Answer:
His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has proclaimed the year 2019 to be the "The Year of Tolerance" in the UAE, highlighting the UAE as a global capital for tolerance, and emphasizing tolerance as a universal concept aimed at entrenching the values of tolerance, dialogue, coexistence and openness to different cultures.The Ghaf tree was chosen as a symbol of the Year of Tolerance because of the great significance that the tree bears as an indigenous tree. It is associated with popular and environmental heritage. It is a symbol of the stability of the desert and a witness to old customs. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has given the Ghaf tree a great importance and has issued laws and regulations prohibiting the cutting of the Ghaf tree throughout the state.