2025 ACLARS Conference, Ben Guerir, Morocco

The 12th annual African Consortium on Law and Religion Studies (ACLARS) was held from 18-21 May, 2025, at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Ben Guerir, Morocco.

With the theme of "Law, Religion and Work in Africa," the conference attracted over 150 delegates from 21 African countries, as well as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

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Speaking at the opening session, Elder Alfred Kyungu, General Authority Seventy and President of the Africa West Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, thanked the organizers for the opportunity to be at the conference. 

“I am grateful to be gathered with you here at the African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies’ conference on Law, Religion & Work in Africa,” he said. "I want to thank President El Habti of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University for hosting us on their campus as well as all of the organizers who have made this conference possible.”

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“It is significant that we are meeting here in Morocco, which for many centuries has endeavored to be a model for religious and cultural diversity as well as interfaith respect and religious pluralism," Elder Kyungu continued. "It was Morocco who welcomed and provided safe harbor for thousands of Muslims and Jews who fled religious persecution in the Iberian Peninsula during the 15th and 16th centuries."

“In addition to its history of cultivating religious pluralism, Morocco has also been a gathering place for meaningful discussions on law, religion and durable peace for many years," he added. "May we all bring our best efforts to protecting religion and religious people in their labors as a means of bringing peace across Africa.”

A Lahcen Ben Brahim Sguenfle, president of the local Council of Ulamas of the Prefecture of Skhirate-Temara, speaking on the theme of the conference said, "We cannot generate wealth without work. Man is the representative of God on the earth and God has placed him there to manage it without harming it or causing chaos. Our religion teaches us to protect our environment."

Amal Idrissi, professor at the University of Moulay Ismail, spoke on the impact of women in the workplace in Morocco, stating that even though women form 53% of the population of Morocco, their influence in the workplace is still very low. 

“Though there are laws to encourage and protect women in the workplace, laws alone cannot change a society. Strong cultural practices and traditional institutions prevent otherwise good laws from having the desired effect," she said.

The conference is organized in plenaries featuring discussion panels and in discussion sessions. Topics covered in the various sessions include: 

• Law, Religion and Work in Africa – Case Studies, Religious Dress and Holidays in the Workplace
• Law Religion and Church Autonomy - the relationship between Religion and State in Africa
• Child Labor in Africa
• Religious Diversity and Religious Minorities in the Workplace, Exploitation of Women Workers in Africa etc.

The 13th edition of the conference will be held from 17 – 20 May, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda.