At the American Jewish Committee’s annual Jewish Diplomacy Reception in New York, Ambassador Serge Berdugo, President of the Council of Moroccan Jewish Communities, was presented with the prestigious Akiba Award.
The award, named after the renowned Talmudic sage Rabbi Akiba ben Joseph, recognizes individuals and institutions who have made extraordinary contributions to Jewish life and cultural heritage. AJC leaders praised Ambassador Berdugo as a visionary bridge-builder between Muslims and Jews and as a tireless guardian of Morocco’s Jewish patrimony.
In his remarks, Berdugo highlighted Morocco’s unique model of coexistence, rooted in the institution of the Commandeur des Croyants. His Majesty King Mohammed VI, as custodian of this institution, guarantees freedom of worship for the three Abrahamic faiths. This commitment to pluralism—enshrined in the 2011 Constitution—formally recognizes the Hebrew heritage as an integral component of Morocco’s national identity.
Berdugo also reflected on the historic bond between Morocco and the United States, grounded in the 1787 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the oldest unbroken treaty in American history. He noted that this relationship was reaffirmed in 2020 with Washington’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara.
A former minister of tourism and roving ambassador, Berdugo has dedicated decades of service to Morocco and the global Jewish community. Under his leadership, Morocco has set an international benchmark for heritage preservation, restoring synagogues, cemeteries, and Jewish cultural sites across the kingdom. These efforts, he stressed, represent not only the safeguarding of history but also a living example of coexistence.
“The Moroccan exception is not a myth; it is a tangible reality, a beacon of hope showing that peaceful coexistence between Judaism and Islam is possible,” he declared.
The ceremony gathered diplomats, AJC leaders, and friends of Morocco in a celebration of a fifty-year partnership marked by mutual respect, collaboration, and a shared commitment to peace. Through Ambassador Berdugo, the award honored both a lifetime of achievement and the enduring spirit of Morocco itself—a nation where tradition, pluralism, and coexistence continue to illuminate a path toward a more harmonious future.
(EJC)
