Coming to terms with Islam and the traditions here in the UAE makes one more aware of one's own roots. I am sure that the Emirates are misrepresented in the German media. I am happy to be able to be active here in the German evangelical church as a board member for communication and to be able to make my contribution to living together, for more understanding and tolerance for different cultures and religions. In December 2017, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the UAE Prime Minister and Emir of Dubai, had posted on Twitter that "Love and tolerance are bridges that create communication. They are a universal language that connects humanity across languages, religions and cultures." These values are also the foundation of the UAE. UAE Constituition
Article 14
Equality, social justice, ensuring safety and security andequality of opportunity for all citizens shall be the pillars of theSociety . Co-operation and mutual mercy shall be a firm bond between them.
Article 25
All persons are equal before the law, without distinction between citizens of the Union in regard to race, nationality, religious belief or social status.
Article 32
Freedom to exercise religious worship shall be guaranteed in accordance with established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public policy or violate public morals.
Much of the Bible is set in the life and faith of the desert region. The desert teaches humility.
I like the words of Charles de Foucauld. He recognised that the hostility that Christians and Muslims often have towards each other is also the result of countless prejudices: "I am not here to convert, but to understand".
And:
"The moon stands in the middle of a cloudless sky and spreads mild light. The air is tepid and unmoved by a breath of wind. In the deep silence I remember my first camp in the Sahara. In the intensity of such nights, one understands the Arabs' belief in a mysterious night when all nature bows down to worship its Creator." Charles de Foucauld, 1858-1916 Greetings from Johannes Roth, priest of the German evangelical church:
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