifty Years,” the virtual event will be conducted through video conference and shall be held this Wednesday the 26th of August, 2020. There will be a distinguished presence of attendees and participants spanning the Pan-Arab and the International community, which re-emphasizes the importance placed on the role of Emirati women and the contributions made both locally and globally. A distinguished presence in the conference includes leading members from the UN body and UNESCO, prominent women from the Arabic peninsula as well as leading Emirati women. In three sub-themed sessions, deliberations by the distinguished participants shall reinforce the importance placed on women and their pivotal roles in society as ambassadors of tolerance, coexistence and human fraternity.
Al Saabri further clarified that His Excellency Sheikh NahayanMabarak Al Nahyan, Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, is keen to present the conference as a reflection of the Patron’s stature, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, and as a testament to the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence’s mission in the dissemination of human values in society. In line with Sheikh Nahayan’sdirections, preparations include a rich program which shall shine the light on the successes made by Emirati women in all fields and sectors. Amongst an array of distinguished guests, H.E. Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Director General, Government of Dubai Media Office& Vice President, UAE Gender Balance Council and Dr. Mai Al Jaber, Medical Director at Health Point Hospital, will both make an appearance representing Emirati women in their respective fields. They both have served their country with distinction and honor and continue to do so. Dr. Mai Al Jaber has dedicated her life to public healthcare and she leads by example as she personally continues the fight against the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic as a front-liner. Their stories as Emirati women will be shared with the audience and their contributions in shaping values of tolerance and coexistence will be the subject of conversation in communities and in households.
In her capacity as General Director of the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, Al Saabri calls upon all sectors and especially the various media organizations, to attend this important event, and to effectively cover and transmit the conference’s pertinent messages to Emirati, Arab and global audiences and communities in all major languages. Her Excellency affirmed that the conference shall be broadcast on all the Ministry’s social media platforms, and live on Youtube in both the Arabic and English languages. On the occasion of the Emirati Women’s Day, Al Saabri congratulates all Emirati women, from mothers nurturing a young family at home or students who are rising graduates, to women working in the field or those who occupy leading positions.
Al Saabri added that in line with the directions of His Excellency Sheikh NahayanMabarak Al Nahyan, the conference’s sessions shall be open for participation by all segments in society including the youth sector, present women leaders or promising pioneers in their respective fields. His Excellency was keen to ensuring that participation in the conference would also include a wide global audience represented by community women leaders and leadership stemming from the United Nations and globally acclaimed organizations. This diverse representation in the conference ensures that the knowledge exchange of global experiences and the discussions taking place between all delegates attending, shall impact positively the outcome of the conference, especially, when the Emirati experience is shared and how contributions made over the past 50 years complement the overall progress and success achieved globally for the benefit of humanity.
As for the conference’s slogan, “An Outlook of Women’s Contributions into the Next Fifty Years,” Al Saabri stated that topics slated for discussion shall explore and highlight women’s actual experiences and those which directly impacted positively the success
achieved in the development of the UAE, reaffirming the vision and mission of the “Mother of the UAE,” in the empowerment of women. In light of this pertinent subject, the conference shall feature and present to audiences the role of women and contributions made in all fields over the past 50 years, both on the local and international levels.
In addressing the conference’s program and its participating speakers, Al Saabri explained that the format includes three sessions. The first session titled, (Women and the Values of Coexistence and Tolerance in the Future), shall explore how values instilled in individuals and women (as mothers), foster integrity and preserve noble virtues in society. The significant role of the “Mother of the UAE” in the empowerment of women at the workplace and in society is an over-arching subject that will be explored during this first session. Speaking in this first session are, His Excellency Sheikh NahayanMabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Princess Lamia bin Majid Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropic Foundation, H.E. Irina Bokova, Former Director-General of UNESCO and President of the Academy for Cultural Diplomacy in Germany, H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Former President of the United Nations General Assembly and Baroness Floella Benjamin, DBE DL, OBE from the United Kingdom.
In highlighting the conference’s second session, Al Saabri explained that in line with its’ thematic title, (Emirati Women – Fifty years of Excellence and Continuous Achievements), delegates shall explore how empowering women as envisioned by the “Mother of the UAE,” has dispersed excellence in the field and in all sectors, both at the local and the international levels. This sustained success shall be the subject of discussion when delegates explore the possibilities of continuous progress into the next fifty years. In this session, H.E. HessaBuhumaid, U.A.E. Minister of Community Development, H.E. Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Director General of the General Women’s Union and Dr. Mai Al Jaber, Medical Director at Health Point Hospital and Board Member at Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, shall all appear as distinguished speakers and shall shed light on successful Emirati examples in women’s empowerment.
Her Excellency the General Director at the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence added that the third and final session of the conference shall focus on global examples of programs and initiatives that empower women to successfully build a positive future for the benefit of communities and societies everywhere. Appearing and participating in this
session are, H.E. Sara Al Amiri, U.A.E. Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, H.E. Mouna Ghanem Al Marri, Director General, Government of Dubai Media Office& Vice President, UAE Gender Balance Council, H.E. Jacqueline O’Neill, Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security in Canada, and H.E. Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Member of Parliament at the Mexican Congress.
