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Morocco fair promotes food self-sufficiency; ‘Green Plan’ a model for region – Reuters

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Agriculture trade fair in central Moroccan city of Meknes gives countries a chance to share expertise, as many aim to become self-sufficient in food production. Since the launch of Morocco’s ‘Green Plan’ in 2008, the North African nation has managed to achieve a high level of food security. (Reuters)

Agriculture trade fair in central Moroccan city of Meknes lets countries share expertise, as many aim to become self-sufficient in food production. Since the launch of Morocco’s ‘Green Plan’ in 2008, the North African nation has achieved a high level of food security. Reuters

 

“What we seek today is to develop our agriculture to achieve food security and to be self-sufficient… This is why we came here to Morocco, to be inspired by the Moroccan model which has already shown some very good results in the space of five years.”

–Exhibitor from Gabon, which imports 95% of its food.

 

Reuters/Al Arabiya (Meknes, Morocco, April 28, 2013) — For the eighth year in a row, the central Moroccan city of Meknes hosted its annual agriculture event, attracting over 1,000 exhibitors from around the world. This year’s International Agriculture Fair focused on food security and self-sufficiency, as many countries seek to reduce their dependence on imported foods.

Morocco has had its ‘Green Plan’ in place since 2008, which set out to develop the agriculture and food production sectors in the country. Part of this involves making better quality food more readily available.

“We have to improve our production because the Moroccan market is growing. This is why we should satisfy it. We also have to improve our products because one of the objectives of the Moroccan Green Plan is to guarantee food for 33 million Moroccans at a good price and of high quality,” said agriculture and fisheries minister Aziz Akhenouch.

King Mohammed VI, with Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, inaugurates 8th International Agricultural Fair in Meknes, Morocco. More than 900 exhibitors from 40 countries took part in the April 24-28 event.

King Mohammed VI, with Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, opens International Agricultural Fair in Meknes, Morocco. More than 900 exhibitors from 40 countries took part in April 24-28 event.

Currently in Morocco, agriculture — some of it in the form of rudimentary and subsistence farming, and highly vulnerable to the vagaries of rainfall — employs about 40 percent of the workforce of over 11 million people. Rabat said the sector has developed rapidly over the past few years, as the Green Plan has led to huge investment and an increase in the amount of cultivatable land.

The result has been a spike in output, with Morocco producing significantly more citrus fruit, cereals, wheat and olives than it did in 2008. It’s an initiative that has not gone unnoticed by other countries who are hoping to follow Morocco’s example.

“What we seek today is to develop our agriculture to achieve food security and to be self-sufficient. It’s a political and social objective for our country. This is why we came here to Morocco, to be inspired by the Moroccan model which has already shown some very good results in the space of five years,” said Patrick Mba Bekoung, an exhibitor from Gabon, which imports 95 percent of its food.

Morocco's King Mohammed VI and Gabonese President sampling offerings at International Agricultural Fair in Meknes.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, Gabonese President sample offerings at Fair in Meknes.

Morocco’s ambitious Green Plan is set to run until 2018 at a cost of one billion Moroccan dirhams a year (an estimated US 117 million dollars). But although the country has managed to achieve a high level of food security in recent years, some products, such as sugar, still need to be imported.

Neighboring Tunisia, with its rapidly growing population, faces similar issues. “Food security has been one of the main objectives for agriculture development schemes in Tunisia for decades. We managed to reach self-sufficiency in some products such as milk and some kinds of meat but we are still making efforts to attain this self-sufficiency in other products, such as wheat and some other products,” said Adel Labben from the Tunisian Agency for the Promotion of Investments in Agriculture.

Exhibitors from European countries attended the fair to exhibit the latest innovations in farming and food production. Dynagri, a company specializing in potato and corn production, said modern technology could be used to adapt crops to grow successfully in a particular climate.

“The main objective for us is to provide some varieties with a high yield that can adapt to the climate in the Mediterranean region. We are aiming to reach self-sufficiency and improve the quality of the food while reducing the cost. Efficiency is based on productivity and also on marketing,” said the company’s manager, Lachen Abdane.

The Meknes fair ran from 24 – 28 April.



Casablanca Museum of Moroccan Judaism Renovated – Middle East Confidential

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Museum of Moroccan-Judiasm in Casablanca

Museum of Moroccan-Judaism in Casablanca

 

Middle East Confidential, by Peter Mulvany (Washington, DC, April 29, 2013) — After months of renovation work, the Casablanca-based Museum of Moroccan Judaism, the only institution of its kind in the Arab world, was reopened to the public earlier this month.

The reopening ceremony was attended by Moroccan government officials and the museum President Jaques Toledano.

The museum displays photos of synagogues from across the kingdom, Torah scrolls and Chanukah lamps, gold embroidered caftans, jewels, ancient rugs and objects of Jewish-Moroccan cultural heritage.

Founded over 15 years ago by the Jewish community of Casablanca, the museum was later managed by the Foundation of Moroccan Judaism that was chaired by Simon Levy who passed away in 2011.

Morocco has launched a large scale project to refurbish synagogues and other Jewish monuments that bear, as put by King Mohammed VI during the inauguration last February of the refurbished Slat al Fassiyine Synagogue in Fez, “eloquent testimony to the spiritual wealth and diversity of Morocco and its heritage.”

In a message read out on his behalf during the inauguration ceremony of Slat al Fassiyine Synagogue, the King reiterated Morocco’s commitment to religious freedom and tolerance, enshrined in the new Moroccan Constitution and emphasized the importance of the country’s three-thousand-year Jewish legacy.

The King of Morocco has also helped finance the rehabilitation of a long-neglected Jewish burial plot in Praia, the capital city of Cape Verde.

The cemetery is due to be dedicated on May 2 in the presence of Cape Verde Jews’ descendants from Europe, the United States and other parts of the world. André Azoulay, advisor to King Mohammed VI is also expected to attend the dedication ceremony.

Several hundred Jews from Morocco reportedly immigrated to Cape Verde in the 19th century and played a key role in the economic development of the country. Many succeeded to climb the ladder and take up governmental positions.


Peace Corps volunteer from U. of Missouri makes an impact helping women in Morocco

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U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Cara Stuckel smiles with a group of women from Morocco. “I’ll definitely go back,” Stuckel said. “A big part of my growing happened when I was there, so it’s sort of integral to who I am right now.” Cara Stuckel/Missourian Reader

U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Cara Stuckel smiles with a group of women from Morocco. “I’ll definitely go back,” Stuckel said. “A big part of my growing happened when I was there, so it’s sort of integral to who I am right now.” Cara Stuckel/Missourian Reader

Columbia Missourian, by Melissa Gilstrap/Missourian Reader (April 28, 2013) — Two years spent away from home could make anyone feel homesick, but add being in a foreign country almost 5,000 miles away, where modern conveniences like running water and wooden floors are luxuries, and the experience can be downright hard.

Cara Stuckel, however, chose to look at the best of this very situation during her 27-month stay in the Kingdom of Morocco as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer.

“The first village I lived in, I lived in a rock house,” Stuckel said. “I did not have running water, I had really sporadic electricity, I didn’t have any cell phone service — which was actually pretty great because I read a lot, and I watched a lot of movies, and I got to know the people in my village really well.”

Stuckel has returned from her trip and is now in her first year of law school at the University of Missouri. She earned her bachelor’s degree in soil, environmental and atmospheric sciences from the University of Missouri in 2009.

She first received news of her acceptance into the highly selective Peace Corps during her senior year at Mizzou. Less than a year later, in March of 2010, Stuckel was on a plane heading toward Tiznit, Morocco, a city of 50,000 in the southern region of the country.

In the nearby rural village of Ait Erkha, Stuckel began work in community-based environmental education, where she helped empower members of the community and improve living conditions. She and other Peace Corps Volunteers taught literacy classes for women and children, educated women during a women’s empowerment day, supported a local women’s cooperative and participated in a stream cleanup.

“I brought in a female attorney from a bigger town, and she talked about women’s rights under this code of women’s rights in Morocco,” Stuckel said. “We ended up having 80 women there. I didn’t even know there were 80 women who lived in our village. I couldn’t believe how many people were there.”

