The UAE’s Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development will be spearheading a huge gathering for people of different faiths to come together and join hands in an event dubbed as the ‘UAE Peace Gathering’ to promote unity, tolerance and harmony amongst UAE’s residents.
Happening this February 1 at Abu Dhabi’s Umm Al Emarat Park from 6:30 pm onwards, the gathering will convey messages from H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, and H.E. Bishop Paul Hinder, OFM CAP., the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia.
This will be followed by a series of song numbers as well as other performances that will culminate with a screening of Pope Francis’ “A Man of His Word” as well as a collective performance of the community and the public to sing ‘Lean on Me’.
We are pleased to invite you to #UAEPeaceGathering @ummalemaratpark in celebration of tolerance, coexistence and world peace. The gathering will include an extensive program filled with musical performances and a Film Screening. pic.twitter.com/KV19Q92q2A
— وزارة الثقافة وتنمية المعرفة (@mckduae) January 30, 2019
In an earlier interview with ARN News, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development HE Noura Al Kaabi spoke about the UAE Peace Gathering as an event that ‘will gather communities from the UAE, whether they’re Muslims or Christians to celebrate that (Papal) visit’. Al Kaabi said that not only does the visit highlight the common values that the UAE residents share, it also brings forth the inner sense of unity and harmony among its citizens: “At the end of the day, maybe we are differentiated by religion yet we have in common the values that we share in peace and harmony.”
The Papal Visit marks 1st visit of a Pope to the MENA region. Themed ‘Make Me a Channel of Your Peace’, the visit is a positive response of the pontiff and the Vatican to the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the UAE.
In line with the UAE’s ‘Year of Tolerance’ the visit is part of the celebrations of the ‘International Interfaith Meeting on Human Fraternity’.
Pope Francis’ full itinerary in the UAE:
Sunday, February 3
1:00 PM – Departure by plane from Rome/Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10:00 PM – Arrival at the Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Official Welcome
Monday, February 4
12:00 PM – Welcome Ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi
12:20 PM – Official Visit to the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince in the Presidential Palace
5:00 PM – Private meeting with the members of the Muslim Council of Elders at Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6:10 PM – Inter-religious Meeting at the Founder’s Memorial
Discourse of the Holy Father
Tuesday, February 5
9:15 AM – Visit in private to the Cathedral
10:30 AM – Santa Messa in Zayed Sports City — Homily of the Holy Father
12:40 PM – Farewell Ceremony at the Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1:00 PM – Departure by plane to Rome
5:00 PM – Arrival at the Rome/Ciampino International Airport
