On March 11, 2012, in Toulouse, his son Imad, a non-commissioned officer of the 1st Parachute Train Regiment, fell under the bullets of the terrorist Mohammed Merah.

Since then, Latifa Ibn Ziaten has traveled across France and the world to meet young people to prevent them from falling into the trap of radicalization.

This Thursday, this 61-year-old Franco-Moroccan will receive the Zayed Prize for Brotherhood, presented Thursday in Abu Dhabi by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.

A distinction which will also be awarded to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, on the occasion of the first International Day of Human Fraternity.

This is not the first time that this woman has been rewarded for her fight for interreligious dialogue.

In 2016, in Washington, she received alongside thirteen other committed activists, the prize for "Courageous Women".

His commitment was born the day after the death of his son.

While she was in the Izards district, where Imad's assassin was from, she had met young people who had presented the terrorist as a martyr.

She then told them that she was the mother of one of her victims.

Continuing its commitment

This is where her desire to “reach out to others” was born, she explains.

To achieve this, she created her association "Imad for Youth and Peace" and took her pilgrim's staff to go to colleges and high schools to meet young people, who often feel forgotten and rejected.

But also in remand centers or homes.

Above all, we must “invest in supporting young people” to avoid abuses, pleads Latifa Ibn Ziaten.

This distinction, she is about to perceive it as "a great honor", something that "will really help me in my work", says the one who is "very touched".

“You have to be able to find out what's going on in a young person's head and what solutions can be offered to them,” she explains.

When you don't have the chances available to succeed, someone can get you back.

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Society

VIDEO.

"I will not let go of this fight, I must continue despite the pressure", assures Latifa Ibn Ziaten

Society

A call from personalities to strengthen “fraternity”, an “orphan” value

  • Society

  • Occitania

  • Mohammad Merah

  • Radicalization

  • Toulouse

  • Terrorism

  • Youth

  • Religion

  • Peace

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