The work of the first Arab Forum on civil society institutions opened on Saturday in Rabat, under the theme: 'Towards an active partnership to meet the challenges of human development'. Organised under the Honorary Presidency of HRH Princess Lalla Meryem, this Forum, initiated by the National Union of Moroccan Women (UNFM), aims to highlight the approaches adopted for the institutionalisation of the pioneering roles of civil society, to present the experiences and successful initiatives of civil society in terms of human development, and to identify the difficulties that hinder the upgrading of civil society institutions and organisations. This Forum, whose opening ceremony took place in the presence of Cherifa Lalla Oum Kaltoum Alaoui, delegate president of the UNFM, also aims at strengthening Arab civil society institutions, developing partnership mechanisms with a view to promoting initiative, excellence, and openness to the cultures of the world, and helping civil society organisations so that they assume their role in strengthening the culture of human rights and consolidating the culture of justice, peace, and citizenship in the Arab world. Speaking on this occasion, the Minister of Solidarity, Women, Family, and Social Development, Bassima Hakkaoui, affirmed that civil society, whose action is based on volunteering, constitutes a lever for laying the foundations for social development in an open public space, guided by the values of citizenship and the principles of democracy and human rights. Bassima Hakkaoui indicated that her Department considers development as a common issue falling under the government, public institutions, and civil society, as well as a responsibility that must be shared by all components of society, noting that real development cannot take place without participatory democracy, which establishes associative action as an essential social action for the realisation of the real values of democracy. She stressed that civil society in Morocco is supported by the State and has become present in its plans and programmes, thus embodying the principles of democracy, citizen participation, and social justice. The Minister in charge of relations with Parliament and civil society, El Habib Choubani, specified that civil society occupies a place of choice today thanks to the development of peoples who have pushed this civil force to the front ranks and that it enjoys a special place in the new Constitution today. Speaking on behalf of the UNFM, Bouchra Ouizguen pointed out that the Union has worked for the implementation of an action plan and a new strategy that goes hand in hand with development challenges after the conclusion of partnership agreements with national, Arab, and international organisations. The programme of this Forum provides for the organisation of three scientific workshops on 'The institutionalisation of the pioneering role of civil society organisations in the Arab world', 'The Moroccan experience in terms of integrating civil society into human development', and 'The responsibility of young people in the revitalisation of civil society in the Arab world'.