AURAK Celebrates Tolerance

In support of the United Nation’s initiative of promoting worldwide tolerance with The International Day for Tolerance, and in celebration of its unique, multicultural atmosphere, the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) has christened a new multi-faith room welcoming all AURAK students, faculty, and staff the freedom to practice their religious customs.

The International Day for Tolerance is an annual on November 16th declared by in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of . In order to accommodate the vast number of cultures hosted at AURAK, celebrate cultural differences, promote awareness of different religious traditions, and encourage tolerance, the University has opened a multi-faith room in Building B to accommodate all AURAK members in their endeavor to worship. The room is outfitted with multiple chairs and a comfortable rug for prayer. There are plans to furnish the room with bookshelves for traditional religious literatures, serene wall art, and half-curtains to provide occupants with peace and privacy for their devotions. The room will be available to host anything from individual prayers, religious group meetings such as Qur’anic or bible studies, daytime vigils, meditation, to friendly discourse concerning religious backgrounds.

AURAK President, Professor Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success and Provost, Professor Stephen Wilhite, toured the multi-faith room upon its opening. The President was delighted with the many blessings the room holds for the students, “Intolerance harbors prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, hindering progress. Students need to be aware of different cultures and their traditions, and learn how to respect them if they are to successfully operate in a global society. In this act of religious tolerance, not only are we fostering religious freedom, but we are also facilitating the development of tolerance for cultural differences within our students.”