Azoulay, adviser to the Royal House of Morocco: "Esauira embodies all the cultural indicators of UNESCO"

The president and founder of the Essaouira-Mogador association, André Azoulay, declared that Essaouira will embody for the Alaouite Kingdom "the place, role and centrality of culture in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations".

The advisor to King Mohamed VI, who also advised the monarch Hassan II, made these remarks during a seminar to monitor the thematic indicators established by UNESCO to assess the contribution of culture to the achievement of the sustainable development goals set by the UN for the 2030 Agenda.

"A little over 30 years ago, in 1991 to be precise, Essaouira took the pioneering and unique decision to root its refoundation and rebirth in the inexhaustible wealth of all its cultural and artistic expressions," Azoulay said of the port city bathed by the Atlantic.

Essaouira's cultural importance has led the city to a predominant position in this field, recognised by the international community, thanks in large part to the iconic Bayt Dakira space, a symbolic place for Judeo-Moroccan memory and heritage.

Prince Albert II of Monaco visited the city on Friday, which he said was "an example to everyone that there can be peaceful coexistence, which can contribute to the wealth of a city and a country". Azoulay received the Monegasque prince on a private visit during which they toured emblematic areas such as the Slat Attia synagogue, and explained in detail the characteristics of a place that is crucial for coexistence between cultures.

Morocco was the country designated to represent the Arab world in this process, and Essaouira was selected by the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO to embody, carry and explain the legitimacy and depth of this choice. As Azoulay explained, civil society will draw up a roadmap to promote "culture in the reconquest of a universality reconciled with respect, legitimacy and the richness of all its diversities".

The royal councillor also intervened in the framework of a follow-up which ended on 1 April last, devoted to assessing the attributes of Esaiura, as well as its contribution to global culture. In addition, the Moroccan capital, Rabat, was chosen by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) as the "cultural capital of the Islamic world for 2022".