Learn to speak Darija in Fez

The new Darija conversation course with the Arabic Language Institute Fez,(ALIF). The classes are once a week in 6 week blocks and start the 2nd and 3rd of March.

J'ai le plaisir de vous addresser au sujet du cours de conversation en Arabe Marocain (Darija) a l'Institut de Langue Arabe Fes (ALIF). Les cours auront lieu une fois par semaine pour six semaines, commencant le 2 et 3 mars

For more details contact: Jess Stephens - Culture Coordinator - (00 212)06 45 22 32 03

The Arabian Nights come to life in Morocco

Leading British theatre director, Tim Supple, is in Morocco searching for local talent to star in his Arabian Nights production to open in Toronto next year.



Tim (above) is well known as the creator of an Indian A Midsummer Night's Dream some four years ago. Now his project is to create a new version of The Arabian Nights. He is currently travelling through North Africa, the Middle East and to Iran, searching for just the right cast for the production. He's looking for all types of performers - actors, musicians, singers, dancers, acrobats, storytellers - to bring them all together for the production.

The Arabian Nights are the 1,000-year-old folk tales told by Sheherazade which most westerners wrongly associate with characters such as Ali Baba, Sinbad and Aladdin – it is doubtful that any of these three were part of the original collection. Supple wants to try to discover the lost truths of the stories and is working with the Lebanese novelist Hanan al Shaykh who spent last summer reading all 1,001 stories in their original Arabic.

"We are trying to create a theatrical version of The Arabian Nights which will do justice to the scale, depth and richness of the stories," said Supple.

Supple is embarking on his Arabian Nights journey after the worldwide success of A Midsummer Night's Dream which began life as a British Council funded project in India and became a much-praised production that went to Stratford and then the Roundhouse in London, and the US, Australia and Canada.

The director hopes to begin rehearsals this year. He anticipates it being performed in Arabic, English and Hindi, and says it could be anything from a two-hour production to an eight-hour epic.

The London-based Dash Arts project is being funded entirely by the still young Luminato festival in Toronto, where the production is due to premiere in June 2011. The production will then go to the UK in the autumn as part of a Dash Arts Arabic series, with the venue still to be arranged.

Tim will make a flying visit to Fez tomorrow, Monday 1 March. He'll be at Cafe Clock from 18h00, watching a showcase of traditional and contemporary music. The Clock has lined up Jilaliyat, Issawa, Rai, Hip-hop, Amdah Soufia, dance and Jilala. The event is free and all are welcome.

Moroccan News Briefs

HM King Mohammed VI Celebrates Prophet's Birthday

On Friday evening, HM King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Prince Moulay Rachid and Prince Moulay Ismail chaired a religious ceremony on the occasion of Eid Al-Mawlid (the birthday of the Prophet). The event was held in the Hassan Mosque in Rabat.


Minister of Endowments and Islamic affairs Ahmed Toufiq gave an address on the activities of the Councils of Ulema (Muslim scholars) and handed the councils' activity report to HM the King.

Then, HM the king handed the Mohammed VI award of merit in Islamic studies and though to Professor Ahmad El-Ghazi El-Husseini, in recongnition of his research in the fields of fatwas, law and Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh).

The Sovereign also handed the Mohammed VI award of Islamic Studies to Professor Koutb Rissouni.

By the same occasion, HM the King handed the Mohammed VI international award of memorization, declamation and exegesis of the holy Quran to Mohamed Najib Alaoui and the Mohammed VI international award of Quran psalmody to Hicham Al-Adimi.

The Monarch handed the Mohammed VI award of Moroccan calligraphy to Belaid Hamidi, and the Mohammed VI award of excellence in the same art to Professor Ali Dahya.

The ceremony was attended notably by the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the house of Representatives, Speaker of the House of advisors, HM the King’s advisors, cabinet members and other diplomatic, civilian and military figures.

HM the King pardons 448 convicts on Eid Al-Mawlid Acharif

HM King Mohammed VI granted pardon to 448 convicts on Eid Al-Mawlid Acharif (the birthday of the prophet). Twenty four prisoners benefited from a pardon over their remaining prison term, while 351 had their prison term reduced.

Twenty-eight prisoners were granted pardon over their prison sentences, and nine inmates benefited from a pardon over imprisonment terms while fines against them were maintained.

A prisoner was granted pardon over his imprisonment term and had his fine annulled, while fines against 35 convicts were suspended.

Royal pardon is customary in Morocco to mark national and religious holidays.

