For all of those who scoff at me for celebrating Christmas in Dubai, have you forgotten about all the religious tolerance that is practiced in the United Arab Emirates?
On Dec. 18, in Jebel Ali, there was a huge gathering of people for St. Mary's Church's mass. The pictures prove once again that Dubai is all about tolerance and coexistence.
While many people might believe otherwise, during the holiday season, Christian faith is visible even in predominantly Muslim countries, like the UAE.
But this isn't to say that Christmas is the only time when religious tolerance can be witnessed in the emirates.
Earlier this year, Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi was appointed as the UAE's Minister of State for Tolerance, a first for the world.
Shaikha Lubna was also the one responsible for inviting Pope Francis to visit the UAE earlier this year. The global leader of the Roman Catholic Church happily agreed to a visit, which will happen once the best dates are agreed upon.
In addition to a Minister of Tolerance, an International Tolerance Day was declared to take place annually on Nov. 16. Additionally in June, the UAE launched a national program for tolerance, which is a key part of the UAE Vision 2021.
Besides the UAE's leaders expressing tolerance, 95 percent of expats have said that they have freedom of religious expression in a survey conducted by the country's Community Development Authority.
So, the next time you start to ask someone about whether people in Dubai celebrate Christmas, we implore you to reconsider. Remember what Christmas is: people coming together to love and share happiness.
After all, wouldn't a country that created a ministry of happiness know a thing or two about that?