Pal est ine ▁and ▁Israel ) ▁and ▁to ▁help ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁better ▁understanding ▁and ▁mut ual ▁respect ▁between ▁Islam ▁and ▁the ▁Western ▁World . ▁ ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Foundation ▁of ▁the ▁Three ▁Cult ures ▁and ▁the ▁Three ▁Relig ions ▁based ▁in ▁Se ville ▁( Sp ain ) ▁he ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁found ers ▁of ▁the ▁Al adin ▁Group ▁( Par is ) ▁created ▁to ▁promote ▁mut ual ▁knowledge ▁and ▁inter c ult ural ▁relations ▁among ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁Jews . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Az oul ay ▁was ▁also ▁nominated ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁" High ▁Level ▁Group " ▁for ▁the ▁" Al liance ▁of ▁Civil izations , ▁set ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁Inst ig ated ▁by ▁Spain ▁and ▁co - sp ons ored ▁by ▁Turkey , ▁this ▁initi ative ▁is ▁address ing ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁the ▁relations ▁between ▁Islam ▁and ▁the ▁Western ▁world . ▁ ▁In ▁this ▁context , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁ 5 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁re elect ed ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Euro - Med iter rane an ▁Anna ▁Lind h ▁Foundation , ▁and ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Council ▁for ▁Culture ▁( Par is ) ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Board ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Study ▁and ▁Research ▁Center ▁( Mar se ille ) ▁the ▁Y ala ▁online ▁leadership ▁Academy ▁and ▁the ▁Institut ▁de ▁Pro s pective ▁et ▁d ’