The publishing house "La Croisée des Chemins" announced the release of the book "Culture: A Moroccan Ambition" by the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, with a preface by Audrey Azoulay, former Director-General of UNESCO, in both French and Arabic, translated by Mohamed Jarrou.

Based on the experience of the minister and policymaker, the book highlights the social, political, economic, and strategic potential of culture in Morocco, both present and future.

The book focuses on three main axes: culture as a societal project, forming the basis of Moroccan identity and the country's pluralism; culture as an economic lever; and culture as a source of high-value-added jobs and a driving force behind a new, sustainable, and creative model of industrialization.

In his book, Bensaid emphasizes how to employ culture in the service of a societal project that contributes to enhancing a flexible and peaceful geopolitical position for the kingdom.

Bensaid writes: "Morocco's rise is accelerating, unleashing the full potential of the nation. At the heart of this dynamic, culture shines in its diverse forms, both heritage and creative."

He argues that in the face of major economic, geopolitical, and climatic challenges, "culture is destined to become the foundation of public policy, an essential factor in social cohesion and inclusion, a source of skilled jobs, and a source of diplomatic influence."

He stresses the importance of leveraging the country's history and diverse roots, and mobilizing its educated and connected youth in the service of the kingdom's civilizational destiny. He concludes: "This is the Moroccan dream, and it is time to turn it into reality."

Audrey Azoulay underscores the global scope of this project, saying: "The ambition to place culture at the heart of development is deeply rooted in Morocco's history and present. It echoes UNESCO's founding values, which see culture as an essential means of dialogue, mutual understanding, and peace."

Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, a graduate of the Toulouse Institute of Political Studies and the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po Paris), is a member of the political bureau of the Authenticity and Modernity Party and serves as Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication in the current government.

Founded in Casablanca in 1999, the publishing house "La Croisée des Chemins" has supported Moroccan intellectual and literary life for more than twenty-five years in the fields of literature, humanities, and heritage.