André Azoulay
Encyclopedia
André Azoulay is a senior adviser to King Mohammed VI of Morocco
. He previously advised Mohammed's father, King Hassan II. He currently presides over the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures
, based in Alexandria, Egypt. He is also President of the Executive Committee of the Foundation for the Three Cultures and the Three Religions, based in Seville, Spain, a founding member of the C-100 Davos Forum for the Dialogue of Civilisations and religions, and was formerly Executive Vice-President of the BNP Paribas
, Paris
.
In 1966 he left Morocco to start a new life in Paris
, hence becoming one of the hundreds of thousands of Moroccan Jews who emigrated from Morocco to North America
, Europe
or Israel
.
His surname is of Berber
origin.
s, no Nazism
, no concentration camps and no Inquisition
whatsoever. Rather, we have seen Jews and Muslims living together and respecting each other".
In the fall of 1976, André Azoulay took the lead in Paris in organizing Moroccan Jewish friends into a group that became known as "Identity and Dialogue," based upon the Sephardic Jewish history and culture that flourished in Morocco throughout the 500 years that have passed since the expulsion of Muslims
and Jews
from Spain
. 'This Sephardic culture has, for a very long time, been neglected, unknown, and ill-known, and also often ill-treated in the Jewish world and in Israel itself, where it has long been considered as a kind of second-rate culture', Azoulay explains.
Identity and Dialogue's first concern, therefore, was to correct such negative images. Fifteen years later, he considers that the goal of recovering Moroccan Jewish identity has largely been met.
Azoulay recalls that only 15 years ago, when Identity and Dialogue was set up, 'Moroccan Jews living in Israel would change their names to make them more French-sounding than Arab-sounding, and tell their neighbors that they had come from Marseilles or Nice
, rather than 'confess' that they came from Casablanca
or Marrakesh.' Because that is no longer the case, Azoulay says, his organization is no longer so concerned with the problem of identity.
What remains, however, is the issue of dialogue with the Arabs, the other reason for which Identity and Dialogue was set up 15 years ago. As a leader of a Jewish group, Azoulay felt that he should try to help Jews on the one hand, and Arabs and Palestinians
on the other, come to know each other better. Since its founding, therefore, Identity and Dialogue has systematically promoted such cross-cultural communication.
As a widely recognized professional in the fields of communication and public relations
, Azoulay was ready for the job. Before leaving Morocco, he had worked as editor of the daily newspaper Maroc-Informations. Later, in Paris, he headed the public relations department of the Paribas International Bank.
in which he describes the role of King Mohamed V
in saving the Jews of Morocco from Hitler, and later, how his son King Hassan II played a key behind-the-scenes role in securing the peace between Israel and Egypt in the 1970s.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. He previously advised Mohammed's father, King Hassan II. He currently presides over the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures
Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures
The Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures is a network of civil society organisations dedicated to promoting intercultural dialogue in the Mediterranean region....
, based in Alexandria, Egypt. He is also President of the Executive Committee of the Foundation for the Three Cultures and the Three Religions, based in Seville, Spain, a founding member of the C-100 Davos Forum for the Dialogue of Civilisations and religions, and was formerly Executive Vice-President of the BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas S.A. is a global banking group, headquartered in Paris, with its second global headquarters in London. In October 2010 BNP Paribas was ranked by Bloomberg and Forbes as the largest bank and largest company in the world by assets with over $3.1 trillion. It was formed through the merger...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
In 1966 he left Morocco to start a new life in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, hence becoming one of the hundreds of thousands of Moroccan Jews who emigrated from Morocco to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
or Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
His surname is of Berber
Berber languages
The Berber languages are a family of languages indigenous to North Africa, spoken from Siwa Oasis in Egypt to Morocco , and south to the countries of the Sahara Desert...
origin.
Public work
According to Azoulay, "Moroccan Jewish memories are many centuries old. We know it has not all been rosy. There are black pages. But the Moroccan Jewish past has nothing to do with the history of the Jews during that same period in the West. In Morocco we have seen no deportationDeportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
s, no Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, no concentration camps and no Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
whatsoever. Rather, we have seen Jews and Muslims living together and respecting each other".
In the fall of 1976, André Azoulay took the lead in Paris in organizing Moroccan Jewish friends into a group that became known as "Identity and Dialogue," based upon the Sephardic Jewish history and culture that flourished in Morocco throughout the 500 years that have passed since the expulsion of Muslims
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
and Jews
History of the Jews in Spain
Spanish Jews once constituted one of the largest and most prosperous Jewish communities under Muslim and Christian rule in Spain, before the majority, together with resident Muslims, were forced to convert to Catholicism, be expelled or be killed when Spain became united under the Catholic Monarchs...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. 'This Sephardic culture has, for a very long time, been neglected, unknown, and ill-known, and also often ill-treated in the Jewish world and in Israel itself, where it has long been considered as a kind of second-rate culture', Azoulay explains.
Identity and Dialogue's first concern, therefore, was to correct such negative images. Fifteen years later, he considers that the goal of recovering Moroccan Jewish identity has largely been met.
'I think that today all over the world, in the Jewish world in Israel, and on the Israeli political scene no one can deny the political, social and cultural reality of Moroccan Judaism. . . In recovering and defending their identity, Moroccan Jews have become stronger.'
Azoulay recalls that only 15 years ago, when Identity and Dialogue was set up, 'Moroccan Jews living in Israel would change their names to make them more French-sounding than Arab-sounding, and tell their neighbors that they had come from Marseilles or Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, rather than 'confess' that they came from Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
or Marrakesh.' Because that is no longer the case, Azoulay says, his organization is no longer so concerned with the problem of identity.
What remains, however, is the issue of dialogue with the Arabs, the other reason for which Identity and Dialogue was set up 15 years ago. As a leader of a Jewish group, Azoulay felt that he should try to help Jews on the one hand, and Arabs and Palestinians
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
on the other, come to know each other better. Since its founding, therefore, Identity and Dialogue has systematically promoted such cross-cultural communication.
As a widely recognized professional in the fields of communication and public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
, Azoulay was ready for the job. Before leaving Morocco, he had worked as editor of the daily newspaper Maroc-Informations. Later, in Paris, he headed the public relations department of the Paribas International Bank.
In the Media
Azoulay appeared in the 2010 Channel Production's documentary film Back Door Channels: The Price of PeaceBack Door Channels: The Price of Peace
Back Door Channels: The Price of Peace, directed by Harry Hunkele,and produced by Arick Wierson, Donald Tanselle, and Matthew Tollin, is an American documentary film about the interplay between the official government channels and the men who acted largely behind the scenes during the course of...
in which he describes the role of King Mohamed V
Mohamed V
Mohamed V may refer to:* Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada * Mehmed V , 39th Ottoman Sultan* Mohammed V of Morocco , king of Morocco** Mohamed V Dam, located in Morocco and named after the above* Muhammad V of Delhi...
in saving the Jews of Morocco from Hitler, and later, how his son King Hassan II played a key behind-the-scenes role in securing the peace between Israel and Egypt in the 1970s.