The 2008 report on "Religious Freedoms around the
World", released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, stressed
that Morocco "continues to encourage tolerance, respect, and dialogue
among religious groups."
"Morocco participates in the Alliance of Civilizations
and other international groups that promote religious tolerance,"
according to the annual report whose presentation took place at the State
Department during a press conference held by U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for
International Religious Freedom, John V. Hanford III.
The report, covering 198 countries, also stressed the
coexistence between the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and other
communities.
The Moroccan government provides tax benefits,
land and building grants, subsidies, and customs exemptions for
imports necessary for the religious activities of the major religious
groups, namely Muslims, Jews, and Christians, the same source said.
“The Government's annual education budget funds
the teaching of Islam in many public schools, and Judaism in some public
schools. The Government also funds the study of Jewish culture and its
artistic, literary, and scientific heritage,” the report added,
recalling that at the University of Rabat, Hebrew and comparative
religion are taught in the Department of Islamic Studies.
“Throughout the country, approximately 13 professors
teach Hebrew,” the document pointed out, underlining that Morocco “is the
only Arab nation with a Jewish museum.”
The same source also mentioned the religious lectures
organized during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and chaired by King
Mohammed VI, which are attended by Muslim religious scholars from around the
world, including the United States.
These lectures, the report went on, “consider ways to
promote moderate and peaceful religious interpretations and encourage
tolerance and mutual respect within Islam and between other
religions.”
The report noted that the Jewish annual commemorations
are held throughout the country and Jewish pilgrims regularly visit the
sacred places, stressing that “a small foreign Christian community
operates churches, orphanages, hospitals, and schools without government
restriction.”
The Moroccan government “monitors and works to counter
extremism in the name of religion by promoting religious tolerance,”
said the document.
It also recalled the annual “Fez Festival of Sacred Music, which
included musicians from Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist,
and other spiritual traditions."
During the preparation of this report, U.S. officials
“encountered no interference from the Government in making contacts
with members of any religious group,” concluded the document, which
will be submitted to the Congress.
