As part of the “Interviews for the Future” initiative, launched by the Strategic Foresight Center of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Organization hosted Mr. Andre Azoulay, Advisor to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco, at its headquarters in Rabat on Friday, 9 June 2023. During the event, Mr. Azoulay delivered a lecture emphasizing the factors necessary for shaping the future and the importance of preserving identity and educating the younger generation on the values of coexistence and acceptance of diversity as sources of strength, drawing on Morocco’s experience in this context.

The event, which saw the presence of high-level officials, ambassadors and academics, began with welcoming remarks by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), where he expressed his gratitude to Mr. Azoulay for accepting ICESCO’s invitation to address this critical issue, which holds special significance in the Organization’s forward-looking vision and strategic orientations.

Dr. AlMalik explained that this intiative aims to develop ideas that will shape our collective future by adopting a forward-looking perspective and equipping today’s youth with the essential skills required to successfully meet future challenges.

In his concluding remarks, the ICESCO DG reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to promoting a culture of lifelong learning, noting that the declaration of ICESCO’s Year of Youth represents a significant milestone in ICESCO’s transformative journey. He also highlighted the concept of “civilized diplomacy,” which represents a major area of interest for ICESCO as it underscores the mutual influence between strategy and civilization.

Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of ICESCO’s Strategic Foresight Center, provided an overview of Mr. Azoulay’s distinguished background, accomplishments and notable responsibilities. Mr. Azoulay then commenced his lecture by expressing his gratitude to ICESCO and its Director-General for providing him with the opportunity to share a set of ideas he has developed over his extensive career.

He underlined that we currently live in a time when nations are grappling with crises characterized by philosophical and moral decline, as well as personal and societal challenges, noting the diverse manifestations of extremism that have emerged. In this context, he pointed to the Kingdom of Morocco as a success story in the field of coexistence and cultural diversity, emphasizing the country’s flexibility and openness.

Furthermore, Mr. Azoulay stressed that pluralism and diversity are essential for achieving social modernity, highlighting Morocco’s commitment to promoting a dynamic approach that embraces all races, religions and civilizations.

Addressing civilized diplomacy, the Advisor to the emphasized the emergence of new concepts in recent years, which represent an evolution of traditional diplomacy, as a response to the world’s ongoing crises and tragedies, and underscored the importance of education in effectively addressing economic and social challenges.