Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Important Urban Issues in Fez
In case you missed it, here's what The View from Fez reader, Girl in the Crosswalk, wrote as a comment a couple of days ago in response to our report on civil action in the face of price hikes in basic necessities:
You are probably wondering why I’ve been lurking about your blog so much. I’m taking a class on Urban Development and Issues in the Middle East and we have an assignment to write a paper based on a blog about a city. I’m going to be following your blog for the next few weeks for my paper, although I’ll probably keep following afterward because it’s very interesting and informative. I was just wondering, though, what do you feel the biggest urban issues are in Fez? (Only if you have time to answer such a question though.) I’m trying to figure out what to really look for in writing about the urban issues and what’s being done to cope with those issues in the city. I am particularly interested in the Berber culture though, so any types of urban issues that may have to do with that would be really interesting to learn about.
Best wishes,
Girl In the Crosswalk
Well, firstly Fez and Morocco are NOT in the Middle East - we're in North Africa and/or the Maghreb. That aside, Girl in the Crosswalk poses an interesting question .... what are the biggest urban issues in Fez? Here are a few ideas:
- a serious problem with falling-down architectural masterpieces in the medina, the very basis of cultural tourism in Fez. What's to be done? Should there be a national inventory of culturally important buildings and their contents so that they can be protected against vandalism and eventually restored?
- urban pollution all over the country: plastic bags are the national flower and people throw rubbish everywhere without a care (or a thought), to say nothing of the ghastly pollution that throttles Fez, from the belching buses (government vehicles at that!), the taxis and trucks and private cars with faulty exhausts to the oily black filth emanating from the potteries - where is it all to end? Can any form of recycling ever be introduced in Morocco? Would the government ever consider tax benefits for solar power users?
- Literacy - or illiteracy - is an urban problem too. How important is it that people can read and write? Does it matter if they're over 50, if all the efforts to educate people are aimed at children currently at school?
So, Girl in the Crosswalk, here are a few ideas for your paper. And The View from Fez readers are invited to put their points of view. What do you think are the important urban issues in Fez?
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
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8 comments:
Many thanks! That was most helpful. Also, my apologies, I should have said the Middle East and North Africa! :) Thanks again!
I am also a student following this blog, and I am very interested in the culture of Fez and what seperates Fez culturally as a city from the rest of Morocco and North Africa. What are some cultural issues that exist within the city that are unique to Fez? How are the citizens dealing with globalization, modernization, and outside cultural influences, such as tourism in Fez? What is the government doing to fix some of the problems with the infrastructure and literacy in the city?
Thanks,
Matthew
Glad you wrote in again, Girl in the Crosswalk. Can you give us your email address?
It would be good to get some answers to our questions!
Sure! It's girlinthecrosswalk@gmail.com
"on civil action in the face of price hikes in basic necessities"
kada al faqro an yakouna kofra
J’ai faim et ma faim n’a pas de fin.
S’il y a plein de pain dans les magasins
Il y a peu de sous dans ma main,
Et quand je vois ces sous dans ma main
Je pleure (...)
Dia dhuit (Hello) Dear Blogger,
I am a lad from the emerald Isle, (Ireland), who came across your blog the other day. The city of Fez interests me and has sparked my interest as a place in the African continent. I read your response to the lass about urban issues in Fez.(girl in the crosswalk) I study at a University myself and was a bit curious about Fez. I do not wish to bother you but I wonder, Is there a good public transportation system to help me get around? Will I have any serious problems as an English/Gaelic speaker? and well... what do you think are the nicest things in the City?, "as far as buildings, public events, and anything associated with city life".
Go raibh maith 'ad
(Thank you very much)
Sean
Well Sean, if you're talking about the medina, your feet will do the walking. Fez medina is the largest conurbation in the world with no vehicular traffic. The streets are too narrow for vehicles, so everything is carried in and out on donkeys and mules.
Gaelic is not spoken here. Locals speak Moroccan Arabic (Darija), and many speak French. More and more are learning English, so you'll get by as most people do, with sign language and a lot of good humour.
The nicest things ... the architecture, the feeling of being in a medieval time-warp, the food, the music and events associated with it such as the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, and above all, the people.
Come check it out for yourself!
Hi Matthew
These are some giant questions you ask - these are my personal opinions.
I don't that Fez is separated culturally from the rest of Morocco and North Africa ... though it is considered the spiritual capital of Morocco. It is certainly more 'spiritual' than other cities in Morocco and much more traditional. I don't think that adds up to a cultural separation.
The citizens of the medina welcome modernisation and globalisation - what material goods they see on TV they generally want for themselves, naturally enough. I would think that they see tourism as a way to finance the acquisition of these things, and tourism has become the biggest industry in Fez, along with textiles.
They're not so keen on outside cultural influences though and are much happier to keep their own culture and religion rather than absorbing others.
I cannot answer your last question about the government's policy on 'fixing' the problems with the infrastructure and literacy though as I simply don't know.
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