RIYADH: On the occasion of International Day for Tolerance, the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue on Wednesday hosted the Tolerance Convention 2022 in Riyadh.
The event was attended by Abdullah Al-Fawzan, secretary-general of KACND, and Mashael Al-Mubarak, general director of volunteering at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
Al-Fawzan stressed the role of philosophy in the social sciences and how a person can engage, influence and be affected by their environment, emphasizing the tolerant values that are necessary for people to coexist peacefully.
He noted that the unification of Saudi Arabia was based on the importance of tolerance and giving. These values were adopted by King Abdulaziz, Al-Fawzan said, adding that the ruler overcame feuds to establish the country and unify the Saudi statelets, tribes and families under a single strong umbrella from which pride and ideology derive.
The secretary-general shed light on tolerance within the Saudi Vision 2030 program and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s role in opening the Kingdom to the world. The Human Capability Development and Quality of Life programs are important for promoting tolerance for all members of society, he added.
Al-Fawzan stressed KACND’s efforts in consolidating Islamic values and principles through organizing strategic programs represented by the tolerance index and social studies, dialogue sessions and the Naseej program, as well as dual dialogue, dialogue exhibition and training programs that have involved 20 training schemes to promote tolerance in 13 regions, benefiting 1,753 men and women from the nonprofit and government sectors, including education institutions.
In a paper titled “Soft Force and its role in promoting tolerance,” Al-Mubarak clarified the role of tolerance in voluntary work and the study of the International Association for Volunteer Effort on the impact of volunteering in humanitarianism, and its impact on the evolution of the youth’s sense of charity and acquisition of skills.
She reviewed the most notable initiatives and humanitarian positions on voluntary work, as well as the recent achievements and social effects of a range of programs.
Al-Mubarak noted the role of voluntary work in disseminating and promoting tolerance, adding that volunteering is a symbol of social solidarity between all groups of society, and that it promotes the importance of a humanitarian sense among the youth.
