At a meeting at the Moroccan Embassy to the Holy See which was organized to pay tribute to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, also the Vatican Secretary of State, the latter stressed the importance of mutual knowledge in resolving conflicts through dialogue, said Vatican News on Thursday.
The “cordial” relations between Morocco and the Vatican were honored on Wednesday, February 7 by Cardinal Pietro Parolin who was named an honorary member of the Royal Moroccan Academy by King Mohamed VI.
The Academy, which brings together intellectuals, scientists, and representatives of the world of culture, is an institution whose mission is–among other things–to promote dialogue between cultures and civilizations.
“These objectives are in line with the perspectives of Pope Francis, who is very keen to promote a spirit of brotherhood between people of all religions and cultures,” said the cardinal, who was received at the Moroccan Embassy, underlining the indispensability of dialogue “…based on truth, intellectual honesty and reciprocal knowledge,” to “…live together, appreciate one another, and build a peaceful world” despite differences.
Faced with the “extremely worrying international context of wars and conflicts that many would like to see degenerate into a conflict of civilizations or a war of religions,” Archbishop Parolin elaborated, “It is essential to oppose fanaticism and fundamentalism with the solidarity of all believers.”
Morocco’s ambassador to the Holy See spoke of his country’s efforts to bring peace to the situation in the Holy Land. “Morocco has always insisted on the primacy of a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, preserving the special character of the Holy City,” stressed Rajae Naji Mekkaou, referring to the joint appeal between King Mohamed VI and Pope Francis during the latter’s apostolic visit to the Kingdom of Morocco on March 30-31, 2019.
The ambassador also recalled Morocco’s historic role in favor of dialogue. Her country, she asserted, remains “a bridge of communication between civilizations.”
Looking back on relations between Morocco and the Holy See, the ambassador also recalled Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran’s efforts to promote dialogue with Muslim countries.
The former president of the then-Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue–who incidentally passed away in 2018–had signed the “Rabat Declaration” the previous year with the Royal Academy of Morocco, a policy statement which called for the pursuit of dialogue between Christians and Muslims.
This perspective “is not optional,” stressed the May 3, 2017 declaration; rather, it is “a necessity for peace, security and the well-being of societies.”