At the start of her journey, Stuckel knew almost no Talsheet or Moroccan Arabic— the two local languages spoken in Ait Erkha. Because Talsheet has never been written down and is strictly a spoken language, the only way to learn it is through practice.

By the time she had moved to Anezi, Morocco a year and half into her service, Stuckel was practically fluent.

“My language got really good, really fast,” she said.

In Anezi, Stuckel and other Peace Corps Volunteers focused on getting running water to the rural community, where villagers previously had to walk miles to get to the nearest source of drinkable water.

“Every house would have to pay a certain fee, basically, to get the pipes laid to their particular house, and most of the people in these villages couldn’t afford that,” Stuckel said. “So we ended up raising enough money to get the pipes installed to 19 houses in the one village and 23 houses in the other village.”

After another nine months in Anezi, Stuckel made the journey back home. After being accepted into more than 10 law schools, she had another big decision to make.

“I was pretty intent on going somewhere else for law school. I already did my undergrad here (at MU), and it was great. How do you top that?” she said. “I got to the (MU) Law School, and I was like this is where I want to go.”

Her experience helping women in Morocco made her realize she could make a difference through law.

“I think I really knew I wanted to go to law school after Peace Corps when I was doing a lot of the women’s development stuff,” Stuckel said. “Just because I had seen how much those rights that had been given to those women had meant to a lot of people in the community.”

After graduating, Stuckel said she would most likely apply to the U.S. Foreign Service. She would like to work in state-based policy development or in a law firm. But, no matter what career she pursues, she won’t forget her time in Morocco.

“I’ll definitely go back,” Stuckel said. “A big part of my growing happened when I was there, so it’s sort of integral to who I am right now.”

Melissa Gilstrap is a senior at Mizzou, majoring in journalism and English. She is also a student communications assistant in the MU Office of Undergraduate Studies and she was formerly a Missourian reporter in the fall of 2011.


Culture: Bay St. Louis gets taste of exotic with ‘Morocco in Mississippi’– Biloxi Sun Herald

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Artwork from Lori K. Gordon’s "Maghreb: Images of Morocco"was featured at Gallery 220 during the 'Morocco in Mississippi' event in Bay St. Louis from noon until 7 p.m. today. Courtesy of Lori K. Gordon

Artwork from Lori K. Gordon’s ‘Maghreb: Images of Morocco’ was featured at Gallery 220 during the ‘Morocco in Mississippi’ event in Bay St. Louis from noon until 7 p.m. Courtesy Lori K. Gordon

 

Biloxi Sun Herald, by Cecily Cummings — Special to the Sun Herald (April 24, 2013) — A taste of the exotic was in Bay St. Louis from noon until 7 p.m. with “Morocco in Mississippi,” a gala in Old Town Bay St. Louis to benefit Six Degrees Consortium and Starfish Café.

Amidst the authentic North African music and food tastings, the gala marked the premiere showing of Lori K. Gordon’s new series, “Maghreb: Images of Morocco.”

In 2011, she began exhibiting “Six Degrees,” a body of work inspired by trips to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Haiti. “Maghreb” is the latest in the series and features photography, digital imaging, paper-and-fabric collage and acrylic painting techniques.

“During my travels, I was reminded once again of the notion that all people are at most six steps away from any other person on earth,” she said, adding she was amazed by that interconnectedness and its profound effects on human societies.

Gordon founded Six Degrees Consortium with its mission of enabling “the creation and dissemination of socially relevant artwork.” The organization is a registered Mississippi corporation and is awaiting the confirmation of nonprofit status.

“Morocco in Mississippi” took place on the 200 block of Main Street in Bay St. Louis and involved the participation of three businesses.

Gallery 220 hosted Gordon’s exhibition of “Maghreb.” Moroccan-inspired cocktails were offered to accompany the music of North Africa, and a henna artist was on site. Raffle tickets for a silk Berber carpet valued at $300 were also on sale.

Across the street at 213 Main, French Potager hosted a day-long Berber Market.

Treasures from Africa and the Middle East were featured, as well as signed prints of Gordon’s work.

Next door at 211 Main Street, the Starfish Café served a Moroccan meal for $10 a plate.

Sardine crostini, chicken with preserved lemons, tahini pasta and mint green beans were accompanied by mint tea, and a dessert offering of a figgy or fudge sundae was available for an extra charge.

Meal proceeds will benefit the café, which is a project of Pneuma Winds of Hope.

The Bay St. Louis-based nonprofit offers a 16-week restaurant training program for young adults to explore culinary arts; gain life skills through life coaching, financial literacy and GED; and learn from Pneuma community volunteers.


Culture: Rihanna to headline opening night at Morocco’s Mawazine festival – May 24

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Rihanna, R & B and pop superstar and 7-time Grammy winner, will be the main attraction on opening night of this year's Mawazine music festival in Rabat, Morocco.

Diamond World Tour comes to Rabat:  Rihanna, R & B and pop superstar and 7-time Grammy winner, will be the main attraction on opening night of this year’s Mawazine music festival in Rabat, Morocco.

 

UPDATE — Click here for full Mawazine program

Mawazine Festival (Rabat, Morocco, April 30, 2013) — Music superstar Rihanna is performing on opening night for the 12th Edition of the Mawazine Festival, Rhythms of the World, Friday May 24th, 2013 on the stage of the OLM Souissi in Rabat. The R & B and pop icon’s performance before an estimated crowd of more than 70,000, will be part of her Diamonds World Tour, which is currently on tour in North America.

Winner of seven Grammy Awards, Rihanna is currently dominating worldwide charts with the new title Diamonds, and the single from her seventh album Unapologetic has helped Rihanna win the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for the 12th time.

She currently holds the record for the best-selling digital artist of all times, and Forbes magazine has named Rihanna #1 worldwide on social networks, with more than 2.9 billion pages viewed on YouTube / Vevo, more than 63 million fans on Facebook, and over 27 million followers on Twitter.

 

Rihanna performed in a Bob Marley musical tribute at the 2013 Grammy Awards on Sunday (February 10) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Rihanna performed in Bob Marley tribute at 2013 Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 10) in L.A.

 

Each spring in May, the Mawazine Festival has rocked Rabat to the sounds of music from the four corners of the Earth, including exceptional artists such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Shakira, Mika, Sugababes, Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue, LMFAO, Pitbull, and Alicia Keys.

Rihanna won her 7th Grammy award at the 55th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, for Best Short Form Music Video, with “We Found Love.”

 

Rihanna in her music video for "Diamonds." NY Daily News

Rihanna in her music video for “Diamonds.”  NY Daily News

 

Mawazine this year will take place from the May 24th to June 1st.  Below is a list of the performers confirmed for the various Mawazine venues. 

For more details on the program, go to the Mawazine website.

International stars in OLM Souissi stage:

Rihanna will open the festival as a part of her (Diamonds World Tour), then Jessie J (Nice to Meet You Tour), MIKA, Sexion d’Assaut, The Jacksons (Unity Tour), David Guetta, Deep Purple (Now What? World Tour), Enrique Iglesias during his (Enrique Iglesias India Tour) feauturing the Moroccan-Swedish pop star Loreen, the international k-pop icon PSY is the opening act for the last night of the festival and finally rumours for AbdelMounaim Benakki, Taio Cruz the last date is still to announce.

Arab stars in Nahda stage:

Mouhcine Salahdine, Sherine Abdel Wahab, Farid Ghennam, Bouchra Khalid, Mohamed Mounir, Rabab, Cheb Mami, Abed, Najwa Karam, Zakaria Ghafouli, Assi El Hellani, Mourad Bouriki, Shada Hassoun, Ahlam, Hatim Ammor, Hoda Saad, Leila Al Maghribiya , Ahmed Chawki, Tamer Hosni.

Moroccan scene in Salé stage:

Siham, Jil Ghiwan Jalal, Ghiwane Salwan, LooNope, Jbara, Mjid Bekkas, Aouatif, Mohamed Anbari, Fatim Zahra Laaroussi, Atika Ammar, Numedia et Mallal, Izenzaren Abdelhadi, M.boy, Barry, Casa Crew, Hamid Kasri, Chaht Man, H-Kayne, Don Bigg, Ben Moussa, Hajib, Rachid Lamrini, Mohammed Iskandar , Najat Atabou, Tarik Laamirat,Said Mouskir, Hamid Hadri.

