Moroccan Princess addresses UNESCO Conference
Moroccan Princess Lalla Salma, wife of King Mohammed VI, spoke in Paris at the 34th Session of UNESCO”s General Conference. She called for the international community to keep to the priorities of the organization by upholding the values of UNESCO. Her majesty stressed that the international community needs to strengthen the role of UNESCO in upholding inter-cultural and inter-religious coexistence between nations.
Princess Lalla Salma emphasized the cultural mission of UNESCO in its attempts to have international cooperation in education, culture and science in the wake of mounting isolation, materialism, among other factors which may lead to a clash of civilizations. Education is important to success in fighting ignorance, fanaticism and terrorism and preventing exploiting poverty and illiteracy, she emphasized. Princess Lalla Salma cautioned against using modern information and communication technology without safeguards. She says that such technologies can be used to expand knowledge and further progress or it can do the opposite and destroy minds.
Princess Lallah Salma addressed the issues of preserving historical, religious, and sacred monuments. She called for international support of UNESCO’s efforts to save them from being destroyed. The princess used examples of sites in Iraq and Palastine that are being obliterated by the current conflicts.
In recounting Morocco’s relationship with UNESCO, Princess Lalla Salma spoke of the more than fifty year secure relationship. She said that Morocco has been regularly chosen to be a board member and to chair the Executive Board. Morocco’s representative, Aziza Bennani, has been chosen to head the General Assembly of the member states at the Convention of Preservation of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
by Carole Morris
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December 27th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
[…] Mohammed VI sent a message to the Moroccan conference goers. In it, he reminded Moroccans everywhere to be good citizens of Morocco and their host […]