HRH Princess Lalla Malika hosts dinner on occasion of 50th anniversary of Agadir's reconstruction

Last Friday, HRH Princess Lalla Malika held a dinner in honor of participants in the commemoration of 50th anniversary of the reconstruction of the Atlantic city of Agadir, which was destroyed by a violent earthquake on February 29, 1960.

The rubble of Agadir - photo: Yannick Beunard

The dinner, chaired by HRH Princess Lalla Malika, was attended by Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Aziz Akhannouch, Health Minister Yasmina Badou Social Development, Solidarity and Family Minister Nouzha Skali as well as other civilian and military figures.

As part of the festivities commemorating the 50th anniversary of Agadir’s reconstruction, HRH Princess Lalla Malika, Chairwoman of the Moroccan Red Crescent, also inaugurated a photographic exhibition on the rebuilding of the Atlantic city, featuring pictures of different phases of the city's reconstruction, with a historical outlook on the capital of Souss province from 1600 until 1973.

On the same occasion, HRH Princess Lalla Malika gave a speech where she underlined the steadfast and resolute willingness of HM late King Mohammed V to activate the national solidarity and overall mobilization following the quake.

Agadir was devastated on February 29, 1960 by a violent earthquake which claimed the lives of over 15,000 people and destroyed over 90% of the city’s neighborhoods.

Moroccan poet wins Maghreb Culture Prize

On Thursday in Tunisia, the Moroccan poet Mohammed Bennis was awarded the Maghreb Culture Prize in recognition of his outstanding literary achievements and poetry works.


The award was handed over to the Moroccan poet by Tunisia's President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali during the closing ceremony of Kairouan Festival in presence of several Arab and Islamic personalities.

Born in 1948 in Fez, Mohammed Bennis is a founding member of the House of poetry in Morocco, which he chaired from 1996 to 2003.

He authored over twenty books of poetry, prose, essays and translations. He was awarded in 1993 Morocco's book prize, and received the Italian Prize of Calopezzati of Mediterranean Literature in 2006, in addition to the Atlas translation Prize in 2000.

"The Couscous Rocket" ~ Morocco's Man at the Olympics

A while back we reported that Moroccan Alpine skier, the "Couscous Rocket", Samir Azzimani had made huge personal sacrifices in order to make it to the Winter Olympics. Now that his moment has come and gone we decided to let you know how he feels about his moment of glory. It was a moment that unfortunately was missed by all the TV coverage, but nevertheless a huge achievement After his run in the giant slalom piste on Tuesday he took a moment to reflect.

“I’m very proud to be here, to represent Morocco,” he said. “You can see that without money you can achieve a dream, that’s what I want to say. Don’t let anyone steal your dream.”

He had finished 74th, just behind Senegal’s Leyti Seck and one place ahead of China’s Lei Li.

Morocco Moves Closer to Europe

On March 7th and 8th a Morocco-European Union summit will be held in Granada, and according to the Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, the meeting “will open a new phase” in relations between Morocco and the 27-member bloc.

Miguel Angel Moratinos traveled to Rabat to meet with his Moroccan counterpart in order to plan details of what will be the first meeting of its kind since the EU accorded Morocco advanced association status in October 2008.

Moratinos said he was convinced that the summit will furnish “very good results,” a consequence of “the preparation and work done so that the Granada meeting might be a success for Morocco, the EU and, of course, the host country.”

Spain is organizing and hosting the event in its capacity as current occupant of the EU’s rotating presidency.

“It’s going to be the first summit the EU will hold after the approval of the Lisbon Treaty,” the Spanish official noted, referring to the accord that established the first permanent president of the bloc while maintaining the rotating presidency.

“And it’s significant and symbolic that the first summit presided over by (EU) President Herman Van Rompuy, accompanied by (Spanish) Prime Minister (Jose Luis Rodriguez) Zapatero, will be specifically with that great friend and neighbor of southern Europe, Morocco,” Moratinos said.

At a joint press conference with Moratinos, Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri announced that his country’s premier, Abbas El Fassi, will head the delegation to the meeting in Granada, after being asked by reporters about the possible presence at the meeting of King Mohammed VI.

Fihri added that “naturally, the prime minister will be the carrier of the vision and the ambition of his majesty with respect to relations between Morocco and the EU.”

In the meeting on Wednesday, Moratinos also discussed with his counterpart the “good period” through which bilateral relations between Spain and Morocco are passing in all areas, including cooperation in the areas of immigration and consular affairs.

On the community level, Moratinos emphasized that the intention of the EU is to increasingly integrate Morocco into the European community to the benefit of the citizens of both the bloc and the North African country.

