As for the Excellence Award for the year 2022 awarded to His Majesty by the Confederation of African Football, he said, may God bless him, “It is, first and foremost, a tribute to the genius of Africa and its brilliant youth.”
In a message on the occasion of handing over the award, which was also read by Minister of National Education, Primary Education and Sports, Chakib Benmoussa, His Majesty the King said, “I still cling to the conviction I expressed in my speech on the occasion of the 29th Summit of Leaders of State and Government of the African Union in 2017, in which I affirmed that ‘Africa’s future depends on its youth’ and that adopting a volitional youth-oriented policy would focus energies on development. This award being bestowed on me today is, first and foremost, a tribute to the genius of Africa and its brilliant youth.”
His Majesty the King underlined that this award “represents, for me, a recognition of the choices I made in order to provide the conditions to highlight and advance this genius. This is because football is not only a sport, but rather the fruit of continuous construction and work.”
His Majesty the King stressed His Majesty’s constant keenness to make football in the Kingdom of Morocco a pillar of success and a lever for sustainable human development.
His Majesty said that what unites His Majesty with his brother, President Paul Kagame, whom the Confederation of African Football celebrates today, is our firm confidence in our African continent, its youth and capabilities. earnings.”
His Majesty also took the opportunity to pay tribute to Mr. Gianni Ivantino, President of FIFA, for his strong commitment to African football, and to express his thanks to the President of the CAF, Mr. Patrice Motsepe, for his pioneering role and efforts to enhance the radiance of African football and restore credibility to its reporting bodies.
His Majesty added, “While it is a game that captures the hearts of millions, and a talent that reflects creative and creative energy, it is also based on a future vision, long-suffering commitment, and governance based on efficiency and transparency, and investment in infrastructure and human capital.”
In this regard, His Majesty the King stated, “As much as Moroccan football honored the African continent during the recent World Cup in Qatar, it has exalted human values represented in the spirit of perseverance, self-denial, and pushing one’s own capabilities to the limits. These are the values that we have been keen to uphold.” Consolidating it by including sports in education, in an effort to expand the base of football practice in particular, and to liberate energies and keep up with the talents that are discovered with the appropriate training and qualification.
His Majesty the King underlined that the Kingdom of Morocco “has proven, on many occasions, and with tangible action, that it puts its capabilities, infrastructure and experience, especially in the field of football, at the disposal of all brotherly African countries wishing in turn to make youth a pillar of hope and growth, because my ambition is for my country.” It is matched in essence only by my ambition for the African continent.”