Mohamed Kabbaj is Counselor to His Majesty King Mohamed Vl on Economic Affairs. He has held several positions in Morocco's government including Minister of Public Works and later Minister of Finance. Born and raised in Fès, the cultural, intellectual and spiritual cradle of Morocco, he maintains a longstanding interest in nurturing the continuation of those traditions in the ancient city. To this end, he oversees the revitalization of Fès through the Fès Saiss Association, a nonprofit non-governmental social service organization, that is a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Its mission is to contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of the region of Fès and to preserve the historic patrimony of the city, which has been a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site since 1976. In recognition of its programs, the United Nations designated the Fès-Saïss Association a "Messenger of Peace" in September 1989. Together with Faouzi Skali, Mohamed founded the Fès Festival of World Sacred Music.