ABU DHABI, 25th September, 2023 (WAM) – The UAE has strongly condemned the attacks on copies of the Holy Quran by extremists in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the Dutch government to take responsibility to stop these actions.
The Ministry emphasised the importance of monitoring hate speech that negatively impacts peace and security. Furthermore, the Ministry expressed its rejection of the use of freedom of expression as justification for such heinous acts.
The Ministry underscored the UAE's rejection of all practices aimed at undermining security and stability in contravention of human values and principles. The Ministry reaffirmed that hate speech and extremism contradict international efforts to spread the values of tolerance, coexistence and peace between peoples.
Furthermore, the Ministry stressed the need to respect religious symbols and avoid incitement and polarisation at a time when the international community needs to work together to reaffirm a commitment to upholding the universal principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. The Ministry emphasized that these principles should be promoted and implemented to achieve stability and sustainable development.
Moreover, the Ministry highlighted that during its speech at the United Nations General Assembly's 78th session, the UAE called for consolidating the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, as well as rejecting provocative practices that lead to chaos and discord. It emphasized the need to close policy gaps and develop integrated and effective strategies that guarantee human rights, and strengthen stability in communities.
The Ministry affirmed that hate speech and extremism are closely linked to the spread and escalation of conflict. The Security Council acknowledged this fact with its historic Resolution 2686 concerning tolerance, international peace and security last June, an important initiative in which the UAE played a prominent role.