Resolve to root democracy, tolerance principles can shape future of peoples, King Mohammed
Morocco, Culture, 6/27/2002

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has pointed out that the resolve to root the principles of democracy, citizenship and tolerance can shape the future of peoples and generations.

The sovereign's statement came in the message he addressed Tuesday to the fourth session of the Moroccan Child Parliament and the ninth session of National Congress on Child Rights convening in Rabat June 25-26 under the topic "humanitarian protection of Children" and that was read out by his sister Princess Lalla Meryem, chairwoman of the National Children Rights Observatory and a goodwill ambassador.

The sovereign underlined his keenness to make of the Child Parliament "a lasting institution and a school for education to democracy, citizenship and tolerance," being convinced that "the future of peoples and of generations is appraised on the basis of the resolve to root these values."

He stated further that "the promotion of a participative culture for the benefit of children, geared towards improving their conditions and guaranteeing their rights, is the best exercise for children."

King Mohammed VI who recalled Morocco's contribution to the preparations of the Extraordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Children, whose opening session he attended personally, surveyed the progress scored and the projects launched by Morocco to promote the life of children. The sovereign mentioned in this regard the promotion of children's basic rights, such as schooling generalization, protection of the health of infants, progress in adapting national laws (to international conventions), consolidation of the culture of solidarity with children and the pioneer action in the struggle against the plague of children ill-treatment and exploitation.

The monarch noted however that despite these positive breakthroughs, large groups of children still suffer from exploitation and ill-treatment and are exposed to delinquency and absence of family protection, and that the needs of girls in rural areas are still huge.

"Our concern over the protection of these categories, which need national programs and approaches that require the participation of all, is likely to help achieve the exemplary quality leap we aspire to in order to guarantee the future of our children and secure the happiness of our families and society," King Mohammed VI.

The sovereign also touched on the Euro-Mediterranean forum that will be held in Morocco at the initiative of Princess Lalla Meryem, and that will be a platform to exchange views about the ways and means of protecting children in this region and guaranteeing their security in cooperation with international organizations such as WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF and FNUAP.

He called upon participants in the Rabat meeting to make of their encounter a stage and a starting point for the preparation of the Euro-Mediterranean event and urged the members of the organizing committee to make all the arrangements so that the Euro-Mediterranean conference be a milestone in sustaining cooperation between the countries of the region in order, he said, "to guarantee children's protection and consolidate the values of solidarity, and the culture of peace and tolerance between generations on the basis of international conventions and the respect of the values and traditions of the populations of the region and the consecration of human dignity and rights so as to make of the Euro-Mediterranean region a space for debate, exchange of ideas and support for initiatives in this field."

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