HM the King Addresses Message to Members of Kingdom of Morocco Academy on Occasion of Opening of Academy 1st Session

Here follows the full text of the Royal Message, read out by Abdeljalil Lahjomri, permanent Secretary of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco.

« Praise be to God,

 May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

 Distinguished Members of the Academy,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is with a deep sense of pride that I am sending this message to you today, at this opening session of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco in its new format. This opening session is not just a continuation of past activity; rather I want it to be an exceptional stage in the life of this time-honored and prestigious national institution, which has a great reputation and influence.

As for continuation, it is symbolized by the perpetuation of the work done and the contributions made by this national academic institution, which was founded on an ambition to build a great civilizational edifice. This was successfully achieved thanks to well thought-out scientific, intellectual and cultural projects and programs implemented by renowned cultural figures, intellectuals, scientists and academics from all walks of life. By the grace of the Almighty, that goal was accomplished in the Academy’s previous stations of life, thereby attesting to the relevance and pertinence of those programs and activities.

With respect to the exceptional element, it is symbolized by the desire to give the Academy a fresh and stronger start, a higher purpose and greater engagement in planning, organization and influence. My ambition in this regard is second only to my firm belief in your competence and in your ability to rise to the challenge and achieve this goal.

Ladies and gentlemen,

You realize, I am sure, that our world today is witnessing profound transformations at all levels. Cultural and intellectual bonds, together with dialogue between civilizations, have become more firmly established, turning openness to the cultures of the world into a valuable asset and contributing to the knowledge society. Therefore, Morocco, a nation at the crossroads of civilizations and cultures, cannot but keep abreast of this trend, and play a key role in consolidating its foundations.

It is therefore no surprise that the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco should become the distinguished institution it is today. Established in 1977 by my revered father, His late Majesty King Hassan II – may he rest in peace – the Academy has become a beacon of cross-continental thought and research as well as a platform for honing intellectual, academic and scientific skills in all areas of the humanities and social sciences. It has contributed to developing and enriching research while highlighting the historical and cultural depth that the Kingdom of Morocco has acquired over the centuries.

To enable the Academy to discharge its lofty mission in the best possible way, I have sought, since 2015, to reactivate it and revisit its structure. The aim was to bring it in line with the goals and stipulations of the Kingdom’s Constitution, which seeks to preserve our national identity, with its Arab-Islamic, Berber and Sahrawi-Hassani components, as well as its African, Andalusian, Hebrew and Mediterranean ones. Another objective was to promote the Kingdom’s academic and cultural influence, and to contribute to the reflection on the problems and issues faced in today’s world.

I have therefore decided to breathe new life into the Academy and to give it strong impetus, based on a new vision, new structures and members. There will also be new programs and projects mostly relating to our identity, making sure we remain open to international cultural experiences that keep closely in touch with developments in today’s world.

As for the new organizational setup I should like your esteemed institution to have, and which seeks to promote rational management and help us make effective, influential contributions, it was announced in the Royal Decree issued in February 2021, whereby the « Royal Institute for Research in Morocco’s History » was affiliated with the Academy. Similarly, the “Higher Academic Institute for Translation”, the “Academic Art Institute” and the “Foundation of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco for Cultural Cooperation” have been created. The aim, through all these measures, is to rise to the challenges brought about by the knowledge society.

It is the responsibility of these institutions to take an interest in the knowledge relating to history and to revisit research methods concerning Morocco’s heritage. Special attention should also be devoted to translation and the arts, given their role in showcasing the contributions of Moroccan thought to contemporary knowledge.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Ever since it was given a fresh start, the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco has been keen to hold academic sessions which have made it a platform for the dissemination of cognitive, economic and geo-strategic thinking, including sessions on Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Mediterranean.

It has also continued to take special interest in preserving and promoting the Moroccan heritage and celebrating eminent Moroccan thinkers and intellectuals. The Academy set up the chair of African art and literature, the chair of Andalusian studies, and the chair of comparative literature to support the cognitive abilities of young people, within the framework of the project for doctoral students in Moroccan universities. I care about that project and take special interest in it because I believe there can be no progress without cultural revival and without academic institutions opening up to the young prodigies of the future. They are the human capital capable of embodying innovation and creative thinking – a process in which they would be contributors as well as beneficiaries, be it in the humanities, social sciences, languages, science, literature or the arts.

It is gratifying to see that the Academy has undertaken a restructuring process. That endeavor is designed to enable it to perform the lofty mission entrusted to it, enhance the Kingdom’s scientific, intellectual and cultural influence, and remain a platform as well as an institution for assembling eminent thinkers, scholars and scientists from all backgrounds, providing them with the opportunity to exchange views on various contemporary issues.

Considering the multiple dimensions involved in the work of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco, I have appointed new members – from among Moroccan citizens as well as foreigners – taking into account the diversity of backgrounds, complementarity in terms of specialization, and the breadth of knowledge and expertise.

I should like to welcome the new members and congratulate them on joining this prestigious institution. I am sure they will contribute to the Academy’s impact in the area of scholarship and knowledge dissemination, thereby enabling it to continue to discharge its development mission and its enlightening role in the best way possible.

In this regard, I should like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the honorary members for their efforts to further the Academy’s ultimate objectives, and for the contributions they have made through their scientific and scholarly work.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Contemporary societies are affected by rapid, intersecting social, cultural and economic transformations. They evolve through change, not stagnation. Therefore, promoting knowledge and harnessing science is what is actually at stake in order to achieve sound progress, the kind that enables you to safeguard the nation’s identity, protect it from risks and deviations, and endow societies with inspiring diversity and intellectual pluralism.

Needless to say, the progress of societies cannot be achieved without intellectual and cultural revival, and without an environment conducive to the production of knowledge. Bringing about that environment hinges on the extent to which societies contribute to cultural development.

By the grace of the Almighty, the Kingdom of Morocco boasts a rich and diverse cultural heritage – tangible as well as intangible. That heritage has enabled our country to feature high among the countries of the world in terms of the cultural landmarks registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

The Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco has carved out a special place for itself – domestically and abroad – over the three decades since its establishment, thanks to its contributions on the subject of values, which are one of the pillars of human life.

I therefore commend your choice of The Family and the Crisis of Values as the main topic for this session. It is an important and relevant subject given, in particular, the disruptions – even the loss sometimes – of frames of reference in the world. Hence the need for thorough reflection on this fundamental issue, and for a clearheaded scientific study of current transformations and their repercussions at all levels, especially on family cohesion and social solidarity.

It is a fact that addressing the question of values, together with their manifestations and underpinning factors, is one of the Academy’s lofty missions. This is because values play a crucial role in shaping the common principles of mankind by enhancing one’s identity, valuing cultural and linguistic diversity, and strengthening them through practice and creativity, as part of the nation’s intellectual life and openness to civilizations and cultures.

For this reason, the Kingdom of Morocco has been seeking to achieve a “civilizational partnership” that transcends differences and builds on close relations, interaction and understanding, while remaining open to scientific and intellectual developments, and committed to common human values and principles.

May God assist you, guide your steps and grant you every success.

Thank you.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh. »