Royal Activities
Friday 20 November 2015

HM the King sends message to participants in 20th edition of Moulay Ali Sherif University (full text)

HM the King sends message to participants in 20th edition of Moulay Ali Sherif University (full text)

 HM King Mohammed VI sent a message to the participants in the 20th edition of Moulay Ali Sherif University which opened, on Friday in Rissani, under the theme: "Reign of HM Hassan II: Sources and Archives".

 Here follows the full text of the message read out by the Kingdom's historiographer, spokesperson of the royal palace and president of the Moulay Ali Sherif University's scientific committee Abdelhak Lamrini.

 Praise be to God May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 It gives me great pleasure to send this message to the participants in the twentieth session of the Moulay Ali Sherif University, which is devoted to the reign of my revered father, His Late Majesty King Hassan II. May he rest in peace. I have been following the successive academic meetings held by the University across the Kingdom with keen interest.

The University made Rissani - the cradle of the Alawite Dynasty - the first venue for the series of meetings it has been holding on a regular basis to ponder on the history of Morocco, especially the reigns of my august ancestors the glorious Alawite Sultans, from Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah to my illustrious father His Late Majesty King Hassan II. May God bless his soul.

Morocco’s history, particularly the latter part of it, is not just a legacy of the past.  Its profound meanings are much deeper than that. Today, more than ever, the Moroccan people need to be aware of their history with its countless struggles under the leadership of the Kings of the Alawite Dynasty. My glorious ancestors were always keen to promote cohesion with the people, making sure they themselves remained fully dedicated to serving the most important causes of the Moroccan people. That cohesion has been a source of unassailable power when it comes to preserving the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and promoting security and stability, while making sure there is constructive interaction between all of the nation’s distinctive cultural components. In recent history, the Moroccan people, under the leadership of my esteemed grandfather His Late Majesty King Mohammed V and my revered father His Late Majesty King Hassan II - may they rest in peace - had to wage a number of epic struggles, to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity, or else to regain that territorial integrity and the country’s sovereignty when they were lost. As our youth ponder on the meaning and implications of their history, this cannot but reinforce the process I am spearheading today to promote unity and progress while making sure our present is worthy of our glorious past.

Our national memory, which is teeming with epic historic achievements, will remain a source of inspiration for current and future generations. It is with this in mind that the Moulay Ali Sherif University was set up in this region which is dear to me.

It is indeed gratifying that the Tafilalet region should be the venue for the start of a cultural festival that brings together researchers, historians and intellectuals. Through their work, they shine a spotlight on the historical role played by the Sherifian Alawite Dynasty to establish the time-honored Moroccan State on firm foundations and to enable current and future generations to fully understand Morocco’s towering achievements under the glorious Alawite Dynasty.

No doubt you realize that the reign of my father His Late Majesty King Hassan II was full of events which played a crucial role in shaping the history of modern Morocco; they were also closely related to global events and were critical in determining Morocco’s progress and prosperity.

I therefore hope scholars’, historians’ and intellectuals’ work will reflect the great importance and indisputable facts characterizing the reign of my revered father His Late Majesty King Hassan II and their place in Morocco’s contemporary history. I also hope objective research work on that glorious reign will be put to good use.

In this way, the Moulay Ali Sherif University will have the honor of being associated with the preservation of tangible and intangible aspects of our cultural heritage, so that we may build the promising future we are yearning and working for.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I should like to take this opportunity to commend the people in charge of the University, its faculty and staff on their efforts to ensure the University becomes one of the leading academic forums, spotlighting some of the brightest chapters in our history. I should like to tell them how satisfied I am with their work and to wish them success in every session they hold, particularly this one on the reign of His Late Majesty King Hassan II. May he rest in peace. May the Almighty accept my revered father in His vast Paradise and reward him for all he did for this safe nation. May He grant us success in achieving academic revival and in rekindling our collective memory for the sake of future generations.

 Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.

MAP 20 November 2015