President of Republic During the Opening of the African Conference for the Promotion of Peace: The Chinguetti Mahdhara is a Strong Fortress Against Strife, Fanaticism and Extremism.
Nouakchott
His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Sheikh El-Ghazouani, said that the Chinguetti traditional schools, the Mahdharahs, which arose centuries ago and whose cultural and intellectual radiance extended north and south, were and still are a strong bulwark in the face of strife, fanaticism and extremism, and an overflowing source of meanings and values of moderation and tolerance.
He added in a speech in which he opened the work of the African Conference for the Promotion of Peace in its fourth edition, today, Tuesday, at the Palace of Conferences (El-Mourabitoun), that the slogan of the conference, “Ancient Education in Africa: Science and Peace,” evokes in the conscience of Mauritanian society the echo of a long history of cultural prosperity and scientific giving. Distinguished, hoping that this edition will contribute to restoring ancient education to its full role in spreading its lofty values.
The following is the text of the speech of His Excellency the President of the Republic:
“In the name of God the Merciful and prayers and peace be upon His messengers;
– Your Excellency and my dear brother, Mr. Adama Barrow, President of the sisterly Republic of The Gambia;
– Mr. Prime Minister;
– Mr. President of the Constitutional Council;
– Mr. President of the Democratic Opposition Foundation;
– Dear Ministers,
– His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies;
– Their Excellencies Ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions;
– Gentlemen and ladies, representatives of international organizations accredited in our country;
– Your Eminences the scholars participating in the conference;
– Dear audience,
It gives me great pleasure, first of all, to welcome my brother, His Excellency, Mr. Adama Barrow, President of the sisterly Republic of The Gambia, to the land of his second country, and to express to him our happiness in hosting him and our great appreciation for his attendance at this fourth edition of the African Conference for the Promotion of Peace, held under the slogan “Ancient Education.” In Africa: Science and Peace.”
I am also pleased to extend my sincere thanks to His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum, who has harnessed his wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of contemporary challenges for the benefit of spreading the culture of peace, brotherhood and moderation.
I also welcome our distinguished and eminent scholars, sheikhs and researchers, and all our distinguished guests, including ministers, political and security figures, and international organizations, praising their keenness to attend, and relying on their valuable contributions to ensuring the quality of the outcomes of this fourth edition of the African Conference for the Promotion of Peace.
Your Excellency;
Your Excellencies and Eminences;
Ladies and gentlemen;
The theme of this fourth edition of the Conference on Promoting Peace in Africa is: “Ancient Education in Africa: Science and Peace” to evoke in the conscience of Mauritanian society an echo of a long history of cultural prosperity and distinguished scientific giving.
Here arose, centuries ago, an ancient educational system, unique in its organizational characteristics and methodological methods, embodied by the Chinguiti Schools, whose cultural and intellectual radiation extended north and south. It was, and still is, a strong bulwark against temptation, fanaticism, and extremism, and a source abundant with meanings and values of moderation and tolerance.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s recent inclusion of the Mauritanian taboo on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is clear evidence of the importance of indigenous education and its prominent role in consecrating universal human values of tolerance, moderation, security and peace.
The bodies of this education on the African continent, despite the diversity of their names and organizational forms, are united in providing education to all, within a framework of absolute equality, regardless of the differences in races and cultural identities. They are also united by the concern to build bridges of convergence between societies, strengthen civil peace, and ensure social cohesion by spreading the values of justice, equality, tolerance and brotherhood.
These values do not become rooted in souls and societies like ancient education.
Aware of the great status and unique status of the ancient education represented by the Mahbara, which has the greatest cultural blessing in this country, we, in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, were keen to preserve and strengthen our Mahbara system, and modernize it, to suit the requirements of the modern era, while preserving the nobility and purity of its values and goals.
Thus, we provided all possible forms of material and moral support to the classrooms, their sheikhs, and their students, and we doubled, dozens of times, the number of model classrooms established by the state, as their number increased from 60 to 1,402 classrooms. The number of supported classrooms also increased significantly, and a system was established for regular monitoring of the levels of academic progress in them. .
Work was also done to strengthen the bridges between ancient education and contemporary education by diversifying training in the vocational training center for graduates of the Mahajara and in the higher official educational institutions that receive graduates of ancient education, such as the Higher Institute for Islamic Studies and Research, the University of Islamic Sciences in Laayoune, and the Great Chinguitiyah Mahajara in the city of Akjoujt.
This is in addition to the establishment of many chairs in various scientific fields, including the Chair of Contemporary Catastrophes, all of which were assigned to capable scholars.
In addition to all of this, we were keen to stimulate competition in achievement among the students of these Hahdharas (traditional schools) by establishing an award for memorizing and understanding prohibited texts.
Your Excellency;
Your Excellencies and Eminences;
Ladies and gentlemen;
The destructive violence, terrorism and wars that are sweeping our African continent, and the world in general, have affected all countries of the world with their negative effects, albeit to varying degrees, to confirm our urgent need and our collective responsibility regarding the necessity of completely eliminating violence, terrorism and destructive ethnic conflicts, which requires spreading the values of justice and tolerance. And moderation, as the ancient teaching works on that.
As I hope that this fourth edition of the African Conference for the Promotion of Peace will contribute to restoring ancient education to its full role in disseminating these lofty values, I announce, with God’s blessing, the opening of its work.
Thank you, and may the peace, mercy, and blessings of God Almighty be upon you.”