Other stars other stages:

Haj Youness, Amir Ali, Leila Lamrini, Tinariwen, African United, Gnawa Diffusion, Amadou & Meriem, Blitz The Ambassador, George Benson, Bond Girls, Sandra Nkaké, Lotfi Bouchnak, Abdelwahab Doukkali, Patrizia Laquidara, Ensemble Dragon.


Testament to Jewish life in Morocco: Museum of Moroccan Judaism in Casablanca – Haaretz

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**As Diaspora communities shrink, preserving Jewish centers and sites is key to ensure memories of Jewish communities live on, to serve as a bridge between Jews and non-Jews**

Reminiscing about the old days.

Reminiscing about the old days.

Haaretz, by Yael Miller / Jewish World blogger (Washington, DC, May 2, 2013) — The Museum of Moroccan Judaism re-opened last month following renovations, and I couldn’t have been happier at the news. Located in Casablanca, the museum is the only one of its kind in the Arab world, and stands among just a few other memorials of its kind in the Middle East.

Yael Miller / Jewish World blogger

Yael Miller / Jewish World blogger

Once numbering around 300,000, the current Moroccan Jewish population currently stands at 5,000 and is dominated mostly by older generations who have lived in the country for decades. At its peak, Jews represented about 10 percent of Morocco’s total population. The majority of the Jewish population left during Israel’s War of Independence and the Six Day war, fearing an outburst of violence toward them.

I was fortunate enough to have spent a month with a Jewish family in Marrakesh, Morocco about seven years ago during my undergraduate studies. I came to the country for the purposes of studying Arabic and Islam, and the program in Morocco, led by a professor who had spent years in the country, gave students the opportunity to participate in a “home-stay”. I stayed with a Jewish family.

Morocco, and particularly Marrakesh, is a glorious assault to the senses: the harried pace of professionals headed to their jobs in the morning; the bursts of horns honking in the streets at all hours of the night; and most deliciously, the wafting smell of grilled meat and bread emanating from the many food stalls scattered along the street and in the markets.

Indeed, while I came to study Islam and Arabic, I learned much about Jews in Morocco and my connection to a broader Jewish community. I was extraordinarily lucky to gain this new, Jewish perspective. Shabbat dinners, for example, to which I had been accustomed to experiencing with Ashkenazi tunes and flavors, became a veritable slew of Moroccan traditions, from the hardboiled egg in the cholent to new tunes for Shabbat songs. Spending time with this family taught me different ways of celebrating holidays and Jewish events in a way that enriched and enhanced my appreciation for the Jewish Diaspora.

My hosts, who stand to date as the most gracious people I have ever met, truly brought me into their family: from sitting in their living room eating dates and walnuts while I heard of the struggles and successes of living in Morocco as a Jew, to the beautiful Shavuot celebration I spent in the mountains of Morocco, I became so much more appreciative of my own Judaism and of how our people, who were so spread throughout the world, were really one community.

Not everyone is as lucky as I was to experience first hand a different Jewish tradition than one’s own. For that reason, I am truly happy that the Museum of Moroccan Judaism is open once again. It stands as an important testament to the vivacity and tenacity of the Jews of Morocco, and also helps to spread understanding about the community’s influence on Moroccan and Jewish history.

A good friend of mine who traveled through northern Iraq showed me pictures of an extraordinarily old synagogue he saw during his trip. In his photos were talitot strewn on the ground, walls crumbing, and the entire grounds of the building in terrible disrepair. It was horrible to see a synagogue that once brimmed with life so dilapidated.

So many historically significant Jewish sites remain underfunded, without any intention to preserve them. By supporting projects like the Moroccan Jewish museum’s renovation, we keep historical sites and memories of Jewish life alive and safe. Just as importantly, or perhaps even more so, Jewish centers, museums, and cultural sites like the one in Casablanca can promote understanding and tolerance by presenting apolitical information on Jewish life to all who visit. Thus, new generations of Moroccans can learn and understand that Jews are not only those who live in Israel today, but were once the neighbors of their parents and grandparents.

As Diaspora communities shrink worldwide, we must do our best to ensure their memories live on.

Yael Miller is a professional working in International Affairs in Washington, D.C.


Morocco helps restore Africa Jewish Heritage In Cape Verde – NPR (listen to audio)

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Girls play in a street near Praia in the Cape Verde islands on June 5, 2005. Steps show Jewish heritage on islands. (AFP, Alexander Joe)

Girls play in street near Praia, Cape Verde islands. Steps lead to Jewish cemetery. (AFP)


 

**Click here to listen to interview*

 

National Public Radio, Tell Me More, with host Michel Martin (Washington, DC, May 2, 2013) — You may not know much about the country of Cape Verde; it’s a group of islands off the coast of West Africa. But you may be surprised that many Cape Verdeans have Jewish ancestry.

Carol Castiel and Salamiths Spencer at Jewish cemetery on Cape Verde Islands

Carol Castiel and Salamiths Spencer at Jewish cemetery on Cape Verde Islands

Host Michel Martin speaks with Carol Castiel, founder of the Cape Verde Jewish Heritage Project, about efforts to restore Jewish burial grounds in the country.

Castiel and dignitaries  from a number of countries are in Praia in the Cape Verde islands today for the re-dedication of one of the Jewish burial grounds.

In her interview, Castiel thanks those who have made the restoration possible, in particular Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.  Castiel says:

“We find it very symbolic and important that a Muslim monarch saw fit to support restoring Jewish heritage in a predominantly Catholic country.  We just think this is a message that has to go out to the world.”

For more on the story, click here for recent reports by AFP and JTA.

The full transcript of the Tell Me More interview will be posted when it is available.

 


Jewish burial site restored off African coast, with support of Morocco King – JTA

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Entrance to Jewish cemetery in Cape Verde

Entrance to Jewish cemetery in Cape Verde

Jewish Telegraphic Agency/ JTA, by Cnaan Liphshiz (Praia, Cape Verde, May 3, 2013) — A Jewish burial plot in the island state of Cape Verde was rededicated with help from the king of Morocco.

About 100 people attended the re-dedication ceremony Thursday.

“The support of King Mohammed VI to this project is representative of Morocco’s attachment to the preservation of its patrimony — Arab, Jewish or Berber,” Andre Azoulay, the king’s Jewish advisor, said in a statement read during the ceremony by Abdellah Boutadghart, a Moroccan diplomat.

Carol Castiel and Salamiths Spencer at Jewish cemetery on Cape Verde Islands

Carol Castiel and Salamiths Spencer at Jewish cemetery on Cape Verde 

Several hundred Moroccan Jews settled in Cape Verde off the Senegalese coast in the 19th century, when it was still a Portuguese colony. The community has since disappeared, but the Moroccan government has been a “major benefactor” of heritage preservation efforts, according to Carol Castiel of the Cape Verde Jewish Heritage Project.

“Just imagine, a Muslim king contributing to a Jewish project in a Christian country. I think it says it all,” Castiel said.

Situated in the heart of the Cape Verde’s largest cemetery, the Jewish burial plot is set apart by a low-hanging chain that encircles its ten restored headstones, the oldest dating back to 1864. The rededication ceremony was concluded with a prayer by Eliezer Di Martino, the rabbi of the Jewish Community of Lisbon.

“It was a very moving and surreal event,” one of the project’s Jewish supporters, the Casablanca-born American businessman Marc Avissar, told JTA.

The project has so far cost about $125,000 but may end up costing three times that amount as efforts continue to restore additional Jewish heritage sites in other parts of Cape Verde, a republic made up of 10 islands.



