The United Arab Emirates and UNESCO signed a Funds-in-Trust Project Agreement to implement a five-year project on “UAE -UNESCO Global Tolerance Leadership Programme to Foster Tolerance, Inclusion and Intercultural Dialogue”, on 31 March 2020.
With financial support of the United Arab Emirates amounting to USD 7.5 million, this partnership seeks to empower young leaders (25 to 40 years old) by reinforcing their skills, knowledge and capacities to design and implement effective actions aimed to promote tolerance, inclusion and dialogue for peace and development in their communities.
Using the UNESCO Master Class methodology against racism and discriminations, the Programme will each year convene 40 young leaders from around the world, selected for their experience with local leadership projects. They will undergo an intensive training on themes including rights-based and gender equality approaches, anti-racism and anti-discrimination strategies, intercultural competencies, conflict resolution and negotiation skills, storytelling, leadership and results-based programme management. Following the training, each young leader will receive a financial grant to design and implement a local project over a one-year period.
Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and Chair of the United Arab Emirates National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, and Jean-Yves Le Saux, Director of the Bureau of Strategic Planning of UNESCO, signed the Agreement together.
"This initiative aims to nurture intercultural dialogue through the identification of future leaders of tolerance and supporting their growth and championing their initiatives. Built on UNESCO's experience in combating racism and discrimination, combined with our commitment to tolerance, the Global Tolerance Leadership Programme will be a sustainable extension to support dedicated individuals from around the world, empower them, and facilitate their future endeavors in their communities,” said Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi during her visit at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in November 2019.
The first training will precede an Award Ceremony, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates on 16 November 2020, in celebration of the International Day of Tolerance. At this occasion, the young leaders will also present the local projects that they will implement in their communities.
See also