In Morocco's statement during the general debate of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, the ambassador and Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, reaffirmed the Kingdom's strong condemnation of the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran, “an action that offends the feelings of more than a billion Muslims around the world” and which constitutes a violation of human rights.

According to the diplomat, the countries concerned must take the necessary measures to prevent such violations.

The ambassador also expressed Morocco's “deep concern” over the dangers of the continued spread of hate speech, particularly through social networks, noting that these speeches spark divisions within societies and between cultures and countries and promote the emergence of violent extremism.

He recalled, in this regard, the message that His Majesty King Mohammed VI sent to the participants in the 9th World Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, held in Fez on 22-23 November, 2022.

In this message, the Sovereign underlines : "Never before has our civilization been so exposed; never before has ‘living together’ come under such a threat, on a daily basis. Rarely has the Other been perceived with such a level of suspicion, or used to stir up fear and foment hatred.”

To combat hate speech, said Mr. Hilale, Morocco presented, to the UN General Assembly last July, a resolution that was adopted unanimously by member states, which condemns the burning of holy books and which considers, for the first time, these acts as violations of international law. This resolution also calls on the UN Secretary General to convene the first global conference on combating hate speech in 2025, he added.

The ambassador also stressed that Morocco, aware of the importance of the role that sport plays in bringing nations closer together and promoting the culture of peace and tolerance, presented a joint bid with Spain and Portugal to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

He recalled that for His Majesty King Mohammed VI, "this is an unprecedented candidacy which brings together two continents - Africa and Europe - as well as two civilizations; a candidacy which unites the two shores of the Mediterranean and reflects the ambitions and aspirations of the peoples of the region for further cooperation, interaction and understanding."