73 Marseille, AMeeting Point for Cultures * Ladies and Gentlemen I would like to convey to you the warm greetings of the Gulf region, together with Sharjah’s greetings to the beautiful city of Marseille, the meeting point for cultures and civilizations. O, Marseille: Let me disembark on your port which the poet of the sea, Louis Brauquier (1900-1976), immortalized in his poetry, as he wrote: Star studded ancient port Breathing, it sways the masts of ships Its waters caress the pier Come… so the comfort of adventures salty may in you infuse * On Thursday, 7th November 2013, I delivered a speech in the inauguration of the Economic Forum of the Middle East and NorthAfrica, held in Marseille. The speech combined the past with the present and the cultural ties with the political.
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