Culture: Moroccan Haute Couture dazzles audience – Al Arabiya/Reuters

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Caftan, one of the most prestigious events in the traditional Moroccan Haute Couture calendar, takes place in Marrakech and requires months of meticulous preparations from the designers who take part in it. (Reuters)

Caftan, one of the most prestigious events in the traditional Moroccan Haute Couture calendar, takes place in Marrakech and requires months of meticulous preparations from designers. Reuters

 

**The 17th edition of the prestigious Caftan fashion show in Marrakech centered around the theme “Women of Legend” for 2013**

Al Arabiya/Reuters (Marrakech, Morocco, Sunday, May 5, 2013) — The 17th edition of Caftan, one of the most prestigious events in the traditional Moroccan Haute Couture, dazzled a select audience in Marrakech on Saturday.

Every year fifteen fashion designers are selected from 50 candidates who send in their portfolios and CVs to the organizers. The chosen ones are then given four months to prepare their collection which needs to be made up of eight caftans.

The two-hour show required months of meticulous preparations, and taking part in Caftan was a nerve-racking experience even for the most seasoned fashion designers.

Top fashion designer Meriyem Boussikouk has 20 years of experience in the industry. Yet she said she was still nervous about how the public would react to her new collection.

“We have been nervous since we started preparing for the show, and our nerve grows as the event gets nearer because we are not sure about ourselves 100 percent. There are new creations as well as new ideas we want to propose to the public, and we are not sure about the reaction (it’ll get). Will the public accept or reject what we offer?” she told Reuters from her workshop in Casablanca.

The theme chosen by this year’s event organizers, a Fashion magazine called FDM, or Femmes du Maroc, was “Women of Legend”. The designers were to be inspired by a variety of women who made history for a variety of reasons, such as Audrey Hepburn, Umm Kulthum, Cleopatra. Coco Chanel and Marilyn Monroe among others.

The show’s producer said the goal was to pay tribute to these fascinating women who seemed to have had everything: beauty, power, talent, knowledge and glory.

“We chose the theme of ‘Women of legend’ because it inspires fashion designers. These women have always been full women (the embodiment of womanhood). In the Moroccan history, we took Kahina. We also chose Umm Kulthum, Marilyn Monroe and other women. The most important thing is that women are not there just to complement men. At the same time, we revisited the history of Morocco as well as the world’s history to put women up front. What can you find more beautiful than a caftan to showcase women?”, said show producer Khalid Bazizd.

Each edition of Caftan has a guest of honor, and this year it was the turn of the French-Lebanese designer Dany Atrache.

“I came to Morocco to learn how Moroccans work on this traditional garment, because there is a lot of work involved in it and also it is made in a special way,” said Atrache.

“We cannot call it a designer piece because a designer piece is linked to fashion that changes every six months. Here, we are talking of a traditional garment that is centuries old yet, it looks as new. It is not easy to reach this level of perfection,” he added.

The audience was entertained by colourful dance sequences inspired by Coco Chanel, Marie Antoinette and Marilyn Monroe.

“I will show off all these women through choreography and acting. What strikes me most is the beauty. For me, all women are beautiful regardless of their shape. They could be tall, short or fat, they are always beautiful,” explained Moroccan choreographer Malika Zaidi, whose dance troupe dazzled the crowd.

The caftan is a garment that has been around for centuries, and shows such as Caftan allow it to be regularly reinvented and remain appreciated in today’s fashion world.

 

 


Morocco’s Jewish heritage – Interview: Samy Ymar, Magen David Sephardic Congregation

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“The warmth that we find in Moroccan houses—it’s something that we don’t find in any other culture.”

—Samy Ymar, with Magen David Sephardic Congregation.

 

Morocco on the Move (Washington, DC, May 7, 2013) — For Jewish American Heritage Month, Morocco on the Move interviews Samy Ymar, a founder of the Washington, DC area synagogue, Magen David Sephardic Congregation, on his experience being part of the Moroccan-American Jewish community.

 

Washington-DC area synagogue Magen David Sephardic Congregation

Washington-DC area synagogue Magen David Sephardic Congregation

 

 


Marrakech, Fez, Tangier & so much more…10 things to know before visiting Morocco – CNN

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Writers, rock stars, eccentrics flocked to Tangier cafés in first half of 20th century. Cliffside Café Hafa overlooks Strait of Gibraltar, was favorite hangout of famous Tangier expat, Beat writer Paul Bowles.

Writers, rock stars, eccentrics flocked to Tangier cafés in first half of 20th century. Cliffside Café Hafa overlooks Strait of Gibraltar, was favorite hangout of famous Tangier expat, Beat writer Paul Bowles.

 

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Cafés are where Moroccan men socialize, gathering to drink sweet mint tea

  • Cumin is used to flavor everything from tagines to mechoui

  • Train company ONCF operates one of the best train networks in Africa

  • Morocco’s souks teem with hagglers, hustlers, mule-drivers and motor scooters

CNN, by Lara Brunt (May 8, 2013) — Rainbows of color, spice-market smells, an urban orchestra of sounds: Morocco can be overwhelming at first. Lying 13 kilometers, or 8 miles, from the coast of Spain, the North African country mixes Middle Eastern magic, Berber tradition and European flair.

Tourism has more than doubled since 2002, to nearly 10 million visitors in 2011. King Mohammed VI wants to increase the annual visitor numbers to 18 million by 2020. The royal ruler’s strategy is underpinned by infrastructure development, making traveling around the country even easier.

Add to this a program of ongoing social, political and economic reforms, and Morocco is one of the most moderate and peaceful countries in the region.

Cafes dominate life in Tangier

Cafes are the key place to socialize, for Moroccan men at least. They gather to drink sweet mint tea and watch people as they go about their affairs.

The northern port city of Tangier has a history of literary bohemianism and illicit goings-on, thanks to its status as an International Zone from 1923 to 1956.

The Interzone years, and the heady decades that followed, saw writers, rock stars and eccentrics flock to the city’s 800-plus cafés.

Two must-visit spots: Cafe Hafa (Ave Hadi Mohammed Tazi), overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar, was a favorite hangout of Tangier’s most famous expat, Beat writer Paul Bowles.

Smoky and slightly edgy, Cafe Baba (1 rue Sidi-Hosni) is the coolest spot in the Kasbah. A photo of Keith Richards, kif-pipe in hand, still adorns the grimy walls.

Most mosques are off-limits to non-Muslims

The towering Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims.

Towering Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is one of few in Morocco open to non-Muslims.

Nearly 99% of the population is Muslim, and hearing the muezzin’s melodic call to prayer for the first time is a spine-tingling moment.

While very few Moroccan mosques are open to non-Muslims, one exception is the towering Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca (Blvd Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah; +212 522 22 25 63).

Located on a promontory over the Atlantic Ocean, the mosque was completed in 1993 and can hold 105,000 worshipers inside and out.

Tradition and technology sit side by side, with colorful zellij (mosaic tiles), intricate stucco and carved cedar complementing the retractable roof and heated flooring.

If you can’t make it to Casa, Marrakech’s 16th-century Ali ben Youssef madrassa-turned-museum (Pl Ben Youssef; +212 524 44 18 93) is open to all and also features impressive Islamic design.

Multilingual Moroccans will put you to shame

Arabic is the official language, but you'll also hear French, Spanish and various dialects.

Arabic is the official language, but you’ll also hear French, Spanish and various dialects.

Arabic is the official language, but you’ll also hear French, Spanish, Berber and various dialects.

Moroccans switch languages mid-sentence, reflecting the cultures — Berber, Arab, French and Spanish — that have crisscrossed the country.

Arabic is the official language, and you’ll hear the Moroccan dialect, Darija, spoken on the street.

French continues to be widely spoken in cities; foreigners are often addressed in this first. Spanish is still spoken in Tangier.

There are also three main dialects spoken by the country’s Berber majority: Tashelhit, Tamazight and Tarifit.

You’ll be able to get by with English in the main tourist hubs, although “La, shukran” (“No, thank you” in Arabic) is one phrase to master.

Don’t get stuck in Marrakech

The Roman ruins of Volubilis can be found in Morocco's holiest town, Moulay Idriss.

The Roman ruins of Volubilis can be found in Morocco’s holiest town, Moulay Idriss.

Marrakech is justifiably popular, but there’s so much more.

Fez tops the list for its maze-like medina, fabulous foodie scene and annual Festival of World Sacred Music.

