Rabat – King Charles III has recently hosted Moroccan-British Hamza Taouzzale, who was elected as the Lord Mayor of Westminster City last year, making him the youngest person and first Muslim to assume the position.
The UK Government’s Arabic Spokesperson for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Rosie Dyas, shared photos on Twitter featuring the British Monarch and Taouzzle’s meeting.
“Do you remember Hamza Taouzzale of Moroccan origin whom I met in London after his inauguration as the first Muslim mayor of Westminster? He was recently received by King Charles III …” Dyas said.
She indicated that King Charles III received the 23-year-old British Moroccan mayor alongside 27 representatives of the “so-called distinguished bodies that helped develop societal diversity in the United Kingdom.”
Dyas added to her tweet the hashtag #International_Day_To_Combat_Islamophobia, commemorating the annual holiday, which was designated by the United Nations in 2022. It is commemorated on March 15 across the world.
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“The first International Day to Combat Islamophobia is a call for action to stamp out the poison of anti-Muslim hatred,” UN’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Tweeted on Wednesday.
The move is seen as an opportunity to raise awareness about the discrimination, hatred, and violence that Muslims face on the basis of their religion, as well as celebrate Muslims, such as Taouzzale, who managed to overcome these challenges and assume leading positions in countries where they represent a minority.
Born and raised in Westminster, a city in Inner London, Taouzzale holds a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from King’s College London. In May 2022, he became the “only incumbent from a Black, Asian or Multiple Ethnic background to hold the post as the City’s first citizen,” Westminster City Council said in a press release.
Upon his selection for the role, the Moroccan British lord mayor said: “This is a real honour and a privilege and a total surprise … This is a job that’s above politics, so you have to keep the office out of the day-to-day Council business otherwise it will lose its importance.”
