Morocco’s Driss El Yazami interviewed on Morocco’s progress in promoting women’s rights:

 In the same week Egypt celebrated its five year anniversary of the legendary uprising that served to oust former President Hosni Mubarak and ignite a series of protests across Arab nations, on January 27, 250 of the world’s eminent Islamic leaders convened to discuss the rights of religious minorities and the obligation to protect them in Muslim majority states at the invitation of King Mohammed VI. The result was the Marrakesh Declaration.

This latest installment of Morocco’s push for human rights protections and policy reform is in addition to other measures where Morocco has been making headlines for its reformations and actions on various human rights policies and initiatives for the past two decades.

As a nation, Morocco is a signatory to the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, Convention against Torture, the UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Since 2008, more than 80 reports have been issued on human rights in Morocco from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, and the State Department.

In December 2008, King Mohammed VI publically banned discrimination against women and officially lifted all Morocco’s previous reservations on CEDAW, stating “Our country has become an international actor of which the progress and daring initiatives in this matter are readily recognized.”..[FULL STORY]

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A profile on Morocco’s efforts to counter violent extremism through television:

The past decade has seen the proliferation of largely extremist and sectarian 24-hour religious television channels throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Now exceeding 120 in number, they reach a collective viewership estimated in the tens of millions, and play an outsize role in stoking violent conflict region-wide. Most efforts to counter the broadcasts, including the production of alternative religious programming, are still in a fledgling stage.

To help draw attention to this phenomenon and its implications for international efforts to combat extremism, AAM is launching a new initiative that will examine 24-hour religious television channels from the Middle East and issue reports on their activities. We begin the initiative with a proponent of coexistence and civil discourse, and will follow by examining a channel that has stoked sectarian warfare. Managing the research effort is AAM strategic advisor Joseph Braude, author of a forthcoming book on Arabic media.

The Moroccan Response: Al-Sadisa

Our first feature profiles Al-Sadisa, a Moroccan Islamic television channel, which has managed to compete with its extremist rivals and win 85% of the Moroccan audience for religious television broadcasts. Conveying a message of civility and tolerance through faith, Al Sadisa is widely credited inside the country for reviving and building on indigenous Moroccan religious traditions that extremists, for two generations, worked to undermine…[FULL STORY]

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Morocco’s renowned moderate culture and religion to be further bolstered by education reform:

To try and sum up extremism in one word or reason will ultimately lead to a vast generalization. But the main reason behind the cause of extremism is the educational curricula, because this lays the foundations that shape one’s thoughts. So when these curricula teach extremism, extremists will be born.

Secondly, education is the wide arena where one can negatively or positively reach and influence millions of Muslim students across the world.

Morocco has recently joined other countries who’ve promised to correct their school curricula. King Mohammad VI personally chaired the council of ministers to discuss the educational curriculum and instructed the minister of national education and the minister of endowment and Islamic affairs to review religious teachings and textbooks in Moroccan schools…[FULL STORY]

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Two University of Delaware students created a women’s running camp in Ouarzazate, Morocco:

It’s not common to see people—especially women—running and exercising in Morocco.

This cultural difference inspired two members of the club cross country and track and field teams to lead a five-day women’s health and exercise program after their study abroad trip to Ouarzazate, Morocco during winter 2015.

Seniors Elizabeth Clinton and her teammate, Nora Reynolds, had to keep up with their training while abroad. On their runs they reflected a lot on their own experiences running in a country where it wasn’t common to see women exercising in public. Clinton said the idea inspired her thesis about women’s participation in sports, but she said, “we also wanted to do something concrete—not just research about it but do something about it.”

Clinton and Reynolds applied for grants to return to Morocco to initiate the project. Between grants and some crowdfunding they were able to lead an exercise and leadership program for women called Tessria Camp, which they held this January…[FULL STORY]

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Morocco’s efforts to rehabilitate the oldest working library in the world:

The ancient al-Qarawiyyin Library in Fez isn’t just the oldest library in Africa. Founded in 859, it’s the oldest working library in the world, holding ancient manuscripts that date as far back as 12 centuries. But modern life had taken a toll on the library, with its buildings falling into disrepair. That’s why in 2012, the Moroccan Ministry of Culture asked TED Fellow and architect Aziza Chaouni to rehabilitate the library so that it can reopen to the general public. She describes the challenges inherent in undertaking a daunting, historic project. (Spoiler alert: she was successful; the library reopens in May 2016!)

