The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the World Forum on the Alliance of Civilizations organized on December 6 and 7, 2024 by the Euromed University of Fez (UEMF), in Morocco, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him. The Forum, held under the theme “Rebuilding trust for a united and plural world”, brought together senior officials, intellectuals, academics and religious leaders from several countries.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director -General, took part in the first plenary session of the Forum on the theme “Towards an alliance for peace through trust: paths towards building peaceful, cohesive and just societies through the advancement of interreligious, intercultural and intercivilizational dialogue.” Dr. Benarafa spoke of the need to rebuild global trust, and the importance of international cooperation in tackling the global challenges that threaten world peace.

He explained that, in order to restore trust in international relations, it was necessary to draw inspiration from the “therapeutic alliance” model in the field of health, so as to remedy global imbalances. This model itself, he pointed out, is based on transparency, solidarity and mutual trust, and involves a genuine commitment on the part of countries to cooperate on global issues such as climate change, peacebuilding, social justice and respect for human and humanitarian rights.

Dr. Benarafa also underscored ICESCO’s initiatives and programs dedicated to promoting peace. These include declaring April 1st as the International Day of Mercy on April 21 each year, the Young Ambassadors for Peace program, the publication of the first Encyclopedia on Deconstructing Extremist Discourse in cooperation with the Mohammadia League of Scholars, and the launch of the Peace 360° initiative.

Additionally, Dr. Mohammed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, participated in the third session of the Forum titled: “Transparency, accountability and trust: the foundations of sustainable global governance”. Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, participated in the fourth session: “Preventive diplomacy and international cooperation through trust: towards a more secure world”.

The Forum was marked by the official inauguration of the Alliance of Civilizations Chair, chaired by Dr. Abdelhak Azzouzi, as well as the presentation of the Mediterranean Awards, which recognize outstanding productions in the field of peace, development and innovation.