Speaking at a very high level virtual conference organized by Morocco at the UN on "The role of religious leaders in meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic", Hilale recalled that in his message to the Second International Conference on the Dialogue of Cultures and Religions in 2018 in Fez, HM the King said: With regard to the new world order for peace, that is precisely what we hope to build together, observing the need for coexistence and acceptance of diversity and difference, and allowing for development and for greater security, growth and prosperity."

Morocco, which has always been a strong supporter of intercultural and interreligious dialogue and understanding, fully supports the appeal launched by the UN Secretary General on April 11, 2020 to Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders so that they join forces to serve peace around the world and join the common struggle against Covid-19, Hilale pointed out.

The fury with which the Covid19 has come down on the world and its global repercussions require, more than ever, a unified and responsible message from religious leaders, said Hilale, noting that the confluence of the voices of religious leaders today hui, under the aegis of the United Nations, carries their message beyond churches, synagogues and mosques and is heard throughout the world.

"This message is not only spiritual. It is in fact charged with a universal force because it refers to the existential expectations of the citizens of the world, in particular to their legitimate need for peace, security, development, prosperity, respect of human dignity, and the preservation of their environmental rights ", he explained during this conference marked in particular by the participation of the Secretary General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly as well as several religious leaders representing the three monotheistic religions.

The Moroccan ambassador noted that religious leaders, like other international stakeholders, can help bring about a virtuous circle to use their power of persuasion and their collective action not only to face the disastrous consequences of this pandemic, "but above all to reflect together on the new world that we wish to leave to future generations".

Religious leaders can play a key role in preserving human brotherhood and building more inclusive, cohesive, safer, resilient and more united societies, particularly in troubled times, Hilale added.

"Their voices can help raise awareness of the challenges posed to the international community. They have the capacity to raise international awareness and galvanize collective responsibility not only to fight this pandemic, but also to overcome its economic, social, ecological, and even geostrategic impact", he underlined.

Hilale also voiced the Kingdom’s support for the leadership of the United Nations’ Secretary General in his role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Your very timely initiatives as well as your calls have made it possible to unite the international community in these very difficult times. You have thus demonstrated that multilateralism, with the United Nations at its heart, is a sine qua non if we want to be able to overcome this crisis," the Moroccan diplomat said.

This conference was also marked by the participation of several religious leaders representing the three monotheistic religions, including Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary General of the Mohammadia League of Religious Scholars, Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Rabbi Arthur Schneier, President and Founder of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation and Senior Rabbi of Park East Synagogue.