“Morocco is one of the countries of the European Neighborly Policy and with advanced association status according to which the European Union will make a financial effort,” he said.

Moroccan Economy To Grow by 3.2%

The latest economic outlook issued by the Centre Marocain de Conjoncture (CMC) said that the kingdom's gross domestic product may grow by 3.2 percent this year.

Despite the recent rainfalls, this year's agricultural season will not be as good as the last one, it stressed, adding that the floods caused by these rains would slow the growth of the sector.

Given this situation, the CMC's experts projected that the agricultural added values will see a fall of about 4.3 percent in real terms.

According to the CMC, which is a private economic think tank, this positive atmosphere will also concern other key sectors, such as the mining one which will register a positive development of about 2.5 percent.

However, the construction and public works sector, which has been one of the country's main growth drivers, will decelerate in 2010, growing at a slower pace 5.6 percent, according to the report.


Washington Moroccan American Club 20th Anniversary

Since its inception in March 1990, the Washington Moroccan American Club (WMC) has grown to serve the Moroccan American community nationwide. Over the past 20 years, they have organized and strengthened the Moroccan presence in the cultural, business, government, and even political sectors. The WMC’s 20th Anniversary is a celebration for all Moroccan Americans as they look toward the future and embrace the next generation both in the U.S. and in Morocco.



The Washington Moroccan American Club has set itself a goal of 20 events to celebrate this 20th anniversary in March 2010. To find out full details visit the WMC WEBSITE

Fes Festival of World Sacred Music - the movie

For those tempted to attend the Sacred Music Festival in Fez, here's a documentary of last year's event to whet your appetite. It was made by Global Voice Productions at last year's festival, and captures the essence of world harmony through music.


Festival Facts:
Dates: 4-12 June 2010
Website: www.fesfestival.com for the programme in French; here for the programme in English
Tickets: from Objectif Maroc: objectif_naima@menara.ma
Ticket Collection Service
Accommodation
The View from Fez articles (so far) on this year's festival:
- Jordi Savall
- Africa Day
Watch this space for more details of performing artists.

Moroccan Blogs: Vago speaks!

The View from Fez is very happy to have been judged Best Overall Moroccan Blog and Best Moroccan News Blog. We could not have done this with out our various correspondents, contributors and photographers. Especially we could not have done it without the support of our readers around the world. In the last month we recorded almost 50,000 pageviews from people speaking 66 languages . We thank you all. Our congratulations as well to all those fabulous blogs that were nominated from around Morocco. To win in such select company was a real honour!

While the team at The View from Fez have been celebrating their double win in the Moroccan Blog Awards, we decided we should turn the spotlight on the man responsible for all the hard work that went into the rewards: Vago Damitio. We started off by asking him why he created his Morocco Blogs website

VAGO: I believe that we are on the verge of a world that is totally different than the one we live in. The internet is still a teenager, it's like a 15 year old child that is starting to find itself and figure out what it can do. Because the development of the internet primarily took place in the United States and UK, English is the unofficial language of the internet. 15 years ago most people didn't use the internet, today it's something like 85% of the world population. In another 15 years it will be everyone. The world is dividing into those who are internet literate and those who are not.

All of that gives some background as to the reason why I created MoroccoBlogs.com and the Bombies in the first place.

When I came to Morocco I looked around to see what kinds of blogs there were. I found a lot of blogs but no central directory, no listing. The View from Fez was one blog that was very visible, so I knew there were English language bloggers here. In November 2009 I was giving blogging workshops in Fez and I wanted to show my students how to create a great blog from the ground up so I figured I would build a Morocco Blogging Directory and bought the domain MoroccoBlogs.com.

I decided to make MoroccoBlogs a place that listed, reviewed, and hosted blogs. I set up a program to give away wordpress blogs to anyone who wanted one with the address (Yourblogname).moroccoblogs.com.Next I set up free online classifieds that were divided into regions of Morocco at http://classifieds.moroccoblogs.com, and of course I kept searching for new blogs that were Morocco related.

Pretty soon, I started to realize that there were hundreds of great English language blogs in Morocco. Everyone I talked with said that they did a few search engine queries and then gave up. The more I looked at all the great blogs the more I realized that they needed to be recognized and so I started to take nominations in December and then in January, I launched The Bombies.

TVFF: Were you surprised at the huge interest?

