Moroccan Monarchy’s values of coexistence, tolerance highlighted before UN

Morocco’s permanent representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, highlighted, on the occasion of a high-level meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, the courageous and heroic act of the late King Mohammed V, through the protection provided to Moroccans of Jewish confession, during the Second World War, against the brutal and barbaric Nazi regime of Vichy.

The meeting, which took place last week, has been boosted by the participation of Douglas Emhoff, husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. Special Envoy for Combating Anti-Semitism, Ted Deutch, Chairman of the American Jewish Committee and Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary General for Global Communications of the United Nations.

The U.S. invitation to Morocco to co-host this event on globalizing international efforts to combat anti-Semitism is a token of recognition and appreciation of the Kingdom’s efforts and commitment, in accordance with King Mohammed VI’s high guidelines to combat all forms of discrimination and hatred, including anti-Semitism.

In his address, Hilale highlighted the commitment of Commander of the Faithful, King Mohammed VI, to preserve the heritage of his Glorious ancestors by promoting coexistence between Moroccans of Muslim and Jewish confession, adding that under the Sovereign’s enlightened leadership, Morocco has succeeded in strengthening its role as a world leader in promoting cultural, religious and civilizational respect.

The ambassador also highlighted the spirit of brotherhood between Muslim and Jewish Moroccans, advocated by the late Hassan II, which has strengthened Morocco’s contributions and commitment to respect cultural and religious diversity.

The diplomat further highlighted the Kingdom’s vision in education to counter anti-Semitism, recalling the high-level event on “the power of education: the case of anti-Semitism”, organized by UNESCO in September 2018, during which King Mohammed VI had stressed that “racism in general and anti-Semitism in particular are not opinions at all”. Anti-Semitism is the antonym of freedom of expression. It manifests the negation of the Other and constitutes the admission of a failure, of an inadequacy, of an inability to coexist. It is an anachronistic return to a mythologized past”.

Hilale also highlighted Morocco’s efforts to raise awareness among future generations, stressing the reform of the educational system, which integrates Moroccan Jewish history and culture into primary and secondary school curricula, noting that the Kingdom has voluntarily chosen to rely on pedagogy and education to resist the tragic illusions of Holocaust denial and fight hatred in the land of Islam.

Moreover, he affirmed, Morocco remains committed to safeguarding the Kingdom’s Hebrew heritage, in accordance with the 2011 Constitution, which recognizes that the unity of the Kingdom “has been nurtured and enriched by its African, Andalusian, Hebrew and Mediterranean tributaries.”

The inauguration by the King of “Bayt Dakira” in Essaouira and the rehabilitation of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues at high royal instructions, reflect Morocco’s will to perpetuate its Hebrew memory, said the ambassador, stressing that the Kingdom’s action in favor of the fight against incitement to hatred and the promotion of intercultural and religious tolerance, recognized worldwide, earned Morocco the hosting, last November in Fez, of the 9th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.

Morocco matches words with deeds, Hilale said, recalling that the Kingdom initiated UN General Assembly resolution 73/328, the first of its kind on combating incitement to hatred, adopted in 2019. Morocco also pushed for resolution 75/309, by which the UN General Assembly proclaimed June 18 International Day against Hate Speech, he said.