HM King Mohammed VI Says IOF Has Crucial Role To Play In Upholding Culture, Knowledge In Face Of Barbarism

PERSISMA, Dakar, Nov. 30, 2014 – HM King Mohammed VI underlined that the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) has a crucial role to play in upholding culture and knowledge in the face of barbarism, and to defend the values of openness, tolerance, freedom, diversity and sharing.

“Our Organization has a crucial role to play in upholding culture and knowledge in the face of barbarism, the sheer ignorance of the Words of the Almighty and the distortion of the Messages of Faith”, HM the King said in a message to the 15th Francophonie Summit, read out by Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar.

The Sovereign also called for unfailing solidarity with the countries of the Sahel, which are suffering from the scourge of blind transnational terrorism and insecurity.

For HM the King, “it is during testing times such as these that it is important to remember the values of La Francophonie that we have in common, and to take whatever measures are needed to defend – together – our vision of society, which is based on openness, tolerance, freedom, diversity and sharing”.

“Within the world of La Francophonie, we are one large family committed to solidarity, in which everyone is expected to support and respect others, and be there for them”, the Monarch said, adding that “just as the French language has brought much to Africa and Asia, the populations of these two continents have actively contributed to the vibrancy and enrichment of French as a language”.

“Africa’s contribution today is making it possible for La Francophonie to develop and flourish, not in opposition to globalization, but through it”, the Sovereign said, noting that the “francophone space we share must be carefully nurtured as an outstanding asset in a world where economic and political integration is increasingly based on regional groupings where partners share the same set of values and affinities”.

For HM the King, la Francophonie is a real opportunity to mitigate the harshness of globalization and to foster tangible, sustainable change through cooperation.

In this this context, the Sovereign called on the Organization to keep up and reinforce its cultural and educational programs, reaffirming Morocco’s commitment in this regard.

“However, this will still be short of our objective unless these measures are backed up by the resources to be harnessed by our communities with a view to improving the living conditions of our populations”, HM the King said.

The Monarch also commended “with mixed feelings of emotion and gratitude” the work accomplished by Abdou Diouf at the helm of the Organization.

“Thanks to his wisdom and vast experience, he managed to promote the values of peace, tolerance and sharing. During his three terms of office, he paved the way for a more firmly established Francophonie, which is now confidently embraced”, the Sovereign said.

HM the King also commended the choice of this Summit’s theme “Women and Youth: Vectors of Peace and Actors in Development”, recalling that Morocco, as part of its resolute, humanist and universalist approach, has placed Moroccan youth and women at the heart of the overall development issue.