A mosque in the capital of the United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi was renamed on Wednesay to "Mariam Umm Eisa" – meaning mother of Jesus in Arabic. The move was aimed at promoting social connections between followers of different religions and strengthen the common characteristics between them, local media reported. The name of the mosque, previously known as "Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Mosque," was changed by order of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan to "consolidate bonds of humanity between followers of different religions". UAE's Minister of State for Tolerance Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi said the move reflected the Crown Prince's "pure humanity and portrays a bright image of the real tolerance and coexistence in the UAE." Qasimi explained that the mosque is located in a place that reflects values of tolerance and coexistence, as the area includes "many civilized places of worship." February last year, the UAE opened the Ministry of Tolerance to "promote tolerance as a fundamental value in UAE society," the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said. Senior chaplain Reverend Canon Thompson at nearby Anglican church St. Andrews said he was pleased with the renaming. "We are delighted that we are celebrating something that we have in common between both our faiths," he told Gulf News.