First, some history. The al-Qarawiyyin Library was created by a woman, challenging commonly held assumptions about the contribution of women in Muslim civilization. The al-Qarawiyyin, which includes a mosque, library, and university, was founded by Fatima El-Fihriya, the daughter of a rich immigrant from al-Qayrawan (Tunisia today). Well educated and devout, she vowed to spend her entire inheritance on building a mosque and knowledge center for her community. According to UNESCO, the result is the oldest operational educational institution in the world, with a high-profile role call of alumni. Mystic poet and philosopher Ibn Al-‘Arabi studied there in the 12th century, historian and economist Ibn Khaldun attended in the 14th century, while in medieval times, Al-Qarawiyyin played a leading role in the transfer of knowledge between Muslims and Europeans…[FULL STORY]

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Last week, Money Magazine launched its inaugural Best in Travel Awards. Among the categories was “International Destinations,” which identified “the three international destinations that offer the best travel experiences at the best prices in 2016.” Marrakesh, Morocco was on the list! Here’s why:

One of the safest cities in Africa is also one of the most affordable. Hotel, dining, and other tourism costs are 30% less this year.

Marrakech. Photo credit:
KatitaC on Flickr.

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A report on women’s progress in Morocco by the first woman mayor of Marrakesh, Fatima Zahra Mansouri:

Watching the U.S. primary race unfold, offering the historic possibility of the first woman president, I have been reflecting on how dramatically women have benefitted from democratic progress in my own country, Morocco.

Of course, women in Morocco, like women in all societies of the world, are still fighting for equality; and believe me, the road is long. But Morocco recognized long ago that women represent half the potential of the country, and that protecting and expanding their rights is essential to the successful and peaceful evolution of our country. More than 10 years ago, we changed our family law, the Moudawana, to provide enhanced rights to women in marriage. It raised the legal age of marriage for women to 18; it abolished man’s right to renounce his wife simply by saying “I divorce you”; it gave women the right to initiate divorce; it provided them property rights in a divorce; and it gave them the right to engage in commerce and conduct business without spousal consent.

Now, there are laws that are the result of a cultural evolution, and there are laws that engender such an evolution. The Moudawana was definitely among the latter. It was a huge advance for Moroccan women, who, with this change, were able to become masters of their own destiny. There have been many other advances, as well, including expansion of schooling for girls in rural areas and increased access to higher education. And Morocco’s 2011 Constitutional reform solidified our country’s commitment to women’s rights by institutionalizing parity…[FULL STORY]

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A Moroccan-American student combines Moroccan fashion with business:

Malak Mossadek, a sophomore majoring in business administration, spent his childhood in Morocco and adolescence in Boston. By combining his diverse backgrounds, Mossadek decided to create a clothing company for authentic and unique women’s wear in the United States. He aims to raise awareness for Moroccan culture as well as aspects of Western culture through his brand. With every piece of clothing handmade, sewn and exported overseas, this USC student has a one-of-a-kind company for irreplaceable products.

Daily Trojan: How did your company and brand start, and why did you decide to do it?

Malak Mossadek: La Tunique started back when I was in Morocco. I was born in Morocco, but moved to Boston when I was 13 years old. I always wanted to create something out of it. It was something that I really wanted to cultivate. There’s no handmade stuff. You cannot find this anywhere. I always wanted to push whatever I wanted in Morocco; I wanted to see these beautiful [pieces] elsewhere. Beach coverups, tunics, prom dresses, evening wear, etc.

DT: What is La Tunique, what does it stand for and why did you name it?

