MONASTÈRE DE TOUMLILINE

Perched atop a promontory in the heart of the cedar forest, the Toumliline monastery offers a lovely panoramic view over the valley. Founded in 1952 by Benedictine monks, it symbolizes the desire of Pope Pius XII and Mohamed V to work together to bring Islam and Christianity closer together. The chapel is the only one in the world to feature the Cherifian cross in a Christian religious monument. In 1955, after the French army closed the summer camps, the organizers asked the monks for hospitality. Young Catholics and Moroccan students organized games, debates, round-table discussions and musical evenings, and got to know each other, despite the tensions between the communities. From there, a year later under the patronage of King Mohamed V, the summer meetings were born for reflection and debate on social issues. Politicians, intellectuals, clerics, poets, psychiatrists, engineers and other personalities from all walks of life attended these meetings, which lasted until 1961. The expression "the Spirit of Toumliline" recalls these moments of dialogue, peace, respect and sharing between the different communities. Closed since 1968 for lack of funding, the monastery is at the heart of a rehabilitation project led by the Fondation Mémoires Pour l'Avenir. The project includes restoration of the chapel and library, revival of the Rencontres Internationales and creation of a spiritual itinerary in the Middle Atlas.