Rome, 9 Nov. (AKI) - Cultural dialogue is essential for democracy and freedom, leading Moroccan-French author Tahar Ben Jelloun has told Adnkronos International (AKI). Ben Jelloun was in Rome at the weekend to collect the Koine prize at the 15th Mediterranean Film Festival in the Italian capital.

"Cultural dialogue is not just a word but means working, collaborating, living together," he told AKI.

"The basis of dialogue is recognising the right of others to exist when they have different ideas from our own. Without debate, there can be no democracy or liberty," said Jelloun.

Jelloun has written dozens of books that have been published in French, including 'Racism explained to my daughter'.

He said cinema played an important role because it created a "universal language" and expressed "the fantasies of artists and creative individuals".

"Images speak for themselves and through them the spectator can enter into another world, where at times you find the same problems that we experience in our own lives," he stated.

Creativity and innovation are the focus of this year's MedFilm Festival which opened in Rome on 7 November. A total of 150 films will be featured at the 15th annual festival.