A delegation of Aladdin Project, a cultural initiative of the UN's Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization that aims to combat Holocaust denial and promote intercultural dialogue, visited Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on a five-day trip last week.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Among those who welcomed the delegation were leaders, ministers, the heads of institutions and think tanks, and civic leaders working to promote intercultural relations and overcome hate and intolerance, according to Aladdin Project.
In Bahrain, the delegation was accompanied by the French Ambassador to the country, Jerome Cauchard, and received by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the royal palace.
King Hamad shared with the delegation a number of initiatives aimed at promoting tolerance, peace, and rapprochement among cultures, in particular through education and sports. He also gave his blessing for planned partnerships between the Aladdin Project and Bahraini institutions like the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence to that end.
The delegation also visited Bahrain's leading think-tank, Derasat, to discuss the situation in the region following the Abraham Accords.
Arriving in Abu Dhabi, the delegation was received by Tolerance and Coexistence Minister Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
In a meeting with the chairman of Abu Dhabi's Culture and Tourism Department, the sides agreed to develop joint projects to promote intercultural ties, with a focus on museums, universities, and sports clubs.
Topics discussed with the foreign minister ranged from the impact of the Abraham Accords and environmental threats to the importance of countering antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, and xenophobia, according to a press release.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
Bin Zayed said the UAE was using its influence to contribute to peace, stability, and progress in the region and expressed support for joint initiatives between the UAE and the Aladdin Project.
Xavier Chatel, the French UAE envoy, said the French government "supports the Aladdin Project at the highest level because this organization seeks to promote values that are important to France, namely respect for the other, tolerance, peace, and opposition to hate and extremism."
According to Aladdin Project President Dr. Leah Pisar, the meetings had a profound effect on the delegation and paved the way for a new level of partnership.
"Regardless of where we are from or what our religion or culture is, today we have a common enemy in the purveyors of 'weaponized hate,' who use social media and other means to attack, demean, and demonize the other," she said.
"We must all join forces to overcome this major threat to our societies, and we are heartened to find willing and enthusiastic partners in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates," she said.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