For a slice of the Sahara, there’s the desert town of Merzouga, near the impressive Erg Chebbi sand dunes, accessible via camel treks.

Active types can hike between Berber villages in the High Atlas or head to the blue-hued Andalusian town of Chefchaouen to explore the Rif Mountains.

Beach bums will love laid-back Essaouira and Sidi Ifni on the Atlantic coast, while surfers often head south to Taghazout.

For quiet contemplation, Morocco’s holiest town, Moulay Idriss, is hard to beat. Plus, you’ll have the nearby Roman ruins of Volubilis pretty much to yourself.

If you don’t like cumin, you may starve

Cumin is one of the main spices used to flavor pretty much everything in Moroccan cooking. It's also a popular natural remedy for upset stomachs.

Cumin is one of the main spices used to flavor pretty much everything in Moroccan cooking. It’s also a popular natural remedy for upset stomachs.

Cumin is one of the main spices used in Moroccan cooking. This pungent powder is used to flavor everything from tagines to mechoui (slow-roasted lamb).

Cumin is used as a condiment on most Moroccan tables, along with salt and chili. It’s also a popular natural remedy for diarrhea.

“Cumin has anti-parasitical properties, so if you’ve got an upset tummy, a spoonful of cumin knocked back with water will help,” said food guide Gail Leonard with Plan-It Fez.

Trains are cheap, comfortable and reliable

First class train travel in Morocco is affordable and worth it. Just be prepared to share your food.

First class train travel in Morocco is affordable and worth it. Just be prepared to share your food.

First class train travel in Morocco is affordable and worth it. Just be prepared to share your food.

Train company ONCF operates one of the best train networks in Africa, making it the easiest way to travel between cities.

It’s worth paying extra for first class, which comes with a reserved seat and A/C.

First class carriages have six-seat compartments or open-plan seating. Stock up on snacks, or buy them onboard, as it’s customary to share food.

When it comes to traveling to smaller towns and villages, buses and grand taxis, usually old Mercedes sedans that can seat six (at a squash), are best.

Couscous is served on Fridays

Proper couscous takes time to prepare, so in Morocco it's usually saved for Fridays, when families gather. It's pale, deliciously creamy and served with vegetables and/or meat or fish.

Proper couscous takes time to prepare, so in Morocco it’s usually saved for Fridays, when families gather. It’s pale, deliciously creamy and served with vegetables and/or meat or fish.

You’ll see it on every restaurant menu, but traditionally, couscous is served on Fridays, when families gather after prayers.

This is because the proper (not packet) stuff takes a long time to prepare.

Coarse semolina is hand-rolled into small granules to be steamed and fluffed three times. It’s pale in color, deliciously creamy and served with vegetables and/or meat or fish.

Bread is the staple carb and is served with every meal, except couscous.

It’s baked in communal wood-fired ovens, one of five amenities found in every neighborhood (the others being a hammam, or bathhouse; a drinking fountain; a mosque and a preschool).

Riad rooftops rock

The traditional Moroccan house (riad) comes with the perfect sunset terrace, which often serves as a place to hang the laundry. Visitors will find views of the Atlas Mountains from atop the luxurious digs at La Sultana in Marrakech.

Traditional Moroccan house (riad) comes with perfect sunset terrace, often serves as place to hang laundry. Visitors will find views of Atlas Mountains atop luxurious digs at La Sultana, Marrakech.

The traditional Moroccan house (riad) is built around a central courtyard with windows facing inwards for privacy.

They’re decked out with elaborate zellij, stucco and painted cedar and are easily the most atmospheric places to stay.

While Moroccans tend to use their rooftops as clotheslines, a riad roof terrace is the place to be come sunset.

In Marrakech, Italian-designed Riad Joya (Derb El Hammam, Mouassine Quarter; +212 524 391 624; www.riadjoya.com) has prime views of the Koutoubia Mosque minaret, while five-star La Sultana (403 rue de la Kasbah; +212 524 388 008; www.ghotw.com/la-sultana) overlooks the Atlas Mountains.

Top picks in Fez are the bohemian Riad Idrissy (13 Derb Idrissi, Sieje, Sidi Ahmed Chaoui, +212 649 191 410; www.riadidrissy.com) and its suntrap terrace, while Dar Roumana (30 Derb el Amer, Zkak Roumane; +212 535 741 637; www.darroumana.com) has sweeping views of the world’s largest living medieval Islamic city.

When you hear ‘balak!’ watch out

The narrow streets of Morocco's souks are filled with hagglers, hustlers, mule-drivers and motor scooters. Shouts of "Balak!" mean watch out.

The narrow streets of Morocco’s souks are filled with hagglers, hustlers, mule-drivers and motor scooters. Shouts of “Balak!” mean watch out.

The narrow streets of Morocco’s souks are filled with hagglers, hustlers, mule-drivers and motor scooters.

Morocco’s souks are not for the faint-hearted. The narrow streets teem with hagglers, hustlers, mule-drivers and motor scooters.

Rule No. 1 is to step aside when you hear “Balak!” It means there’s a heavily laden handcart or mule bearing down on you.

You’ll inevitably get lost, as maps don’t usually include the warren of small alleys that make up the medina.

A guide can help you get your bearings and fend off touts, but be aware that anything you buy will have his commission built in to the price.

Alternatively, taking snaps of landmarks with your smartphone can help you find your way back to your accommodation.

It’s not weird to be bathed by a stranger

Never mind Morocco's posh hammams; nothing beats a visit to a no-frills public bathhouse. Just remember to bring your own towel.

Never mind Morocco’s posh hammams; nothing beats a visit to a no-frills public bathhouse. Just remember to bring your own towel.

There are plenty of posh hotel hammams, but nothing beats a visit to a no-frills public bathhouse.

Spotting the entrance can be tricky, as most signs are written in Arabic. Look for a shop selling toiletries or a mosque, as these are usually nearby.

It’s advisable to stock up on black olive oil soap, ghassoul (clay used as hair conditioner), a kiis (exfoliating glove) and a mat to sit on. Visitors need to take their own towels, comb and flip-flops.

Women strip to their knickers (no bra), and men wear underpants. Then you’ll be steamed, scrubbed and pummeled until you’re squeaky clean.


Consensus and capacity-building: Tipping the scales in favor of reform – J. AbiNader

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Jean R. AbiNader, Exec. Dir., Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center

Jean R. AbiNader, Exec. Dir., Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center

MATIC, by Jean R. AbiNader (Washington, DC, May 8, 2013) — After a year away, I returned to Morocco for 10 days. I am sure that I will find the visit both challenging and satisfying. My central interest is to better understand the tangible governance issues facing the PJD-led government. It continues to struggle with advancing its agenda through parliament and achieving a consensus among its coalition partners on policies that effectively attack unemployment, the budget deficit, corruption, and social reforms. Most organic laws required to enable reforms promised in the 2011 constitution are still either being drafted or pushed off to a later agenda. And, as Morocco moves towards implementing its regionalization strategy, there is still a long way to go to enable officials and civil society to acquire the skills associated with effective local government.

Moroccan Parliament AFP/Abdelhak Senna

Moroccan Parliament AFP/Abdelhak Senna

While the policy debates on issues ranging from the latest version of the media law to subsidy and judicial reforms and strengthening protection for whistleblowers are well reported in the press, many critics are claiming that there are few results after 16 months in office. My assumption is that this is politics as usual in any democracy, especially a hybrid like Morocco. But there is more going on here that I want to explore.

In a country where labor issues can bring thousands of people into the streets, it is remarkable, but not surprising, that a common platform addressing labor mobility, training for work, and an open regulatory environment has not been vetted and moved through parliament yet. As in the US, political leaders seem to have a block against cooperating on issues despite the reality that their constituencies voted for change, not for stalemate.

Need to restructure the labor environment to enable workers to acquire skills and access to jobs while employers will benefit from more flexibility in responding to variable market conditions and a reduction in restraints on employee hiring and firing.

Need to restructure labor environment to enable workers to acquire skills, access jobs while employers get more flexibility to meet variable market conditions, fewer restraints on hiring, firing.