MM: La Tunique, it means “a single tunic” in French. I based it on the one-of-a-kind tunic that I am selling, that cannot be replicated. One designer, one fabric, pretty much exclusive. We were originally a women’s sewing company in Morocco, with two tailors and designers, and I wanted to create a brand out of it in America. I wanted a fusion clothing style that combines Westernized fashion and a Moroccan touch. Everything is handmade. We use high-premium Swarovski rocks to embellish every piece. Everything from the fabric to the sewing is 100 percent authentic work and cannot be duplicated…[FULL STORY]

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Declaration Shows Morocco’s Leadership on Pluralism, Religious Tolerance

Washington, DC, May 11, 2016 (MACP) — At a Newsmaker event yesterday at the National Press Club, former Archbishop of Washington, DC Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Professor Emerita at the University of Richmond School of Law Azizah al-Hibri praised the results of a conference on the rights of religious minorities in Muslim countries convened by King Mohammed VI of Morocco in late January. Attended by Cardinal McCarrick and Professor al-Hibri along with hundreds of religious scholars and clergy representing a broad range of religions and schools of thought within Islam, the historic three-day conference led to the Marrakesh Declaration, a document calling for an end to bigotry and condemning the use of violence and terror in the name of religion.

“By their actions [extremist groups like Daesh] have tried to destroy the very religious freedom which the Koran and the Prophet himself have declared to be the essence of Islamic belief,” said Professor al-Hibri at the Press Club event. “How can we educate about Islamic justice without addressing this important issue? That can only be accomplished by knowledgeable Muslim jurists… teaching [their] views to the public.” The Marrakesh Declaration, she explained, is one step in educating the public about the right to freedom of conscience in Islam.

Echoing this sentiment, Cardinal McCarrick said that it is critical “that this document has legs. That it is used, that it gets to the people it has to get to, and—that means in a very special way—that it gets to the teachers of young people, the professors in universities, it gets to the preachers at the Friday prayers, that they can understand that this is not just a document that has beautiful words but it’s a document that can [bring] Islam back to where it was, what the prophet himself began to see.”

“Our challenge to all of you is please don’t let this document die, please don’t let this document be filed in a library where nobody will see it,” he said. The Cardinal also recognized the important role of King Mohammed VI, who “decided that it was time to have another important document that might bring us back from the extremes which are not true Islam.”

King Mohammed VI has taken an active role in fighting religious extremism and promoting a moderate and tolerant Islam both in Morocco and abroad. In March of 2015, he inaugurated the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines and Morchidates, dedicated to preparing the next generation of Muslim religious leaders – in Morocco, across the region, and around the world – to counter extremist interpretations of Islam. The latest US State Department annual Country Reports on Terrorism took notice, praising Morocco’s “comprehensive counterterrorism strategy that includes vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and counter-radicalization policies.” The report described the country’s “national strategy to affirm and further institutionalize Morocco’s widespread adherence to the Maliki-Ashari school of Sunni Islam,” focusing on “upgrading mosques, promoting the teaching of relatively moderate Islam, and strengthening the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (MEIA).”

The King has also prioritized religious and cultural diversity through a number of projects to rehabilitate the country’s many Jewish sites. Since 2010, Morocco’s “Houses of Life” project has restored 167 Jewish cemeteries across the country, installing 159 new doors, building nearly 140,000 feet of fencing, and repairing 12,600 graves. The King has said that this project “is a testimony to the richness and diversity of the Kingdom of Morocco’s spiritual heritage. Blending harmoniously with the other components of our identity, the Jewish legacy, with its rituals and specific features, has been an intrinsic part of our country’s heritage for more than three thousand years. As is enshrined in the Kingdom’s new Constitution, the Hebrew heritage is indeed one of the time-honored components of our national identity.”

Adopted by referendum in 2011, the Moroccan constitution states that the country’s unity “is forged by the convergence of its Arab-Islamist, Berber and Saharan-Hassanic components, nourished and enriched by its African, Andalusian, Hebraic and Mediterranean influences,” and emphasizes Morocco’s attachment “to the values of openness, of moderation, of tolerance and of dialogue for mutual understanding between all the cultures and the civilizations of the world.”

