Senegal's wade extended international freedom prize

Senegalese President Abdulaye Wade received in Casablanca on Friday the International Freedom Prize (2003), awarded by the International Liberal Association (IL), in the fringes of the 170th session of IL, held on Mar.26-29 under the theme: "Islam and the West: the Liberal viewpoint."

The distinction, which was extended to Wade in his capacity as Secretary General of Senegal's Democratic Party, which he founded in 1974, came to crown the statesman, who was already made Grand Officer of France's Honour Legion, Commander of the Merit Order (Senegal), as well as member of Sweden's Academy of Comparative Law and of the International Academy of Trial lawyers (USA).

In his acceptance speech, Wade said freedom is an attribute of mankind and a premise to any viable political or economic undertaking, recalling that individual freedom is the bedrock of political liberalism that also advocates the freedom of opinion and expression.

He also expected the 21st century to mark the triumph of liberalism, plural democracy and free enterprise economy, cautioning however against absolute liberalism "that can lead to anarchy."

He further rebutted ideas circulated in the west pretending that Islam is "an intolerant religion," and that "the Muslim society refutes individual freedom."

"We need to reach out to the western world armed with positive values of our religion and cultures (..) in a drive aiming for mutual understanding," he emphasized.

This same approach, he added, is being advocated by Christian intellectuals who "can make out the difference between Islam and current deviations" and are committed "to the ideal (É) of free men and women, rich by their diversity, however different."

Commenting on the award extended to the Senegalese Head of state, interim Secretary General of the Moroccan Constitutional Union party (UC), Mohamed Abied, said that Wade "is a man of principle and a great militant for just causes."