Morocco badly needs to restructure the labor environment to enable workers to acquire skills and access to jobs while employers will benefit from more flexibility in responding to variable market conditions and a reduction in restraints on employee hiring and firing. This is not to say that important steps have not already been taken. As I’ve written previously, the government is moving incrementally to improve the labor force by broadening and upgrading technical and vocational training and by setting up a system to certify on-the-job skills acquisition. These steps however have not made a significant dent in the unemployment and underemployment rates.

An equally daunting task is focused on reducing and realigning the government’s subsidies to better serve the less well off in a country where a significant portion of the population is in the informal economy. Today, rich and poor equally benefit from fuel and food subsidies and the government is exploring options that not only relieve human needs but also encourage small business expansion. One proposal that I heard last night is to subsidize small farmers rather than the price of imports to the wholesalers. Of course, I asked if this was just another form of welfare that could grow into corporate subsidies, which like in the US distort market prices. But that is not the approach that Morocco is considering. Greater support to local growers would include training and equipment for better crop practices ranging from higher quality seed and watering to the use of fertilizer and more efficient cultivation, storage, and distribution. This would expand their capacity for more production, new employees, and fresh local supplies to market.

Whether it’s better labor practices or rationalizing subsidies, at the heart of the movement to reform is human development. Last week, I met with Meriam, a very capable, multilingual woman IT graduate from the top school in Morocco. She graduated months ago and still doesn’t have a job. Less than 30 percent of her classmates have found employment. One woman friend found an unpaid internship in Turkey through an organization that places capable graduates, for a fee, in positions scattered around the world. Now, Meriam is seriously looking at a position in India…ironic, isn’t it that Morocco is sending its talented young people, at their own expense, to fuel the IT capabilities of other countries.

I can’t help but put these concerns into a larger context – the daunting challenge of building consensus around reform policies that will benefit Moroccans and the simultaneous need to greatly enlarge capacity building training for the grassroots as well as the managers of Morocco.Morocco The promised policy of regionalization – devolving power to local governments – requires local communities and their leaders to have skills for administration and governance. The demand for more and better jobs requires policies that enable the transformation of a rigid economic regime into a market-friendly, results-driven, equal-opportunity economy that prioritizes achievement over status. Hopefully, in next week’s posting, there will be some success stories that I can share about where Morocco is heading.

Jean R. AbiNader is Executive Director of the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center


Jewish burial site restored off African coast with help from Morocco’s King -Haaretz

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Carole Castiel, president of Cape Verde's Jewish Heritage Project, Praia's mayor Ulisses Correia Silva and Lisbon's Grand Rabbi Eliezer Schai di Martino inaugurate Jewish gravesite. Photo by AFP

Carole Castiel, president, Cape Verde Jewish Heritage Project, Praia mayor Ulisses Correia Silva, Lisbon Grand Rabbi Eliezer Schai di Martino inaugurate Jewish gravesite

 

**While the Jewish-Moroccan community has long since disappeared from Cape Verde, the Moroccan government continues to be a ‘major benefactor’ of heritage preservation efforts on the island**

Haaretz, by JTA, AFP (Praia, Cape Verde, May 9, 2013) — A Jewish burial plot in the island state of Cape Verde was rededicated with help from the king of Morocco. About 100 people attended the rededication ceremony last week.

“The support of King Mohammed VI to this project is representative of Morocco’s attachment to the preservation of its patrimony – Arab, Jewish or Berber,” Andre Azoulay, the king’s Jewish advisor, said in a statement read during the ceremony by Abdellah Boutadghart, a Moroccan diplomat.

Jewish gravesites during their inauguration in the municipal cemetery of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde. AFP

Jewish gravesites during inauguration in municipal cemetery of Praia, capital of Cape Verde. AFP

Several hundred Moroccan Jews settled in Cape Verde off the Senegalese coast in the 19th century, when it was still a Portuguese colony.

The community has since disappeared, but the Moroccan government has been a “major benefactor” of heritage preservation efforts, according to Carol Castiel of the Cape Verde Jewish Heritage Project.

“Just imagine, a Muslim king contributing to a Jewish project in a Christian country. I think it says it all,” Castiel said.

Situated in the heart of the Cape Verde’s largest cemetery, the Jewish burial plot is set apart by a low-hanging chain that encircles its ten restored headstones, the oldest dating back to 1864. The rededication ceremony was concluded with a prayer by Eliezer Di Martino, the rabbi of the Jewish Community of Lisbon.

“It was a very moving and surreal event,” one of the project’s Jewish supporters, the Casablanca-born American businessman Marc Avissar, told JTA.

The project has so far cost about $125,000 but may end up costing three times that amount as efforts continue to restore additional Jewish heritage sites in other parts of Cape Verde, a republic made up of 10 islands.

 


Anthony Bourdain in Tangier, Morocco where eating is spice of life – CNN (Sunday, May 12)

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World-renowned chef, author and Emmy winning television personality Anthony Bourdain visits Tangier, Morocco

World-renowned chef, author and Emmy winning television personality Anthony Bourdain visits Tangier, Morocco.  Airs on CNN on Sunday, May 12, at 9 p.m. ET -  Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

**World-renowned chef, author, Emmy winning TV personality Anthony Bourdain visits Tangier, Morocco in next episode of “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown,” airs Sunday, May 12, at 9 p.m. ET.**

CNN, Eatocracy (Tangier, Morocco, May 9, 2013) — One of the signature photos people always take home with them from Morocco is of heaping piles of spices in a variety of enticing colorful displays. These setups aspire to overwhelm visitors with the enchantment of a new and undiscovered place – and to encourage wide-eyed tourists to part with their dollars.

Diane Rice of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, captured a singular image of one of those remarkably shaped groupings of spice cones, a monument to Morocco’s exotic qualities.

Video of Anthony Bourdain in Tangier Click on photo to play

Video of Anthony Bourdain in TangierClick on photo to play

Spice shops are located all over the place, inviting visitors to try a sniff. Ras el hanout, or “top of the shop,” is the country’s signature spice blend. There may be dozens of ingredients involved, including nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon and cardamom – and everyone has their own variation. It is these same spices that lend Moroccan foods a special flavor.

“I’ve traveled extensively in Europe, but nowhere than can match this experience,” Rice said. “Whatever exotic dream I had of Morocco before I went was more than confirmed.  It was way better than I ever expected, and by far the farthest thing from our life in the U.S. that I have ever visited.”

Rice was visiting her son-in-law’s family in Morocco and wasn’t sure what to expect during her May 2011 trip, but any fears were quickly dissipated by the hospitality – and tastes – she encountered.

Two popular meals are the tajine (or tagine) and the pastilla. The former is a style of slow-cooked stew often filled with meat and vegetables, and is named for the special pot in which it is cooked. The latter is a Moroccan meat pie often made with pigeon or chicken.

“My experience with the food was amazing, but different because I was eating in private homes, prepared by real, traditional Moroccans,” she wrote. “I had every conceivable tajine recipe and loved all of them. I had some clean, lemony salads and some creamy, delicious couscous that I remember vividly.”

Jessie Faller-Parrett of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, shared a photo of the colorful array of vegetable foodstuffs one might find in just one course of a Moroccan meal. Multiple courses with many different components and local breads are common when eating in Morocco.

Like Rice, Faller-Parrett spent time eating with Moroccan locals during her travels, so she also got the non-touristy perspective on food.

Chicken tagine cooked with olives and preserved lemon. Perfect with cous cous.

Chicken tagine cooked with olives and preserved lemon. Perfect with cous cous.

“I was fascinated during one of our first breakfasts, as the hosts at our riad served us three different kinds of bread, hard boiled eggs, cheese, jam, cocoa, honey, butter, olives, orange juice, coffee and mint tea.”

She enjoyed immersing herself via the varied foods available in Morocco, including the tajine and pastilla. She also made sure to try a sheep’s head and brain straight from a stall in Marrakech’s Jamaa el Fna, the country’s most famous market.

“Meals are a wondeful experience, with many different courses and new tastes,” Faller-Parrette said. “Be adventurous and try everything from the many delicious types of bread and vegetables to pigeon pastillas and boiled sheep’s head.”