VAGO: Over 1500 votes were cast and everyone I spoke with by email or in person expressed excitement at finding new blogs, making new blog friends, finding renewed energy to blog, increased traffic, and more. The Bombies were an incredible success. Perhaps the best part was that a couple of blogs that were nominated had decided not to blog anymore and upon finding that they were nominated and appreciated, they decided to keep their blogs alive.

TVFF: What's next?

VAGO: At the moment, we are planning the first ever Morocco Blog Camp for sometime in early May. This will be a chance for bloggers from all over Morocco to come together in Fez for workshops, community, and fun. This is a great chance for bloggers to create a community and also for tourism companies, restaurants, riads, and merchants to promote their products to the voices of the future as sponsors of Morocco Blog Camp 2010.

There has been a lot of interest in Blog Camp since I first mentioned it and even some interest from a few of the top bloggers in the world! It's conceivable Blog Camp could actually become an event that rivals The Festival of Sacred Music in terms of the number of people it could bring to Morocco.

TVFF: I understand you will turn your attention to some to the wonderful blogs in Arabic and French...

VAGO: I have hired translators to start scouring the web for Morocco Blogs in Arabic and French so that we can be an inclusive community. Already we've had several young Moroccans sign up for new blogs as a result of the Bombies and we've reviewed the first few French and Arabic blogs.

TVFF: And in the future...

VAGO: It's my belief that the future of Morocco doesn't lie with tourism but with the internet. Moroccans have an aptitude for both language and technology. Morocco sits as a bridge between the East and the West and I think that as the internet reaches adulthood, Morocco has the chance to be the next India in terms of technology.I can't think of a more worthy goal than MoroccoBlogs.com and the Bombies helping to make that future a reality.

Mayor of Fez warns on alcohol outlets

M Hamid Chabat, mayor of Fez, vowed this week to clean up a number of city bars and alcohol outlets that don't meet health and safety standards.

M Hamid Chabat, Mayor of Fez

While this is an admirable goal, members of the press, particularly the news blog www.Yabiladi.com, took his comments out of context and have blown the story up to read 'total alcohol ban in Fez'.

The reporter at Yabiladi, Rachid Hallaouy, warned that super-chic Fez was being 'Iranised'. His story attracted a large number of comments, mostly in favour of the supposed ban. One of them even said that Fez has no need of tourism - the city existed before and will last long after the last visitor has left. Another voiced the opinion that anyone who wants to drink alcohol should leave the country. In the minority was one commentator not in favour of such a move, saying that couscous without a glass of Moroccan wine just wouldn't be the same.

But it's not only tourists who sample local beer and wine. A winemaker in Meknes told us recently that 99% of wine production in Morocco is consumed locally, and there simply aren't enough tourists to slurp up that wine lake, not to mention beer from the big breweries in Casablanca.

vineyards near Meknes

Any trip to the supermarket alcohol shelves or an off-licence in town will show that the majority of customers are not tourists or indeed foreigners.

Alchohol is banned in Islam, although that rule hasn't always been adhered to. There are many songs and poems, such as those by Jallaluddin Rumi, praising the fruit of the vine. It's a big industry in Morocco, providing thousands of jobs and tax receipts for the government. A ban is unlikely. It would also be difficult to police, as the US found out during Prohibition.

So pity poor M Chabat - getting ones words taken out of context is part of life in the public eye!

cheers!

Mosque minaret collapse: death toll rises to 41

A four-centuries old minaret collapsed in the Lalla Khenata mosque in the old Bab el Bardiyine neighbourhood of Meknes, killing at least 41 people and injuring 71 worshippers, hospital officials and witnesses said.

Parliamentarian Dr Abdallah Bouanou confirmed the death toll. Following this painful event, HM the King decided to pay the funeral expenses.

Alaoui Ismaili, a local civil defence commander, said the rescue operation was slow because of the narrow streets in the old city medina district where the collapsed mosque minaret is located.

"We are using only manpower, not equipment as we cannot bring heavy equipment through these streets," he said.

"We are moving with great cautiousness also because the walls of houses and shops adjacent to the mosque are fragile especially after the heavy rains of the past days," Ismaili said.

Khaled Rahmouni, a Meknes, whose home is near the mosque told the Reuters news agency: "About 300 worshippers gathered inside the mosque for the Friday afternoon mass prayers. When the imam (preacher) was about to start his sermon, the minaret went down."

The lightly injured were hospitalised in Meknes while those with serious injuries were taken to Fes, 60km north of the town, state television station said.

King Mohammed VI sent the interior minister and religious affairs minister to Meknes, about 120km east of the capital, Rabat, to visit the injured and supervise the rescue operations.

