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The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, and the United Arab Emirates Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, have signed a Cooperation Protocol aimed at strengthening global collaboration on peacebuilding, cultural exchange and social inclusion.
The agreement, signed during an AIM Congress 2026 event themed “World Governments as Incubators for Tolerance and Shared Growth,” is expected to promote dialogue between institutions and nations while advancing initiatives that encourage peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity.
The protocol was executed between the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence and the Royal Iwere Foundation, an initiative of the Olu of Warri, reflecting what both parties described as a shared commitment to building bridges across cultures and fostering mutual understanding.
Speaking at the event, the Olu of Warri delivered a guest lecture titled, “Tolerance as a Tool for Advancing Peace, Social Cohesion and Shared Prosperity: The Case of Africa,” in which he advocated greater investment in tolerance and inclusion as essential pillars for sustainable development.
The monarch said Africa possesses enormous potential to leverage tolerance, dialogue and unity to drive economic growth, strengthen social cohesion and promote lasting peace across the continent.
He said embracing diversity and mutual respect would not only reduce conflicts but also create an enabling environment for innovation, investment and shared prosperity among African nations.
“What sounds like a ceremony is governance. And once the house was stronger, we opened the field. Last month, we brought every tribe in the kingdom together for the Warri Unity Games.
“Football, paintball, tug of war, a march past, a full opening ceremony. Every major tribe competing, sweating, celebrating, and going home together.
“Many people from diverse tribal backgrounds, have come to call Warri home. The Itsekiri, the ljaw, the Urhobo, the Isoko, the Igbo, the Yoruba, the Hausa, the Bini, the Ilaje, and more. Each tribe carries its own history, its own pride, and its own memory of grievance with its neighbours.
“Some of those wounds were still open when I ascended the throne five years ago. I understood something from the very first day. You cannot build bridges with your neighbours while your own house is divided. So I began at home. Among my own Itsekiri communities, | introduced a ceremony called Ghigho Aghofen,
The event was attended by the UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, government officials and leaders of international institutions, including the Olori of Warri, Her Majesty Olori Atuwatse III, who joined the royal delegation.
