Casablanca — The cultural sector should seek to illustrate the Moroccan diversity and encourage all forms of creativity, said this Tuesday HM King Mohammed VI.

In a speech to the nation on the occasion of the throne day, the sovereign said creativity should encouraged "be it in connection with our time-honored heritage or with contemporary trends, thereby reflecting a harmonious blend between traditional values and modern creativity."

Underlining the important links existing between human development and moral and material considerations, HM the King voiced keenness to "ensure culture receives all the attention it deserves", arguing that culture is "not only it the bedrock of cohesion within the nation, but it also reflects our identity as well as our traditional values."

Noting that "the preservation of our identity and its protection against the risks of reclusiveness and distortion hinge upon the proper understanding of our religion", the sovereign underlined that in his capacity as Commander of the Faithful and protector of the faith and of the community of believers, "I have sought to safeguard the Islamic identity of the Moroccan people."

"Indeed, ours is a typically Moroccan approach to the practice of Islam, which is based on the homogeneity of the Maliki rite, as well as on temperance and moderation."

"In keeping with this approach, the Sovereign went on, I launched a strategy for the promotion of religious affairs, which was later reinforced by the adoption of an "Ulema charter", whose foremost goals include the achievement of the Kingdom's spiritual security and the preservation of the Moroccan Islamic identity.