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 Contact: Jordana Merran, 202.470.2049

The Moroccan American Center for Policy (MACP) is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to inform opinion makers, government officials, and interested publics in the United States about political and social developments in Morocco and the role being played by the Kingdom of Morocco in broader strategic developments in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

This material is distributed by the Moroccan American Center for Policy on behalf of the Government of Morocco. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

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An excerpt from a speech by President of the Jewish community of Marrakesh-Essaouira, Jacky Kadoch, at a High-Level International Consultation to advance the protection of minorities in Muslim Majority States:

It is a great honor to come to this great city to speak with you about the life and experience of the Moroccan Jewish community.

This is because of the special nature of the Kingdom of Morocco, lying at the tip of Africa, close to Europe and with a population that is almost entirely Muslim. It is “a country that has been, and continues to be, in both its leadership and its people, an inspiring example of the protection of the rights of religious minorities”.

Ladies and gentlemen, the sentence I have just read is taken directly from the Marrakesh Declaration, drawn up in January this year at the end of a groundbreaking conference of Islamic scholars and intellectuals from over 120 countries to clarify and restate at this critical time the Islamic viewpoint on the rights of religious minorities in predominantly Muslim majority countries.

This was convened under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco in the light of the turmoil facing many parts of the Muslim world…[FULL STORY]

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Washington, DC, June 9, 2016 (MACP) — In a lecture on the “Musical Soundscapes of Morocco” at the Library of Congress on Monday as part of the Washington Jewish Music Festival, ethnomusicologist Dr. Samuel Torjman Thomas hailed Morocco’s “inherent diversity” as “one of the most valuable elements of Moroccan society and perhaps one of the most promising elements for humanity in general.”

Through photos, maps, sound recordings and even live performances of Moroccan Arabic and Hebrew songs, Dr. Thomas showcased Morocco’s ethnic, regional and topographic diversity and the North African kingdom’s long history “as a conduit point between East and West… at the cusp of North Africa.”

“There are several languages that are spoken in Morocco,” he said, referring to Arabic, French, Hebrew, Spanish, and a number of dialects. “With all that linguistic diversity comes also diversity in religion and even in racial backgrounds.” He noted, too, Morocco’s varied geography—its valleys and mountain ranges, its beaches and deserts. Calling Morocco “a nexus point,” Dr. Thomas said, “I think that is very fundamental as well to Moroccan culture, to the development of Moroccan culture over the centuries.”

In recent years, Morocco has prioritized its promotion of religious and cultural diversity through a variety of means, including several projects overseen by King Mohammed VI to rehabilitate the country’s many Jewish sites—including the “Houses of Life” project that has restored 167 Jewish cemeteries across the country. The King has called this project “a testimony to the richness and diversity of the Kingdom of Morocco’s spiritual heritage. Blending harmoniously with the other components of our identity, the Jewish legacy, with its rituals and specific features, has been an intrinsic part of our country’s heritage for more than three thousand years. As is enshrined in the Kingdom’s new Constitution, the Hebrew heritage is indeed one of the time-honored components of our national identity.”

Adopted by referendum in 2011, the Moroccan constitution states that the country’s unity “is forged by the convergence of its Arab-Islamist, Berber and Saharan-Hassanic components, nourished and enriched by its African, Andalusian, Hebraic and Mediterranean influences,” and emphasizes Morocco’s attachment “to the values of openness, of moderation, of tolerance and of dialogue for mutual understanding between all the cultures and the civilizations of the world.”

Dr. Thomas, who serves as Director of Curriculum and Institutional Programming at the Brooklyn Music School and is an adjunct Assistant Professor of ethnomusicology and Jewish studies at several campuses of the City University of New York, is the artistic director of the New York Andalus Ensemble – a large multiethnic ensemble featuring a choir and instrumentalists performing traditional music of North Africa and Spain in Hebrew, Arabic, and Spanish. The event was co-sponsored by the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center and Hebrew Language Table.

