Abu Dhabi Guidelines on Teaching Interfaith Tolerance

Education is the most effective means of preventing intolerance. The United Nations reports that half of the world’s population is under the age of 30, the largest youth demographic in history. At the same time, people from different religions, ethnicities and cultures are inter-mixing as never before, which requires new approaches for teaching interfaith tolerance in the classroom. Evidence shows that respect for religious freedom and pluralism correlates with stable societies, respect for human rights, economic growth, resilient communities, and a reduction in conflict and violent extremism.

In February 2019, The United States and the United Arab Emirates convened The First Regional Conference of the 2018 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom on Interfaith Tolerance Education to Combat Extremism.

The conference brought together experts, senior government officials, and civil society organizations and religious leaders from different cultures and religions around the world to share their experiences, challenges and provide practical recommendations.

As an outcome of the conference, the Abu Dhabi Guidelines on Teaching Interfaith Tolerance were developed to reflect the discussions at the conference and provide recommendations for governments and civil society organizations as areas to consider when teaching interfaith tolerance education to develop better global citizens.

Abu Dhabi Guidelines on Teaching Interfaith Tolerance