National Coexistence Survey Takes Off with Commencement of Fieldwork

In partnership with the Ministry of Tolerance, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) announced the start of fieldwork for the National Coexistence survey.

“In the United Arab Emirates, we believe that the values of tolerance and human kinship are a translation of Islam’s true teachings that assure the equality of all people. These high values reflect the wisdom and foresights of the country’s leaders, starting with the founding father the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Tolerance and inclusiveness are part of our timeless legacy and represent our eagerness to provide freedom and a decent life for all people,” said H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance.

“To achieve the highest level of tolerance and human kinship it is necessary for us to collect and analyse data and statistics, and undertake studies and research to measure how far we have travelled in this field. We need to create tools to measure and compare information and to use the findings as a base for dialogue about our plans and strategies,” H.E added.

“We are delighted to launch the National Coexistence Survey as an essential initiative and a tangible outcome of the partnership between the Ministry of Tolerance, FCSA and local statistics centres in the country. This survey will help to establish how successful society is in embracing the values of tolerance and harmonious coexistence and will define the demands and initiatives needed to be implemented to ensure continued accomplishment in this vital area,” H.E said.

“I call upon everyone who participates in this survey to make it as successful as possible and to collaborate with the team that will be responsible for collecting data and statistics. I look forward to celebrating the results of the survey and to understand its meanings, as this will lead to an honest dialogue about the ongoing prosperous journey of the UAE. I encourage every national and resident in the nation to cooperate with the survey teams and help position the UAE as a global capital for tolerance and human kinship.”

The National Coexistence Survey relies on eight main pillars for its methodology, namely: coexistence in society, tolerance towards women, tolerance towards children, education and cultural tolerance, media tolerance, religious tolerance, institutional tolerance and coexistence in society with people of determination.

H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, stressed that the United Arab Emirates has worked hard since its statehood to make its government and people an example of tolerance and coexistence. He also assured that coexistence is an intrinsic value and a basic feature in the social fabric of the country.

“The National Coexistence Survey is the first nationwide social project to develop and formulate these values and build upon them to ensure their sustainability in the future. The survey aims to measure the coexistence indicators and covers various aspects that include building comprehensive national measures, evaluating the current level of coexistence in the country, analysing the data to define improvement priorities, raising awareness of coexistence on a national level and monitoring current behaviour in the country,” Lootah added.

“The survey targets a wide range of UAE society, including 10,000 nationals, residents and tourists. The targeted categories vary from families, individuals, teachers, university students, workers, people of determination, as well as includes tourists and visitors across the seven emirates,” he concluded.

Abdullah Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi (SCAD), affirmed that UAE’s society is distinguished by its intellectual and cultural diversity, based on tolerance, peace, and rejection of hatred and characterised by the values of love and acceptance which were planted by the late founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He also assured that the National Coexistence Survey measures the level of awareness of these values and targets a large segment of nationals, expatriate residents and tourists of different ages. He indicated that the survey is a reflection of the reality of the multicultural society in the UAE and that it would give decision-makers a clear picture of coexistence in the country, which will help strengthen efforts to enhance the country’s pioneering position in respect of tolerance.

H.E Aref Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the DSC, indicated the importance of this survey, saying: “The National Coexistence Survey is a confirmation of the efforts made by the UAE to empower its position as the global capital of tolerance, which began to take shape and bear fruit as of 2015 with the issuance of the United Arab Emirates anti-discrimination law. This was followed by establishing 2019 as the Year for Tolerance – a concept that embodies the values ​​and principles of the UAE’s society, which is defined by pluralism and diversity in an atmosphere of peace and mutual respect. The importance of this survey is that it targets different groups in society, which  reflects its precision and accuracy.”

Sheikh Muhammad bin Humaid Al-Qasimi director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development, said: “The Survey is a culmination of the year of tolerance and a precise measurement of the spirit of cohesion, tolerance and coexistence in Emirati society. The importance of the survey is represented by the wide and diverse targeted groups, which reflects the reality, leads to accurate outputs and helps decision-makers build on policies with confidence.”

For her part, H.E. Dr Hajar Saeed Al Hubaishi, Executive Director of Ajman Statistics and Competitiveness Centre, said: “The National Coexistence Survey represents a true measure of the values of tolerance and multiculturalism in the country. The cooperation of the target segment of this survey is an essential factor in its success and achieving its desired goal, which clearly and accurately shows the extent of human coexistence in Emirati society, whose culture has been built since the establishment of the UAE by the founding fathers on the principle of mutual respect and acceptance of each other’s culture, and on love, tolerance and coexistence between the various components of society.”

H.E. Hamid Rashid Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council in Umm Al Quwain, stressed that the National Coexistence Survey that will represent a true picture of the mosaic of society in the nation; which embraces more than 200 nationalities from various cultures, ethnicities and religions from around the world. They enjoy peace and security and protected by law that guarantees their rights and preserves their freedoms.”

Targeting multiple segments and age groups across all society, makes the survey findings more comprehensive and accurate and reflects a true picture of the nature of coexistence and tolerance in the nation”.

From her side, Najwa Yaqoub, Executive Director of the Ras Al Khaimah Centre for Statistics and Studies said: “The National Coexistence Survey is the first national field survey for tolerance and coexistence in all the Emirates and its outputs reflects of the reality of Emirati society by measuring the levels of coexistence in the UAE society of citizens, residents and visitors. It targets most segments of society across many groups, such as students, teachers, workers, and visitors to the country. The survey represents the dedication of the prudent government and its efforts to make the UAE a global benchmark for values of tolerance, love and peace.”

Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of Fujairah Statistics Centre, also highlighted the significance of the survey, saying: “The UAE is a global model for tolerance and dialogue between cultures and civilizations, as it embraces more than 200 nationalities. The National Coexistence Survey comes to measure accurately the interaction and communication between different cultures in Emirati society and the community response with this important survey is a major factor for its success. The survey will both benefit the UAE ‘s vibrant and diverse community from its output as well as enhance the UAE’s position as the global capital of tolerance.”

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