A “New Agenda” promoting multiculturalism was launched at the Scottish Parliament today during a visit by 39 female students from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The group are taking part in the fourth summer school training programme in multiculturalism and leadership organised by Dundee’s Al-Maktoum Institute.
Scottish Executive Ministers, Margaret Curran MSP and Tom McCabe MSP met them at the Parliament. Both have visited the Institute and Mrs Curran presented the first Al-Maktoum Awards for Multicultural Scotland last year.
Mr McCabe was in Dubai earlier this year and had talks during his stay with Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the Deputy Ruler.
The “New Agenda” is Shaikh Hamdan’s own vision of how he sees multiculturalism developing through greater education, constructive civilisational dialogue, mutual respect and shared goals and interests.
Part of this vision was the creation of the Al-Maktoum Institute in Dundee and the introduction of the summer schools, which bring groups of female students from the United Arab Emirates to Scotland.
Introducing the “New Agenda,” Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi, Principal of Al-Maktoum Institute said: “The development of multiculturalism is the only means to achieve peaceful co-existence and mutual respect between peoples, nations, religions and cultures.
“Shaikh Hamdan has asked me to work to encourage greater dialogue across cultures and peoples, to enhance greater understanding and appreciation between communities in particular between the Arab and Muslim worlds and the West.He wants the relationship between Scotland and Dubai to work as a practical example for global, cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.”
The main priority in Shaikh Hamdan’s “New Agenda” is to work to achieve the implementation of practical models to build bridges between peoples, nations, cultures and religions.
The creation of the Al-Maktoum Institute in Dundee is an example of his vision in action as it demonstrates how relationships have been built between Dubai and Scotland over the past five years. One of the most successful outcomes of the relationship was the introduction of direct daily flights by Emirates Airlines from Dubai to Glasgow in 2004.
Professor El-Awaisi said: “The Emirates flights act as a bridge between Scotland and Dubai and illustrate what Shaikh Hamdan means when he says that relationships must be mutually beneficial as both countries have gained as a result of the link being established.”
He added that the Al-Maktoum Institute would also be building on its network of academic links with 15 universities spread across Europe, South East Asia and the Middle East to educate the next generation of scholars, nationally and internationally, in the study of Islam and Muslims to enable them to face the challenges and opportunities of a diverse multicultural world in the 21st century.
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, Tom McCabe said, “I welcome these students to the Parliament as a valuable opportunity to build on the strong links which exist between Scotland and the United Arab Emirates.
This follows my visit to Dubai in April to open the new Heriot-Watt University, which provides the opportunity for foreign students to study British degrees in a world-class facility established by a Scottish institution. I hope that the students’ visit to Scotland proves a useful and interesting experience for them and also serves to promote multiculturalism and a shared understanding between our two nations.”
