Climate Action Morocco Project #27457

Argan Nursery and Forest in Essaouira, Morocco

by High Atlas Foundation

Project Report | Oct 9, 2017
Andre Azoulay: A Biography in Brief

By Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir | President of the High Atlas Foundation

Born in 1941 in Essaouira, André Azoulay is a Jewish person who grew up in a Muslim country--a formative life experience enabling him to know that Jewish-Arab coexistence is possible.
Mr. Azoulay was educated in Paris where he studied journalism, economics, and international relations. He graduated from the French High School of Journalism (CFI) in 1962, followed by his specialization in economics and finance in Brussels and Paris (1963) (ALF).
In 1966, he left Morocco for Paris after having worked as an editor of the newspaper “Maroc-information."
In 1974, he created a Moroccan organization called "Identity and Dialogue", whose first goal was to raise awareness of the Sephardic Jewish history and correct the negative image of a culture that has long suffered from being perceived as a "second-class culture." The second objective was the dialogue between Jews and Arabs and the promotion of inter-cultural dialogue.
In 1989, on the occasion of the bicentenary of the French Revolution, AA receives the Legion d’honneur. Thereafter, he holds the position of Vice-President of the Center for Peace in the Middle East based in Tel Aviv.
“In 1991, Mr. Azoulay became Advisor to the late King Hassan II of Morocco and in 1999 his successor, HM King Mohammed VI. Mr. Azoulay has largely contributed to the implementation of economic reforms which have been applied throughout the Kingdom since their inception in the early 90s. He has helped to promote the image of Morocco throughout the world and to improve the relations with the European Union and the USA” (ALF).
In August 2005, Azoulay was nominated member of the “High Level Group” for the “Alliance of Civilizations", set up by the General Secretary of the United Nations. Catalyzed by Spain and co-sponsored by Turkey, this initiative is addressing the issue of the relations between Islam and the Western World.
In 2006, he received an honorary doctorate from Ben Gurion University of the Negev for his “life-long quest for coexistence between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa.”
In 2008 he was elected unanimously president of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures for a 3-year term.
At the end of 2008, Mr. Azoulay asks the Israeli government to accept the 2002 peace plan proposed by the Arab League.
President of the Executive Committee of the Foundation of the Three Cultures and the Three Religions based in Seville (Spain), he is also member of he Foundation for the Protection of Judeo-Moroccan Heritage as well as the C-100 (Davos Forum for the Dialogue of Civilizations and Religions). 2009 is its 10^th anniversary, celebrated in Seville, Spain.
For over 40 years, Mr. Azoulay has taken an active part in supporting the activities of different movements and associations whose vocation is to help the process of better understanding and mutual respect between Islam and the Western World.
"Morocco is a source of inspiration for peace-makers and a privileged space for the pioneers of dialogue. It is the land of all possible things" (Maroc.ma, 2007).

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