The fight against anti-Semitism is inseparable from that against Islamophobia, said Thursday night in Bordeaux André Azoulay, Advisor to the King of Morocco.
Speaking at a conference on the theme “Learning to live together” organized by the Association des 2 Rives in collaboration with the Aquitaine section of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF), Mr. Azoulay stressed that it is unacceptable to allow a minority of extremists to hijack Islam and associate it with violence.
He has, in this sense, called for an end to the politicization of religion and its use to justify terrorism and murder.
Azoulay also stressed the importance of the collective commitment to the shared space of citizenship and freedom and equality, in the context of mutual respect and adherence to the values of the plurality, diversity and modernity.
These values for living together need to bridge the gap between Europe and the Muslim world in order to contribute to the exchange of knowledge and cultures, added Mr. Azoulay, pleading for further mobilization on both sides to know the heritage and culture of the other.
For his part, the mayor of the city of Bordeaux and former French Prime Minister Alain Juppé, stressed the importance of coexistence and dialogue between religions and cultures to promote the values of living together and encourage mutual knowledge.
In this sense, Mr. Juppé wondered how a Muslim French can understand and interact with a Christian without knowing the French church history, and how he can coexist with their Muslim fellow while ignoring the history and the values of Islam. He also called to reject violence and reject all expressions of hate and obscurantism.
The conference, hosted by the political scientist Jean Petaux, has also shed light on the privileged and historical links between the city of Bordeaux and Morocco.
With Atlas Info.