The king also ordered the reconstruction of the minaret "keeping to its original form", the interior ministry statement said.

Neglected buildings in the old quarters of the country's cities collapse fairly often, but the fall of a minaret is rare.

Postcard : Intriguing Figuig - a Moroccan oasis

Few travellers to Morocco ever find their way to Figuig, an oasis town on the Algerian border in the far east of the country. And that's a pity, as The View from Fez team found out from US Peace Corps volunteers, Jack and Ina Boatright.

Figuig palmeraie

Ina and Jack are interested in promoting tourism to the area. But it would be a special kind of tourism, says Jack. Here's his report:

First impressions are that Figuig is an attractive, unique part of the Moroccan Sahara. This is especially true for Zenaga, the oldest Ksar of the seven Ksours of this oasis. The most obvious element of Figuig is the vast palm grove, or palmeraie, of about 200,000 date palms.
Zenaga is a neighborhood or Ksar located within the palmeraie. Passageways through the Zenaga palmeraie are characterized largely by mud-brick walls that define both the gardens and the structure of the houses – sometimes as much as three stories high. Quite often, parts of the mud-brick houses extend over the many passageways, creating cool, dark, and quiet alleys even in the middle of bright sunny days.
These passageways lend a mysterious and other-worldly air to Zenaga, especially with so many of the women of Zenaga covered head to toe in white, perhaps with only one eye exposed. You know that you are in a special place – like no other.

These passageways form intricate labyrinths that often only hint at the interior gardens and courtyards behind these mud walls. Here and there, one may see grape vines full of grapes, or branches of fig or pomegranate trees creeping over a wall.

The extensive network of passageways also serve the complex irrigation of the gardens. This means that many passageways have at least one or two narrow irrigation canals, (“fogarras” in Berber) running alongside it, often full of water and quietly gurgling at the abrupt twists and turn of these passageways.
There are almost no satellite TV dishes in Zenaga. Even in the desert on the way here, there are nomad tents that have solar collectors and the ubiquitous dishes.

Most of the people of Zenaga are in bed within two hours of sunset. The solitude is almost uncanny. As everywhere in Morocco, there are young men gathered together outside at night, but in Figuig they are amazingly polite and wholesome. Some of them have previously lived in Casablanca, Rabat or Oujda, but prefer the tranquility of Zenaga to the pressures of city living. It is almost like defying the law of gravity.

Although Zenaga is more than 800 years old and much of it created out of mud, or pise, it is not only still thriving but also beginning to experience a renaissance of sorts. Many of the homes are being cautiously restored, gently modernized and upgraded, while carefully preserving the nature and flavor of those ancient origins.These restorations are largely funded, not by true foreigners, but by the expatriate remittances of former Figuigians living abroad. They appreciate the unique nature of Zenaga and want their own piece of it in their future. Fortunately, there is no large-scale developer or even a development plan. The changes are taking place just one room, one courtyard, one house at a time.

Plans for tourism
Jack feels that even significant efforts at encouraging tourism in Figuig will not lead to a substantial increase as long as the border between Morocco and Algeria is closed. Also, the limitations of distance from the more populated areas of Morocco will protect the town from excessive outside influence. Their focus will be on fostering increased awareness and appreciation of Figuig to develop a modest increase in tourism that is environmentally clean, provides an economic resource, and that remains respectful to the unique cultural and religious lifestyle.

It's not going to be an easy job. There is very little information on accommodation in Figuig, though the Hotel Figuig is pleasant and there are a couple of guesthouses, Dar Amane and Auberge Oasis. There is no other tourist infrastructure, not even a bike rental outlet (and it's superb biking country), no taxis and no buses within the town. There's no Tourist Information Office, no maps, and even the postcards are faded!

Figuig municipal gardens

But Jack maintains that there's plenty to do in a quiet, gentle sort of way. He recommends a tour of the palmeraie and Zenaga, mountain biking, visiting the natural springs in the underground hammam, visiting the nearby mountain caves that contain prehistoric drawings, bird-watching in the oasis, hiking the Azrou Trail, visiting local artisans and craftsmen and getting to know local families over tea and cakes.

Jack and Ina are to be congratulated on their efforts and we wish them well. They're a special kind of Peace Corps worker - one of a growing number of 'mature' volunteers who instead of enjoying their retirement at home, are making an enormous contribution to the lives of others.

To reach Figuig from Fez, take the train to Oujda (5 hours) and a bus to Figuig (7 hours). We said it was off the beaten track!

all photographs: Ina and Jack Boatright

See all The View from Fez POSTCARDS HERE.

