The meeting which coincided with the fifteenth anniversary of UNAOC focused on the theme of "Shaping a Better World: Building Cohesive and Inclusive Societies in a Challenging COVID-19 Environment".

As the Minister indicated, the Kingdom of Morocco is a founding member of the Alliance of Civilizations. Under the leadership of His Majesty the King, May God Assist Him, Morocco has always adhered to the values and principles of the Alliance in addition to sharing the ideals it promotes.

As such, he underlined that “diversity is an identity”, “coexistence is a way of life” while “the values of openness, moderation, tolerance and mutual understanding” are principles enshrined in the constitution.

The Minister stressed that the Alliance has continued to demonstrate its importance since its inception. Its relevance stems in particular from the fact that it is not defined in opposition to a common enemy, but in favor of a shared ideal. "It does not pit us against each other, it brings us together," he said, recalling the particular context of the pandemic which accentuated the common awareness of a shared destiny.

The Minister also quoted the Message from His Majesty King Mohammed VI, May God assist Him on the occasion of His Holiness Pope Francis' visit to Morocco: "Radicalism, whether religious or not, is due to failure to know one another, the ignorance of the other, simply ignorance. "Co-knowledge" is a negation of all forms of radicalism. And it is this co-knowledge that will allow us to meet the challenges of our tormented present ".

The correctness of the plea in favor of a shared knowledge and the fight against radicalism takes on a particular resonance in the context of the current health crisis: “Two answers are to be sought for tormented times like the ones we are living through. Finding a safe, effective and accessible vaccine is one of them. Thinking about long-term solutions to deal with the ills of our societies is certainly another”.

Indeed, as the Minister affirmed, if the world will eventually overcome the pandemic, there will remain a challenge to be taken up: that of building inclusive and cohesive societies, that of multilateralism of action, centered on 'human and results-oriented. Stressing that "moments of uncertainty" require "noble actions", the Minister affirmed that it is precisely in these moments that the need of the Alliance was the most pressing and that Morocco "responds and will respond. present”.

“I am convinced that difficulty should not be an obstacle. It must be a challenge, which invites us to think, work and act together,” concluded the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.