A mural dedicated to Al-Qarawiyyin University in Fez was unveiled on Monday in a municipality on the outskirts of Santiago, in tribute to Morocco’s intellectual and spiritual heritage.
This artistic project, a donation from the Ideavida Agency founded by Chilean artists Daniel Vargas and Felipe Escobar, is a vibrant homage to the Kingdom’s millennial heritage.
The mural was unveiled in the municipality of Renca, in the presence of numerous political figures, local artists and members of the Moroccan-Chilean community.
On this occasion, Morocco’s ambassador, Kenza El Ghali, recalled the historical and symbolic importance of Al-Qarawiyyin University, founded in 859 in the city of Fez by a visionary woman, Fatima Al-Fihri.
“Recognized by UNESCO as the world’s oldest university still in operation, Al-Qarawiyyin predates by several centuries major European universities such as Bologna,” she stressed.
The Moroccan diplomat also highlighted the key role the University has played in the development of thought, science and culture through the centuries, welcoming prominent scholars such as Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Rushd, Maimonides (Musa Ibn Maimon), Gerbert of Aurillac (future Pope Sylvester II), and Nicolas Cleynaerts.
Emphasizing the symbolic significance of the mural, El Ghali reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to cultural diplomacy, recalling that the Mohammed VI Cultural Center for Dialogue of Civilizations in Coquimbo – the only one of its kind in Latin America – was inaugurated following the historic visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Chile in 2004.
“This center reflects HM the King’s vision of a Morocco open to the world, eager to build bonds of friendship and fraternity with the peoples of Latin America, and with Chile in particular,” she said.
El Ghali also highlighted the central role of women in Moroccan society, particularly under the reign of HM King Mohammed VI, which has seen their rights and status strengthened in various fields.
For his part, Renca’s mayor, Claudio Castro Salas, hailed the initiative as “a strong symbol of the friendship between Chile and Morocco, as well as an exceptional opportunity for citizens to discover the richness of Moroccan history and civilization through art.”
Artist Daniel Vargas expressed his deep gratitude to the Moroccan embassy and the Mohammed VI Cultural Center for Dialogue of Civilizations, “for their support and trust, which made this work honoring the memory of a landmark academic institution in the Muslim world possible.”
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