Rabat – King Mohammed VI of Morocco has received the Jean Jaures Peace Award from the European Center for Peace and Conflict resolution.
The press release from the European Center announced the news on September 21, marking the International Day of Peace.
The European Center created the award to honor public figures who are making efforts to build and promote peace, including the values of coexistence, tolerance, among others.
The judges awarded the prize to King Mohammed VI for helping establish a “community of justice and peace between people and nations.”
The statement added that the monarch has “very laudable actions in favor promoting the development of Africa through its economic, security, humanitarian, cultural, and spiritual diplomacy.”
The center emphasized Morocco’s efforts to strengthen the values of “peace, harmony, and respect for cultural and religious diversity at the local, regional, and international levels.”
The European Center also cited Morocco’s decision to re-establish relations with Israel, describing the move as a “very great opportunity for the Maghreb and the Middle East to regain peace, stability, and regional security, which is lacking in the region.”
The press release also stated that the Moroccan government and Israel have reestablished full diplomatic relations and opened their airspace to each other.
Morocco and Israel re-established relations in December 2020.
The King also received applause for his dialogue initiative with Algeria.
“King Mohammed VI responded to Algeria’s hard and tense positions due to the military’s intervention in Algerian politics, extending the hand of peace.”
Amid the crisis with Algeria, King Mohammed VI repeatedly called on Algiers to engage in dialogue to avoid the stalemate between the two countries.
The King’s recent call occurred in July, during which he stressed the need for unity to overcome challenges facing the Maghreb region.
“I am not satisfied with the current state of our relations, for it does not serve our peoples’ interests, nor is it acceptable to a great many people,” the King said during his Throne Day speech.
Despite the King’s calls, Algeria decided to cut diplomatic relations with Morocco on August 24.
Algiers cited allegations, accusing Morocco of alleged involvement in the wildfires that erupted in the Kabylia region, and further accused that Morocco conspired with Israel to start the fires.
Morocco rejected the fallacious accusations, regretting Algeria’s decision to cut relations.
The North African country also emphasized its determination to continue to remain a credible and loyal partner for the Algerian people.
The prize awarded to the King honors Jean Jaures, a French thinker born in 1859. The intellectual was assassinated in 1914 in Paris for his positions in favor of peace.
This year, the jury of the prize received 761 nominations.
