Mr. Abdellah Boussouf, Secretary General of the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME), took part tuesday, November 8, 2016 at the Molenbeek district of Brussels to the launching of the “Flame of Hope”, the sculpture accomplished by the Moroccan-Belgian artist Mustapha Zoufri In the name of the victims of the Brussel and Paris terrorist attacks.
Mr. Boussouf said during the inauguration that his presence in Molenbeek as the Secretary general of the CCME -which is partner of M.r Zoufri’s sculpture- is a “demonstration to the world that this neighborhood in Belgium’s capital, is a place of life and mutual respect which rejects with firmness any act of terrorism and hatred. Adding « we will work together to live together. “
Mr. Boussouf also thanked Ms Françoise Schepmans, Mayor of Brussels, for fixing the piece of Art. The « Flame of Hope » is the resut of a « brainwork » with Mustapha Zoufri about the way he could give Arabic letters an abstract dimension to enable each citizen of Molenbeek to seize the signs of one another’s culture. The graphical designs say : no to hate, no to terrorism and yes to living together “.
The secretary general of the CCME said that History should play a role in the living together of Belgium because the Moroccan Belgian citizens have always been alongside their Belgian fellow citizens : during the second world war to fight Nazism, and then to help rebuild the country and have always been a factor of peace; a component of stability and prosperity.”
He reiterated “the desire to work together and live together in these hard times” adding that “there is hope despite the problems.”
For her part, Ms. Françoise Schepmans the Mayor of Brussels, said how grateful she was to the CCME for its support of the “Flame of Hope” stressing the need to work together and build the values of living together” because “it is the best answer we can provide to terrorists hoping to beat the fear in our hearts and the seeds of hatred in our people”. She added; “we will not fall into the ambush of division». “
The mayor of Brussels said how difficult it is to carry the weight “of the problems in some neighborhoods, also those of many other cities in Europe. »
She affirmed that the european countries are working to resolve the problems in those neighborhoods in order to provide a better future for our children.”
Mrs Schepmans further said : “We are gathered here to commemorate all victims of bombings Brussels, Paris and Nice. Symbolically and modestly, Molenbeek wanted to immortalize those tragic events through Mustapha Zoufri’s work”.
Mustapha Zoufri for his part warmly thanked all those who supported his work and addressed a speach full of emotion to the families of victims of the attacks who were attending the inauguration.
Several diplomatic, political and religious personalities from France, Belgium and Morocco took part to this event.
CCME