Meknes minaret collapses

A mosque minaret has collapsed in Meknes, killing a number of people.

First reports were that 11 people had died, and 50 were injured, but television reports in European countries are now reporting that 18 people have been killed in the collapse.

HM King Mohammed VI has given instructions that the four-centuries old mosque is to be rebuilt as soon as possible, preserving the original architecture. The heavy rains in the area have been blamed.

Hundreds of worshippers were gathering in Bab Berdieyinne mosque in Meknes (140 km south-eastern of Rabat), for Friday's prayers.

Fez Conference on Marginalised Women and Social Integration

Professor of Gender Studies and UN Gender expert, Fatima Sadiqi, will be co-hosting a Forum in Fez on Marginalised Women and Social Integration from 11-13 March at the Palais de Congres convention centre in Fez.

Prof Fatima Sadiqi

A fascinating array of topics will be presented by representatives from some 20 countries. All the papers will be simultaneously translated into English, French and Arabic. Fatima reports that 'taboo' subjects will be aired and discussed openly, such as women's rights in the Koran, sexual education and domestic violence against women.

Here's the programme:

11 March: morning
Registration, opening and reception
Visit to two centres for single mothers and women in difficult situations in Fez

afternoon

-Sanja Kelly (The Freedom House , USA): “Recent Gains and New Opportunities for the Rights of Women in the Middle East and North Africa Region”

-Daisy Khan (American Society for Muslim Advancement, New York , USA ): “Women’s Rights in the Koran”

-Fatima Sadiqi (Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University and the International Institute of Languages and Cultures): “Evaluation of Women’s Rights in Morocco between 2004 and 2009”

- Sri Wahyuni (Islamic University, Islamic Council , Indonesia ): “Political Commitment as an Attempt to Eliminate Women’s Marginalization”

12 March: morning

- Awe Ben Adebanjo (Barnabas Trust International, Nigeria): “Women's Rights in African Societies”

- Oliva Espin (San Diego University and the University of Vienna , Austria): “Lessons from the Strengths of the Marginalized”

-Moha Ennaji (Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University and the International Institute of Languages and Cultures): “Violence against Women in Morocco : Theory and Practice”

-Mohamed Ben Ahmed (Secretary General, West African Forum on AIDS and Violence against Women and Children, Ghana) : “Marginality: A Hindrance to the Development of Women”

afternoon: parallel session (1)

- Rachida El Uriaghli (President, Moroccan-German Jossour Association): “Moroccan Women and Marriage in Germany ”

-Ziba Mir-Hosseini (London Middle East Institute and New York University): “Dealing with Domestic Violence: the Iranian Case”

-Ajay Kumar (President, Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi , India ): “The Constraints of Marriage in India”

-Souad Slaoui (Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University , Fez): “The Negative Impact of Early Marriage”

parallel session (2)

-Amina Magdoud (College of Law , Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University ): “Single Mothers and Marginalization”

-Fanny Debarre (University of Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense , France) : “Family Breaks in Casablanca . From Broken to Renegotiated Bonds: Parenthood in Movement”

-Andreane Gagnon (University of Ottawa, Canada): “Sexual Education as a Lever of Development”

-Sara Borillo (Oriental University, Napoli , Italy): “Moroccan Women and Religion”

13 March: morning

-Hakima Hatri (Al- Qarawiyyin University , Fez) : “Abandoned Children and Marginalized Women: What Relation?”

- Malika Akham (University of Blida, Algeria): “Women on the Fringes of Society”

-Amel Grami (University of Tunis): “Unmarried Women Have a Voice”

-Afraa Hariri (Director, Center of Social Assistance, Aden , Yemen): “Social Insertion of FemalePrisoners in Yemen ”

afternoon: parallel session (1)

-Fawziah Al-Hani (Human Rights Activists Network, Saudi Arabia): “Saudi Women and Marginalization”

-Sabah Aoufi (March 8 Association of Immigrant Women): “The Situation of Moroccan Women in Spain”

-Zhor Houti (Saiss College of Arts, Fez): “House Maids and Social Marginalization”

-Annie-Marie Malleo N’Durabo (President, Synergy of Associative Movements of Women and Young Girlss, Democratic Republic of Congo) : “The Marginalization of Young Girls in Congo”

afternoon: parallel session (2)

-Anita Vandbelt Milhelm (iknow Politics, Jordan): “How Marginalized Women Can Use Online Networking Tools for Political Empowerment”

-Maya Boutaghou (Florida University): “How does Algerian Cinema Represent Marginalized Women?”