If you go to Morocco, you’ll also find that tea is steeped into the culture. Swishing a paper tea bag in a steaming coffee mug can be heavenly on a cold day, but it’s a far cry from the elaborate rituals of the East. Residents drink a special green tea several times a day. It’s a part of daily life, and a component of hospitality shown to guests.

“The ubiquitous mint tea was ever-present,” wrote Rice. “Every shop, hotel, restaurant and home.” The tea is prepared with mint added to it, and then sweetened to varying degrees by regional preference.

Visual presentation is a big part of the ritual, and the preparer typically uses a tray with glasses and pots. There may be an elaborate preparation technique designed to affect the taste and consistency of the drink. Pouring is done from a distance to ensure a certain foaminess, which is a practice that can be found in many other countries around the world.

Vivienne Chapleo and Jill Hoelting , who run WAVEjourney.com, visited Morocco and participated in a tea ceremony with a Berber family just outside Marrakech in the Ourika Valley. The Bend, Oregon, bloggers said the tea ceremony was a treasured experience featuring more than just tea, and plenty of attention from their hosts.

“They also served warm, fresh bread from flour they had stone ground themselves. Accompanying the bread was honey from their own bees, butter from their cow and olive oil from their olive trees.”

The traveling pair made sure to record a video of the elaborate preparations for the tea.

“The mint tea was served with copious amounts of sugar and was an absolute treat to see being prepared.”

Faller-Parrett says she also enjoyed tasting the tea with meals or just to relax wherever she went.

“Mint tea is such a huge part of Moroccan culture, and I enjoyed taking a moment after meals to drink it and talk about all of the delicious foods we ate or to take a break from a day of exploring to sit for a moment at a café, soak in my surroundings and drink tea.”

Visit Bourdain’s favorite places in Tangier:

Café Tingis – Petit Socco
06 73 49 40 54

Saveur de Poisson – 2 Escalier Waller
05 39 33 63 26

Café Baba – Kasbah
06 04 37 14 31

Abdelileh Zim (Street Pancakes) – Kasbah across from Café Baba

Grand Socco Market – Grand Socco

Bashir’s House – Jajouka, Morocco
21 26 61 18 99 65

Boutique Majid – 66 Rue Des Cheretiens
boutiquemajid@hotmail.com

Café Andalous – Rue de Commerce, 7, Soula Eddakhel
05 39 93 05 37

Gibbs House – 287 Rue de la Vienns Montague
06 247 712 605

Poccadillios – 14 Rue de Mexique
06 61 20 91 20


World Music Celebrations: Moroccan Rose Festival – Texas Public Radio (w/VIDEO)

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Morocco's Rose Festival - Credit H.Zell / Wikimedia Commons

Morocco’s Rose Festival starts this weekend, in the town of El Kelaa M’Gouna, nestled high in the Atlas Mountains in the Valley of the Roses.  Credit H.Zell / Wikimedia Commons

Texas Public Radio/NPR, by Nathan Cone (May 12, 2013) – Each week on World Music (Saturday nights from 8-10 on KSTX 89.1 FM), I take a look at celebrations happening around the world. This week, a fragrant festival in Morocco.

ROSE FESTIVAL

The Rose Festival in Morocco starts this weekend. Nestled high in the Atlas Mountains lies the town of El Kelaa M’Gouna in the Valley of the Roses. The fragrant Damask Rose was introduced to the area by the French in 1938. Shortly thereafter, a distillery was opened to extract the oil from the flowers.

Today, almost every rose infused perfume, is created by roses from this area. The roses are harvested and transported for treatment in huge trucks, which create an aura of sweet perfumed air, as they travel through the streets. People dress in pink and white clothing and many wear floral necklaces. As one might anticipate, there are also Rose Queens. Any thing that you can imagine which should smell of roses is available, from Rose Water to those luxurious and very expensive perfumes.

VIDEO

Video of Morocco Rose Festival - YouTube  Click photo to play

Video of Morocco’s Rose Festival – YouTube   Click photo to play

You can hear more about this and other celebrations happening around the world every Saturday night on World Music with Deirdre Saravia, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM.



Commentary – Crossing the divide: Young Moroccans reach for future – J.AbiNader

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Jean R. AbiNader, Exec. Dir., Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center

Jean R. AbiNader, Exec. Dir., Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center

MATIC, by Jean R. AbiNader (Washington, DC, May 13, 2013) — If Moroccans were any kinder, I would be buying an apartment in this North African nation tomorrow – the only challenge being where! Their multilingual skills were prominently displayed for the past 10 days as I struggled in French, Arabic, and English to get to know Moroccans under 40, many under 30, who are part of the new wave of university graduates and Moroccans returning from abroad committed to building the future Morocco.

It was more than invigorating to be talking with young people the age of my children, having conversations that were incisive, insightful, and clear-eyed about the opportunities in their country. They were open and willing to discuss a range of issues related to their aspirations and motivation.

Young people in Morocco make up 30% of the population, and one tenth of the region’s total youth population. Arne Hoel l World Bank 2012

Young people in Morocco are 30% of population, and one tenth of region’s total youth population.
Arne Hoell World Bank 2012

As my sentences tumbled out in broken bits of languages, they were immediately in tune with both the intent and the context of my remarks and questions, displaying a sense of humor and desire to understand and to be understood.

These are trying times in Morocco. Against a backdrop of the drama of rifts in the governing political coalition, a large number of regional and international conferences in Morocco are focusing on its place in the global market. There is a growing appreciation that business as usual, whether that means speaking French and selling into the EU or maintaining rigid labor and business hierarchies, is not sufficient.

The renewable energy sector, including wind and solar power, is broadening its scope of activities from north to south, requiring even more investment in transportation, power, and broadband/IT services.

Renewable energy sector is broadening its scope of activities, requiring investment in transportation, power, and broadband/IT services.

Foreign direct investment continues to grow incrementally, moving beyond real estate and tourism into manufacturing sectors that rely on the improving infrastructure and competitive salaries that Morocco provides.

The renewable energy sector, including wind and solar power, is broadening its scope of activities from north to south, requiring even more investment in transportation, power, and broadband/IT services.

Most importantly, all of these projects provide opportunities to engage Moroccans who have the talent and energy to acquire or develop skills needed in the global market.

Employees at Dell Computer in Casablanca

Employees at Dell Computer in Casablanca

As I spoke with the young people about what skills or attitudes would help Moroccans meet future challenges, the words I heard most often were innovation, creativity, breaking barriers, adaptation, caring, and courage.

There is a tension, mirroring young people globally, when they talk about the older elites and networks that they believe limit their prospects for growth. Their impatience and sense of entitlement echoes US graduates whose expectations are undergoing shock therapy in today’s jobs marketplace. As these rising Moroccan stars re-examine their professional aspirations, I detect in many of them a more holistic style in approaching job opportunities. Of course salaries are the first priority but there was a very strong emphasis on the processes and environments they value.

As I spoke with the young people about what skills or attitudes would help Moroccans meet future challenges, the words I heard most often were innovation, creativity, breaking barriers, adaptation, caring, and courage.

I spoke with young people about what skills would help Moroccans meet future challenges; the words I heard most often were innovation, creativity, breaking barriers, adaptation, caring, & courage.

It was surprising that courage came up so often, and for them it has at least two elements. The first is having the confidence to take initiatives, make suggestions, and address issues that in the past had been the purview of only those higher up the workplace food chain.

They felt that the support of their peers and managers is the key to building this confidence. The second, closely aligned dimension is risk-taking – feeling secure enough that trial and error is an option because it promotes learning, innovation, and team building. Most felt that risk-taking is valued more inside international companies than Moroccan firms, which often are reluctant to suggest out-of-the-box alternative solutions to their customers. I found this perception was especially strong among those who had worked/studied abroad and experienced the benefits of a more collaborative and creative work milieu.

One of the pleasant surprises I encountered in the more than two dozen interviews I conducted is the pride that older (over 40) Moroccan managers have in young people.

One of the pleasant surprises I encountered in the more than two dozen interviews I conducted is the pride that older (over 40) Moroccan managers have in young people.

