The Common Memory Centre for Democracy and Peace is creating a new international prize titled "Memory for Democracy and Peace". This award, which will be presented during the fifth International Festival of Cinema and Common Memory (Nador), is honourably chaired by Teresa Fernández de la Vega, former Deputy Prime Minister and spokesperson for the Spanish government, and Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam.
"The idea of launching this prize came to crown all the stages we have covered in our work on memory, being aware of the importance and utility of this approach to strengthen democracy and peace. Knowing that the consolidation of human values, in their universal dimension, contributes to mitigating the impact of issues related to collective and common memory. And we, as the Common Memory Centre for Democracy and Peace (CMCDP), defend the principle of coexistence between peoples, cultures and individuals, and advocate for the reduction of religious, linguistic and identity-based gaps, and then recommend the resolution of disputes through dialogue," emphasises Abdesslam Boutayeb, Executive President of the International Memory for Democracy and Peace Prize. He adds that this Prize, "which can be described as a civic act, represents an added value for the CMCDP, which never ceases to preach rapprochement between peoples, cultures and individuals. And this in a context marked by terrorism, wars, violence of all kinds, lack of respect for human rights and intolerance." This distinction can be considered as further proof highlighting the qualities of Morocco as a land of welcome, peace, harmony, dialogue and equality between all human beings. Thus, for the 2016 edition of the International Festival of Cinema and Common Memory, a proven jury that brings together politicians, university professors, historians, notably Teresa Fernández de la Vega (Spain), Ahmed Aboutaleb (Morocco-Netherlands), Abdeslam Seddiki (Morocco), Abdesslam Boutayeb (Morocco), Sandra Rojo Flores (Mexico-Spain), Moussaoui El Ajlaoui (Morocco), Azelarab Qorchi (Morocco) and Jamal Bendahmane (Morocco), constitutes the steering committee of the Prize, to which is added an advisory committee, also international, formed by human rights activists, journalists, writers and actors in NGOs, institutions and foundations.
These two offices will have the task of choosing any natural person (woman or man) or legal entity (association, research group, institution...) that campaigns, through their work and actions, in favour of human rights, democracy, peace and tolerance in various fields, whether political, cultural, artistic, religious, academic, sporting, legal or other. The name of the winner will be announced by the two honorary presidents, Teresa Fernández de la Vega and Ahmed Aboutaleb, on 6 May, during the fifth edition of the International Festival of Cinema and Common Memory in Nador.