-Rachid Bouriyat (Director, Moroccan-German League, Germany ): “Moroccan Women, Migration and Marginalization”

- Eltegani Omer Ali (President, Humanitarian Aid and Development Organization, Yemen ): “The Marginalization of Women in Yemen ”

-Azza Maghur (Lawyer, Libya) and Entissar Ibrahim Elbahi (Engineer, Lybia) : “Marginalized and Voiceless Women in the Lybian Legislation/The Case of the Protection House for Women”

There will also be two film screenings:

Muslim Women’s Rights (Daisy Khan, ASMA International Network)

Divorce Iranian Style (Ziba Mir-Hosseini, London Middle East Institute and New York University )

A Moroccan Valentine

Writing in the Guardian newspaper today, Valentine's Day, Tahir Shah gives a glimpse of a Moroccan festival with plenty of romance.

Young Moroccan bride, Imilchil (photo Paul Almasy)

If Morocco is a land of romance, then its heart is surely the remote Berber village of Imilchil – without doubt the most romantic place I have ever been. Nestled in the Atlas, it lies beyond the Gorge of Ziz, in a wild and unforgiving frontier of narrow passes and sweeping mountain vistas. Once each year, in September, a festival is held in which the young are permitted to choose a spouse for themselves. In a realm usually confined by tribal tradition, the would-be brides and grooms are free to pick whoever they wish to marry. Dressed in roughly woven black robes, jangling silver amulets and amber beads heavy around their necks, the girls stream down from their villages. There's a sense of frivolity, but one tempered with solemn apprehension as they approach the doorway to a new life.

Reaching the village square, they catch first sight of the grooms. All of them are dressed in white woollen robes, their heads bound tight with woven red turbans, their eyes darkened with antimony.

The betrothal festival owes its existence to a legend, itself a blend of love and tragedy – a kind of Moroccan Romeo and Juliet. The story goes that, forbidden to marry, a couple who hailed from feuding tribes drowned themselves in a pair of crystal-clear lakes called Isli and Tislit. (One version of the tale says the lakes in which they drowned were made from their tears.) So horrified were the local people at the loss that they commenced the annual festival. No one is quite sure when the tradition began, but everyone will tell you that the marriages which follow betrothal there are blessed in an almost magical way.

The first time I visited Imilchil, almost 20 years ago, I met a young couple, Hicham and Hasna. They had met, fallen in love and been betrothed all on the same morning. They were glowing, their cheeks flushed with expectation and new love. Last year, when I visited Imilchil again, I tracked down the pair. They look a little older now. Hicham's hair has thinned and his face is lined from a life outdoors tending his goats; and Hasna looks fatigued. But then she has given birth to six children, four of them boys. As we sat in the darkness of their home, a wooden shack clinging like a limpet to the mountainside, I asked them how the years had been.

Hicham looked across at Hasna, and smiled. "On that day all those years ago," he said, "I became the happiest man in all the world. And each day since has been conjured from sheer joy." He glanced at the floor. "Do you want to know our secret?" he asked me bashfully. I nodded. Hicham touched a hand to his heart. "To always remember the love of the first moment, the tingling feeling, the first time it touches you, and the first moment your hands touched."

A few days after leaving Hicham and Hasna at their home in Imilchil, I reached my own home overlooking the Atlantic, in Casablanca. As I stepped in the door, my two little children, Ariane and Timur, ran up and threw their arms around my neck. They asked where I'd been. I told them about the winding mountain roads, the Berber villages, and the Gorge of Ziz. "And what did you bring?" they asked both at once, straining to look sheepishly at the ground. "I brought you a secret," I said. "What is it, Baba?" "Always to remember the feeling of tingling love," I said.

Moroccan News Briefs

Edinburgh Airport to connect Scotland with Marrakech

Edinburgh Airport has announced the creation of a new route which will connect Scotland with Marrakech for the first time.

Ryanair is set to launch the service between Edinburgh Airport and the Moroccan city from May this year.

The move is part of a wide ranging expansion plan from Ryanair at the airport. It was also announced this week that a flight will soon run between Edinburgh Airport and Kaunus in Lithuania.

Gordon Dewar, managing director of Edinburgh Airport, said that the new routes highlight that it is "quickly becoming Scotland's airport of choice".

Michael O'Leary, from Ryanair, said that the new routes mean passengers at Edinburgh Airport can now be connected with 38 destinations with the airline.

