Rabat – The Swiss ambassador to Morocco Guillaume Scheurer has said Morocco is a unique model of coexistence, peace, and tolerance of cultures and religions.
“Muslims, Christians, and Jews have demonstrated a great capacity for tolerance and coexistence in Morocco” thanks to the high level of maturity of Moroccan people and institutions,” Guillaume said during an event at the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat.
The event – Inter-religious dialogue, a social priority for the twenty-first century – celebrated the centenary of the opening of the first consulate of Switzerland in Morocco, and was organized by the Hassan II Academy of Sciences and Technology and the Swiss embassy in Morocco.
The coexistence of the three Abrahamic religions in Morocco is a model for how humanity can live in harmony, Guillaume added, stressing that Switzerland and Morocco are proud of their diverse religious and cultural identities.
Abdeljalil Lahjmri, Permanent Secretary of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco, stressed the urgent need for interreligious dialogue in light of the social, economic, and environmental challenges the contemporary world faces.
Lahjmi pointed out that the dialogue focuses primarily on establishing a “culture of respect for diversity and plurality as a means of communication between individuals and societies”.
Lahjmi referred to a speech from King Mohammed VI in 2019 to f welcome Pope Francis to Morocco, where he highlighted the importance of developing and strengthening interreligious dialogue.
During Tuesday’s event, Founding Director of the Swiss Center for Islam and Society Hansjorg Schmid highlighted the advantages of dialogue in overcoming hatred and prejudices, strengthening relationships, and creating a social capital that contributes to achieving peace, friendship, and understanding.
Schmid addressed the challenges of dialogue by discussing ways to manage disputes while taking into account local experiences, calling for a socioeconomic and ethically oriented broadening of interreligious dialogue.
Morocco is a strong advocate for coexistence, tolerance, and interfaith dialogue, particularly between the three Abrahamic religions.
Bilateral relations between Morocco and Switzerland are amicable and wide-ranging. Their collaboration is growing stronger in economy, energy, and transportation.
Switzerland supports educational and technological initiatives in Morocco.
