The UAE on Tuesday said it was committed to protecting the rights of minorities, as officials from the country and India joined a groundbreaking ceremony for the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.
“This groundbreaking is a significant milestone that reflects the UAE’s commitment to tolerance, coexistence, and openness to all religions and cultures,” said Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance.
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The temple, which is being built with the support of Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will be located in the emirate’s capital. It will serve the Hindu community in the UAE, which is estimated to be around 2.5 million people.
The temple will be open to people of all faiths and nationalities and will offer a place for Hindus to worship and practise their religion freely.
“This temple will stand as a beacon of tolerance, representing the true values of Islam,” said Sheikh Nahyan.
“It will send a strong message to the world that the UAE is a land of tolerance and coexistence.”
The temple is being built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a spiritual and humanitarian organisation based in India.
The Indian ambassador, Sunjay Sudhir , who was also present at the groundbreaking ceremony, said the temple would “further reinforce people-to-people ties” between India and the UAE.
“This is a momentous occasion not just for the Hindu community in the UAE but also for India-UAE relations,” he said.
The first marble pillar of the planned Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi was recently set in place during a ceremony that was attended by top UAE officials, marking an important development in the stone temple’s construction.
The pillar of the temple was erected in front of the three Emirati officials, as seen in photos posted by the BAPS Hindu Mandir. In the pictures, bricks for building the mandir can also be seen being carried by the officials.
The team building the magnificent temple also interacted with the ambassador, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi; and Dr. Tayeb A Kamali, Director General for Education and Training Development at the Ministry of Interior.
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