In an era where shouting often masquerades as awareness, and where the compass of truth is lost between identity posturing and hollow claims of patriotism, silence becomes a betrayal, and defending the truth an urgent moral duty. What happened during the Rabat march—the verbal assault on Royal Advisor André Azoulay—was not merely a lapse in civility; it was a slap in the face of our national memory and a disgraceful insult to a man who has never traded his love for Morocco for applause or recognition. André Azoulay is not merely a name within the institutions of the state. He is a living embodiment of the deep, diverse, patient, and dignified Morocco. Amazigh by origin, Jewish by faith, and wholly Moroccan in soul and spirit. He carried the nation in his heart, not just on his tongue, and chose to serve it in its most trying times—when silence promised safety, and only risk could give meaning to patriotism. Born into a Jewish family from Essaouira that stood firm in the face of colonialism, his father was exiled for his nationalist activism. Azoulay grew up not in the comfort of privilege, but in the shadow of struggle. He immersed himself in political life, endured prison, and later transitioned into state service through the domain of economics—not as a quest for prestige, but to place his global expertise and networks in service of Morocco. At a time when he could have chosen a luxurious life among the financial towers of Paris or New York, he chose instead to remain on Moroccan soil—rooted, loyal, and present. He does not need certificates of patriotism. His path speaks for itself, his legacy testifies, and the nation knows him well. To insult André Azoulay is not merely to wound an individual; it is to stab at the heart of Morocco’s pluralism, its ethos of coexistence, and its historical dignity. Those who attack him do not understand the spirit of this land, nor do they honor its layered roots. They are not worthy of speaking in its name. To defend André Azoulay is to defend a vision of Morocco that transcends hatred, outgrows slogans, and stands firm against winds that seek to uproot its foundational principles. André Azoulay is Moroccan to the core—a man who does not seek the limelight with words, but quietly builds from behind. And those who truly understand the weight of men know that Azoulay is not one to be forgotten by history. He is one of those who shape it. André Azoulay, a patriotic Amazigh who rises above pettiness.
By Lhoussain Chahraoui
President of the Regional Office of the International Organization for Parallel Diplomacy, Media, and Tolerance in Marrakech
