ABU DHABI (WAM)
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, inaugurated the GNRC Sixth Forum today in Abu Dhabi.
Organised by Arigatou International and hosted by the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities, the event brought together religious leaders, intellectuals, and experts to address pressing global issues affecting children.
These include violence, abuse, poverty, famine, climate change, conflicts, extortion, exploitation, and human trafficking.
The forum aims to find sustainable solutions to these risks while raising societal and policymaker awareness about the urgency of protecting children from unprecedented challenges.
The selection of the UAE as the host for this international forum reflects its exceptional role in supporting global efforts to promote peace, tolerance, and coexistence.
The UAE's distinguished record and reputation in international forums further underscore its commitment to these values.
In his keynote address, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak warmly welcomed participants, attendees, and guests from within the UAE and abroad.
He extended his gratitude to H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, for his unwavering support of initiatives aimed at preserving human dignity and building a brighter future for all.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak emphasised that the discussions at the forum serve as a catalyst for creative thinking about enhancing interfaith collaboration to create a hopeful future for children.
He reiterated the UAE’s shared commitment to the welfare and well-being of children, a principle deeply rooted in the nation's ethos.
He highlighted the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who emphasised the responsibility of preparing children for the future.
Building on this foundation, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has prioritised the safety and well-being of children.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak noted that under this wise leadership, the UAE integrates its focus on youth development and education with meticulous attention to their health, happiness, and opportunities for success.
He also acknowledged the significant contributions of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), and Mother of the Nation.
Known as the "Mother of the Emirates," she has consistently championed efforts to empower and protect children, recognising that investing in youth strengthens the fabric of society.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak reiterated the UAE's unwavering commitment to the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Over the 35 years since its adoption, significant progress has been made in reducing child mortality and improving access to education, healthcare, and quality of life.
However, challenges persist, including the unnecessary deaths of millions of young children and the deprivation of education for countless boys and girls.
These issues, he stressed, represent a moral imperative that drives the forum’s mission to foster dialogue and innovation for solutions.
Concluding his address, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak affirmed the transformative potential of interfaith dialogue and collaboration in creating a hopeful world for children.
He stressed that by uniting efforts and leveraging human creativity, a peaceful and prosperous future is attainable for all.
Meetings like this forum, he added, demonstrate the power of interfaith cooperation to promote equality, world peace, and collective well-being.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak explained “It takes a village to raise a child.”
At this forum, you declare that the interfaith community is one such village, focused on building partnerships with colleagues in the region and around the world to promote attitudes and actions that help secure a safe and better future for our children.
The inhabitants of this village are motivated to do the work necessary to ensure that all children in the world enjoy their full rights on an equal footing with their peers.
He also emphasised in his speech that the presence of such a group of distinguished participants from many countries in this forum proves that the well-being of children is a global concern.
"Let us pledge to give all children around the world the strength to express their aspirations and realise their potential. Let us pledge to give all children around the world a healthy life and a sound education. We have all lived here to adulthood and benefited from proper nutrition, health care and education “along the way. We have cherished the aspirations that we have been able to express and realise in our active and productive lives.”
He said that humanity has no right to deprive millions of children of the possibility of living such a life.
“On the contrary, we have an obligation to make such a life possible. You are addressing this obligation in this global forum. Your actions will enable more neglected children in the world to participate in achieving a better future.”
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak expressed his admiration for the sincerity, efforts and diligence of the organisers of this forum in helping severely ill, malnourished, and uneducated children.
He reiterated the commitment and readiness of the United Arab Emirates to join these initiatives and constructive efforts for the good of humanity and mankind, wishing His Excellency success and prosperity for the work of this forum in achieving its lofty goals.
The GNRC Sixth Forum aims, through discussions held over three days under the title "The Call of Childhood: Interfaith Cooperation to Build a World Full of Hope for Children," to convey the calls and aspirations of children in their basic rights and to enhance international, cross-border collaborative action for greater protection for future generations.
The launch of this international forum was preceded by a preparatory conference for more than 100 children from around the world, hosted in cooperation with the Motherhood and Childhood Council of the United Arab Emirates, with the aim of creating a space for children participating in the GNRC Sixth Forum to gather and prepare for their active and meaningful participation during the forum, and to ensure that they are well prepared to participate in the discussions and activities.
This preparatory forum also aimed to encourage the continued contributions of children to follow-up initiatives, enhance the importance of their voices in shaping future actions in their countries and communities, provide them with the opportunity to communicate with each other and learn through intercultural, interreligious, and intergenerational encounters, exchange experiences about their experiences and local actions for children’s rights and well-being, explore the themes and sub-themes of the forum in light of their own perspectives and the views of the groups they represent, in addition to developing key messages and preparing to deliver them during the GNRC Sixth Forum.
During the day of the GNRC Sixth Forum, discussion sessions were held with the attendance of global religious leaders, specialists from the United Nations, and international experts on promoting intergenerational dialogue and interfaith cooperation, and assessing the progress made since the 5th Forum of the Global Network of Religions in 2017, and the extent to which the initiatives launched have achieved their humanitarian goals.
The discussions of the first day also focused on issues related to building a safe world for children, such as the topic of child dignity in the digital world, the pivotal role of families and cooperative communities, and ways to enhance psychological resilience and mental health in the face of global shocks, crises, and emerging epidemics.