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 Contact: Jordana Merran, 202.470.2049

The Moroccan American Center for Policy (MACP) is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to inform opinion makers, government officials, and interested publics in the United States about political and social developments in Morocco and the role being played by the Kingdom of Morocco in broader strategic developments in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

This material is distributed by the Moroccan American Center for Policy on behalf of the Government of Morocco. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

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Washington, DC, June 16, 2016 (MACP) — On Tuesday, in yet further evidence of his commitment to promoting religious moderation and tolerance in the region, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI inaugurated the Higher Council of the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema. First announced in June 2015, the Foundation brings together 120 Ulema, Muslim scholars recognized for their knowledge of Islamic law and theology, from 31 countries in Africa. Their aim, as King Mohammed VI explained in a speech at the inauguration ceremony, is “to make sure [Islam’s open-minded values of moderation, tolerance and coexistence] help us promote security, stability and development in Africa.”

“I am convinced the Foundation, through its branches in African countries, and together with other religious institutions, will play its role in disseminating enlightened religious precepts and in combating extremism, reclusiveness and terrorism – which our faith does not embrace in any way – but which are advocated by some clerics, in the name of Islam,” he added.

The inauguration comes just over a year after the opening of the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines, and Morchidates – a religious training center that aims to instill the values of Morocco’s moderate form of Islam, based on the Maliki rite and Sunni Sufism, in the next generation of Muslim religious leaders (imams) and preachers (morchidines and morchidates) from across the region and the world. To date, the Institute has enrolled students from Mali, Tunisia, Guinea Conakry, Cote d’Ivoire, and France, and Morocco has signed agreements to train imams from several other countries—including Libya and Belgium.

These efforts are part of Morocco’s broader “counter-radicalization” strategy, which has garnered praise from leaders around the world, including in the US. During a visit to Morocco in April 2014, Secretary of State John Kerry noted that Morocco “plays a very important role in facing extremism, and it also disseminates cooperation with African countries in the religious domain at a moment where Africa needs this spiritual support to face terrorism based on these values, the values of tolerance.” The State Department’s 2015 Country Reports on Terrorism acknowledged Morocco’s “comprehensive strategy for countering violent extremism that prioritizes economic and human development goals in addition to tight control of the religious sphere and messaging.” It stated that “Morocco has developed a national strategy to affirm and further institutionalize Morocco’s widespread adherence to the Maliki-Ashari school of Sunni Islam,” focusing on “upgrading mosques, promoting the teaching of relatively moderate Islam, and strengthening the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (MEIA).”

”Morocco has long been the regional leader in combating terrorism and radicalization through its enlightened, moderate religious practice, and the Foundation adds yet another level of support for those fighting against ISIS’ and other extremist groups’ propaganda machines,” said former US Ambassador to Morocco Edward Gabriel.

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 Contact: Jordana Merran, 202.470.2049

The Moroccan American Center for Policy (MACP) is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to inform opinion makers, government officials, and interested publics in the United States about political and social developments in Morocco and the role being played by the Kingdom of Morocco in broader strategic developments in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

This material is distributed by the Moroccan American Center for Policy on behalf of the Government of Morocco. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

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The Guardian profiled the Moroccan NGO Education For All, which provides accommodation, food, and extra academic support for girls in rural Morocco who otherwise may not have access to education:

Zahra [one of EFA's students] bubbles with enthusiasm for the chance that has been handed to her: “At primary school, I really enjoyed studying but I knew there was little chance I would get to go to secondary school. When I was selected [by EFA], I was so happy. I was really nervous when I first got to the boarding house but I feel like I have found myself since being there.

“I believe I will now have a good future and will be able to improve things for my family. My parents have been so supportive. They wanted me to have a better life than the one they have had. My first year of university will be very hard,” she says. “I’m sure, as it’s a very different life there, but I think it will be good for me”…

Maryk Stroosnijder, one of the founders of EFA, says: “I think it is quite hard for the first girls because others look up to them, but the attitudes are slowly changing. The first parents took a risk and now we have parents begging us to take their girls.” [FULL STORY]

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Credit: Le Foundouk

On June 23, CNN published a list of “the venues with menus worthy of their killer views” from around the world. Le Foundouk in Marrakesh made the list! Here’s what CNN had to say:

A charming terrace above Marrakech’s frenetic medina, Le Foundouk serves its take on Moroccan classics (beef fillet tagine, seafood pastilla) on a candle-lit rooftop overlooking the old town.

