A delegation including representatives from the Catholic, Anglican and Coptic churches met with counsellor Yousef Al Abri, under-secretary of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department at his office on Saturday.
The purpose of the meeting was to encourage dialogue between various religious groups in the emirate, based the Judicial Department’s aims to enhance the effectiveness of the judicial processes, ensure services are accessible to all segments of the society, achieve a fair justice system, and to establish a culture of tolerance and acceptance.
The delegation included Pastor Luke of the Catholic Church in the UAE and Oman, Bishop Bishoy of St Antony Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Abu Dhabi and Joseph Faragalla, Pastor at the Arabic Evangelical Church in Abu Dhabi.
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At the meeting, Salah Al Junaibi, director of institutional communication and international co-operation at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, said the department was working to implement the directives of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, as well as the chairman of the Department, to meet the needs of every section of the society in Abu Dhabi, which include judicial services, protecting the rights and freedoms of individuals, and the privacy of their various beliefs under the umbrella of the rule of law, reported state news agency Wam.
The church representatives said the provision of quality services to non-Muslims would fall within the natural framework of the society of the emirate, which enjoys the spirit of tolerance and the ability to live together under one roof, with respect for the law and human rights principles.
The delegation also commended the UAE’s leadership for establishing a successful society based on justice and the rule of law.