One of the pleasant surprises I encountered in more than two dozen interviews is the pride older Moroccan managers have in young people.

While counseling that they should be patient and acquire more experience, these managers appreciate the dynamic and intense work styles of their younger teammates. This was quite interesting as at least half of the group is Moroccan women under 35.

I spent a solid ten days in Casablanca building new ties to Morocco and renewing past friendships. While the confidence of the Moroccans with whom I spoke is tempered by the barriers they encounter, there is an essential conviction running through all of them that Morocco can make the needed changes to compete globally. And they are very excited and motivated about being part of that change.

Jean R. AbiNader is Executive Director of the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center


Culture: King Mohammed VI decides to fund reconstruction of Taroudant Grand Mosque

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la grande mosque de Taroudant 1les saadiens

 

MarocPress/MAP (Rabat, Morocco, May 14, 2013) — King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, decided to personally finance the reconstruction of the Taroudant Grand Mosque which was partially destroyed by fire, a statement by the Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday.

The statement added that, after having submitted to the Commander of the Faithful the preliminary results of the expertise conducted the day after fire broke out, the Sovereign gave to the Endowments and Islamic Affairs minister his instructions to rebuild the mosque.

The reconstruction works include:

1- Doing the necessary reinforcements to ensure security inside the mosque and near it.

2- Filling the gap caused by the mosque temporary closing.

3- Stepping up studies inherent to revamping the mosque.

4- Activating the restoration transaction procedure.

5- Ensuring that the deadline of studies, procedures and reconstruction does not exceed two years.

6- Rebuilding should respect mosque genuine architecture.


The “Invisible Majority”: Why gender inclusion matters in Morocco – World Bank

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World Bank, MENA Voices & Views, by Ibtissam Alaoui and Joumana Cobein (May 14, 2013) – The Middle East and North Africa region still lags behind other comparable countries in gender equality. Women’s access to opportunities continues to be restricted by socio-structural obstacles, inflexible mentalities and deep-rooted traditions. The Arab Spring gave women hope that empowerment and greater participation in decision-making were possible, but a counter-movement of conservatism threatens to push back any current and future progress.

In Morocco, women have achieved impressive gains over the past decades, both legally and economically, and the human development index shows clear improvements in a wide range of areas, namely girl’s access to schooling or a decline in maternal mortality. But why do women in Morocco play such a small part in the political, economic and social arenas?

To address this issue, the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank country office in Rabat held an informal meeting in March of this year.

Nadira El Guermai, Governor and National Coordinator of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), and Nouzha Skalli, former Minister of Women’s affairs, met with World Bank Group staff and discussed ways to help mainstream gender equality and support government policies that empower women socially and economically.

The discussion highlighted the lessons learnt from the first phase of the National Initiative for Human Development, especially in terms of supporting women in income generating activities. Businesses were shown to be particularly successful when run by women and Guermai pointed out that when women were given the opportunity to manage their own finances, it enhanced their independence and gave them greater impact on the community.

Skalli emphasized that women’s participation in the decision-making process does make a difference. Drawing on her own experiences as a parliamentarian and former member of government, she made the case that women’s major concerns and demands—like family, education, health, and women’s rights—can only be expressed and defended by women who are directly impacted by these issues.

Having a voice is essential, but being physically represented is too. Women in Morocco still struggle to reach top management positions, despite their increasing access to higher education. Skalli endorsed a quota system to ensure that women are well represented and as a way to systematically counterbalance chauvinist mentalities.

The country has enough legislative texts to support gender-policies, but their impact on the real-world remains limited. Steps are needed to ensure these policies make a concrete difference. These would include the integration of gender inclusion across all policy areas, to create an environment in which women are able to take the lead in both the public and private sectors.

The economic impact of gender inequality in a country like Morocco is significant. Development is seriously undermined if half the population is disenfranchised, excluded from decision-making, and dismissed socially and economically. Supporting women’s access to education and economic opportunities will make a difference and will boost Morocco’s productivity and competitiveness.

Gender-oriented projects endorsed by the World Bank Group contribute to supporting women’s role in the Moroccan society. The Moroccan government and the World Bank Group will continue to work together, and will consolidate their relationship in a new Country Partnership Strategy for the period 2014-2017. A central component of the new strategy will be to enhance gender inclusion and encourage the empowerment of Moroccan women.


“Inclusive growth”: Hot topic during AfDB Annual Meetings in Marrakech, May 27-31 – AFDB

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AfDB’s Annual Meetings in Marrakech, Morocco, May 27-13, will explore new ideas, set out concrete actions to help transform Africa’s economic boom into sustainable and inclusive growth. AfDB

AfDB’s Annual Meetings in Marrakech, Morocco, May 27-13, will explore new ideas, set out concrete actions to help transform Africa’s economic boom into sustainable and inclusive growth. AfDB

 

African Development Bank (May 14, 2013) — A series of high-level seminars will be held during the AfDB Annual Meetings in Marrakech, Morocco from 27-31 May 2013, to explore new ideas and set out concrete actions that will help transform Africa’s economic boom into sustainable and inclusive growth.  The panels will focus on the key issues facing the continent and explore how Africa can reap the benefits of its economic growth through investments in skills training, infrastructure, agriculture and education; and a broader engagement with the private sector.  Participants to the meetings will include academics, government officials, researchers, development practitioners, as well as AfDB experts.  The Themes include:

  • Unlocking potential: Financing Infrastructure and Accelerating Regional Integration
  • Inclusive Growth and Sustainability: Framing the Issues
  • Global Value Chains: Africa, the factory floor of the World
  • Africa’s Cities and Sustainability
  • Demographic Dividend or Time Bomb?
  • Africa’s Natural Resources: What is the Agenda?

The exchanges will inform and advance AfDB support for Africa’s transformation into a global player of technological innovation, agribusiness and manufacturing. Delegates will discuss the need to regulate and reap more benefits from the continent’s extractive industries; to add value to and make Africa a global leader in agriculture and manufacturing; to accelerate regional integration with infrastructure investments, to ensure growth is inclusive, benefiting all Africans; to invest in human capital; and to ensure Africa’s urbanization is a driver of economic development.

The topic on “Inclusive Growth and Sustainability: Framing the Issues” will certainly trigger a lot of debate since it has to do with equity, a sticking point in Africa’s political economy.  The strong growth enjoyed by many African countries does not translate to shared opportunities in terms of human and physical development.  Many countries that have achieved high gross domestic product growth rates, increased trade volumes and bigger foreign investments over the past decade have not enjoyed deep cuts in poverty and unemployment as a by-product.

Such high growth has not improved the quality of human development indicators in terms of food, clean water, shelter, health, education for the majority of their populations.   For the AfDB, to achieve inclusive growth, African leaders and policy-makers have to put in place policies and institutions.  These policies should be backed by good governance that would ensure that high economic growth results in wider access to sustainable socio-economic opportunities for a broader range of people, while protecting the most vulnerable groups in society.

A commitment to reducing inequalities is needed, and ways should be found to tackle social disparities linked to wealth, gender and rural-urban divide and to facilitate economic and social mobility as a function of growth.


Jewish Monuments in Morocco – Infographic

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MAC (Washington, DC, May 15, 2013) — During Jewish-American Heritage month, Morocco on the Move is remembering Morocco’s long Jewish heritage and history, which dates back more than 3,000 years.

This infographic highlights five of the many monuments to Morocco’s Jewish cultural past and present, which have contributed so much to what King Mohammed VI described earlier this year as the “spiritual wealth and diversity of the Kingdom of Morocco and its heritage.”

The infographic below includes descriptions, photos, and locations for:

  • The Museum of Moroccan Judaism, in Casablanca;

  • The Rabbi Abraham ben Zmirro’s Shrine, in Safi;

  • The Miara Jewish Cemetery, in Marrakech;

  • The Maimonides House, in Fes (Fez); and

  • The Al Fassiyne Synagogue, also in Fes (Fez).

For more on Morocco’s Jewish heritage and culture, check out our other blog posts at Morocco on the Move, and also our Morocco on the Move Facebook page.

Jewish Monuments in Morocco


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