Democracy, economy, education, key elements for change, King
Regional-Morocco, Politics, 12/2/2004

King Mohammed VI of Morocco has insisted on democracy, economy and education as key elements for any "desired change" in the Arab states, in a message to participants in the third conference of the "Arab Thought Foundation" that opened in Marrakech Wednesday.

The conference is held under the theme "Arabs between the Culture of Change and Changing the Culture."

He observed that the subject of the conference is all the more relevant, given the "extremely sensitive situation our Umma (Islamic nation) is facing and which calls for Arab thought to be reconsidered."

"The relationship you are establishing between change and culture shows how keenly aware you are of the inevitability of change, and of the key role culture plays in that change. Systems of government and development models which ignored this fact ended up being isolated or alienated." he warned.

"Democracy, the economy and education, which are key elements of current thought patterns, constitute the cornerstone of the desired change" the monarch said adding that "viewed from this perspective, the democracy we are trying to build is not so much a question of institutions and mechanisms; rather, it is about a culture based on freedom, rationality, responsible citizenship and compliance with the law."

In his message read out on his behalf by Prince Moulay Rachid, King Mohammed VI said that achieving strong sustainable development, for the purpose of overcoming social backwardness, hinges on upholding the values and principles which contribute to such development, like free enterprise, merit, transparency, productivity, competitiveness, sound management and social economy.

"For thought to contribute effectively to achieving democracy and development, it must help mobilize people, rekindle hope and enhance solidarity concerning social projects designed to liberate minds and release energies, in order to create wealth, stimulate cultural and artistic expression, and preserve our identity."

This, he said, is the objective we are seeking to achieve through the reform of the education and training system, in order to have citizens who are proud of their identity, open-minded and actively involved in the knowledge and communication-based society, which provides equal opportunities for all, and which tolerates no kind of illiteracy, whether alphabetical, intellectual or numerical.

"This is a vital matter which makes it incumbent on Arab thinkers to play their role fully as the embodiment of the Umma's conscience and the incarnation of its keen, albeit sometimes painful awareness," the monarch concluded.

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