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Morocco sets up foundation to help fight extremism

Xinhua, July 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Morocco announced the creation of a religious foundation Monday in order to counter extremism and promote religious moderation and tolerance in Africa.

Launched during a ceremony chaired by Moroccan King Mohammed VI in the presence of scholars from 29 African countries, the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulama (scholars) aspires to unify and coordinate the efforts of Muslim Ulamas (Muslim scholars), in Morocco as well as other African states, to disseminate and reinforce the values of tolerance in Islam.

Among its objectives is the taking of initiatives which allow the integration of the religious value of tolerance in every aspect upon which the development process in Africa depends, be it at the continental level or country-specific, and honoring the intellectual, scientific and cultural mores related to Islam.

With the creation of this foundation, which will be located in the capital Rabat and may have affiliates in other African countries, Morocco aims to consolidate its historical relations with several African states, fostering their development, in addition to working towards revitalizing the common Islamic cultural heritage, publicizing it, ensuring its dissemination, preservation and protection.

Moroccan Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, said as he addressed the launching ceremony, that this initiative comes in response to numerous requests from African countries to have their Imams and scholars trained in Morocco, stemming from the desire expressed by several African scholars to unite their efforts under a more comprehensive African umbrella.

For decades now, Morocco has been training foreign scholars and imams in order to disseminate a model of Islam based on tolerance, moderation and intercultural dialogue.

Earlier this year, Morocco inaugurated the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines and Morchidates (religious preachers).

Since then, the Institute has trained hundreds of Imams from Africa as well as a few from European countries, including France and Belgium. Endit