It can be hard to find, but lantern-bearing staff are on hand at the nearby taxi drop-off to guide diners to the restaurant.

Haute cuisine: Two Moroccan classics — a rich, slightly sweet and fragrant lamb and apricot tagine, and fluffy couscous studded with vegetables. [FULL STORY]

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Photo: Africa Art Lines.

King Mohammed VI has made Africa a diplomatic priority; and the exchanges are more than just political. Now, Music in Africa reports that Afrikanya, a Moroccan organization for intercultural exchange in Africa, is accepting applications for its Africa Art Lines fund, which will help musicians, music organizations and festival organizers living and working in Africa travel to and from Morocco. From Music in Africa:

Africa Art Lines (AAL) aims to identify and support artists and holders of inter-African artistic and cultural projects; ensure a better presence of Moroccan artists on the continent; host African artists and projects in Morocco; encourage creative projects between Morocco and the other countries of the continent; grow audiences and promote participation in the development of the arts in Africa; and convey the values of diversity and intercultural dialogue through the arts.

Africa Art Lines is also made possible through project partners in Africa who share Afrikayna’s vision and values, recognizing that arts and culture constitute an essential key for human, social and economic development, in Morocco and throughout Africa; and working for a united and intercultural Africa.

The first round of AAL grants will help to highlight the trends, needs and levels of engagement of artists and cultural projects between Morocco and the African countries. These indicators will be necessary to ascertain the viability of mobility funds and its evolution according to the continent’s specific needs. The funds available for the first year will be dedicated primarily to music sector, although other creative sectors are also invited to show their interest and needs to allow the organizers to reinforce their approach and if necessary advocate for the opening for additional funding lines dedicated to the mobility of artists and professionals in all arts sectors. [FULL STORY]

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This week, the American Sephardi Federation (ASF) wraps up its Moroccan adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Othello.” Performed at the Center for Jewish History in New York City, the production is the third in a series that ASF has adapted since January, incorporating Sephardic music and Moroccan costumes into dramatic classics.

David Serero, who plays the titular role in the Othello production, explained in an article in The Forward:

“This production is unique, because for the first time we will return ‘Othello’ to its roots, back to Morocco. The production will feature Moroccan music. I want to explore the Moroccan aspect of the play, returning it to Shakespeare’s original idea of using the inspiration of Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud, who was the ambassador of the Moroccan / English alliance in 1600. Shakespeare was very intrigued by this man, his clothes, costumes, traditions, looks and his darkness, which I want to explore.

The role is in fact very personal for Serera, who is of Moroccan origins. He writes:

I hope to deliver an interpretation of Othello that is different, and bring a new understanding to this complex character. I intend for my interpretation of “Othello” to be personal, with roots in my own heritage : my dad was born in Morocco and instructed me in the ways of Jewish Moroccan culture. It is a little-known fact that numerous songs in the Arabic song repertoire are Judeo Arabic songs by such composers as Salim Hallali. And I will sing one of those songs as Othello.

I’m deeply honored and proud to present Sephardic culture in such a classic work by the greatest writer ever : William Shakespeare. I would have never imagined singing those Judeo-Arabic songs (which I constantly listened during my childhood in Paris) in New York where the Ashkenazi & Yiddish culture is more present. That alone will make me very emotional on stage. That, combined with the fact that I will be playing one of the greatest character ever written Othello, in the the greatest city in the world New York. To use Shakespeare in order to showcase that Sephardic culture is a dream come true. Even though times are difficult for Jews in the Arab world, we must never forget that culture of Jews and Arabs at the height of their relationship, especially in Morocco. Where the King Mohammed V refused to deliver his Jews to Hitler and replied “If you take my Jews, you’ll have to take me first.” By playing Othello, I am also paying a tribute to this culture and time. [FULL STORY]

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