Using GPS in Morocco - update

Driving around Morocco can be fraught for tourists who don't read Arabic script. Now help is at hand. One of the world’s leading provider of navigation solutions and digital maps, today announced that it is expanding into Morocco. TomTom is entering the market with two products: the mid-range TomTom XL (including maps from Morocco and Europe) and the entry-level TomTom Start (including maps from Morocco). The products will be distributed by MCI, a leading distributor in Africa, and sold through major consumer electronics retailers across Morocco.


“With over two million cars on the road every day, Morocco is a country with great potential for us, making it a logical next step in our expansion strategy in North Africa," says Frédéric Langin, TomTom’s Vice President Sales France Middle East North Africa. “We are confident that we will become the leader in navigation here, just as we are in other countries."

The detailed map of Morocco,includes over 67,000 km of roads, including Morocco’s largest cities such as Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Marrakech and Agadir. It also has thousands of Points of Interest. At this stage we are not certain if Fez is included. On the up side the GPS comes with an Arabic speaking voice.

Morocco to host the Anoca Games

The Africa Youth Games will bring together 800 athletes from all over Africa and about 300 teams' officials.

Anoca have offered US$1 million for the hosting of the event. A deal was signed last Wednesday between Anoca, Morocco Olympic Committee and the North African country's Ministry of Sports in Casablanca.The Moroccan government believes it will be able to successfully host the Games.

"Our government, is going to avail enough resources to ensure that the games will be organised successfully.Through the Africa Youth Games our hope is that if young people can learn to respect each other on the field of play, they may transmit this to the other parts of their daily lives." said Moncef Belkhayat, Morocco's Minister of Youth and Sport.

The Anoca Games for athletes aged between 15 and 17 years takes place between May 9th to 15th.

HM the King presents certificates to Women preachers

In Tetouan on Friday, HM King Mohammed VI presented certificates to the successful students of the 2009 training programme for imams and mourchidates (women Islamic preachers)

So far, 730 imams and 257 mourchidates have benefited from training programmes initiated by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

The imams' mission is to give courses and lectures in the mosques, while mourchidates are entrusted with guiding and educating women and children in mosques, schools, prisons and charity associations.

Morocco has highest internet speed?

Akamai, the U.S. Company that specializes in managing Internet, has recently published a report on Internet around the world, during the 3rd quarter 2009. According to the report, Morocco has best connection in Africa.

The UK has the fastest connection to Africa. Rabat tops the rankings by city, with a connection speed of 3251 kilobits per second (Kbps). Followed by Tunis (2211 Kbps) and Casablanca (2030 Kbps). The best in Africa still remains behind the rest of the world. For example, the United States, (18th worldwide) has a rate that is 10 times higher than Morocco (33464 Kbps). The golden award winner goes to South Korea (14.6 Megabits per second).

From another perspective, Morocco would benefit more from a better penetration of broadband (from 5 Mbps). Rabat leads with 26%, followed by Casablanca (7.3%). The city of Midrand (South Africa) comes third. Despite these statistics, Morocco is still far behind some leaders, including the United States with a rate of 92%.

Even in terms of average speed connections (from 2 Mbps), Morocco has again the best penetration. Rabat leads with 61%, followed by Tunis (48%), followed by Casablanca (33%). With rates at 99% the United States and some European countries are far ahead.

The report was based on information collected from Akamai global network of servers. The report also listed stats on cyber attacks. The study traced the attacks to more than 207 countries around the world.

A surprising highlight, the United States and China who were the largest providers of pirates in the past have now been surpassed by Russia and Brazil.

Local Fez Medina News

Mike Richardson of Café Clock has now provided a prayer room for customers and staff. Mike reports that as so many of his customers are Muslims, it makes sense to accommodate them in a special room.


Café Clock will now be stocking unusual crocheted jewellery made by the Ain Chaib Association for the Development of Women. Ain Chaib is a village outside Taroudant in the south of Morocco. The project is managed by Peace Corps worker Joy Chen, who says that the jewellery-making allows local women to contribute to their family income. The range includes beaded headbands and bracelets crocheted from the thread used to make djellaba buttons, and also some interesting bracelets crocheted from copper wire.

Opinion - Fez Real Estate.

This following story has been bouncing around the internet and gives an interesting perspective on real estate in Fez. The writer is Abby Aron.

Emerging property market in Fez draws foreigners

At least one foreigner who has bought a house in Fez, the medieval city in northeastern Morocco, says the process requires vision and a lot of commitment.

‘‘You are not going to find a house you love and live in it straight off,’’ explained Rebecca Eve, a Briton who is still renovating a house she bought two years ago in the Bab Guissa quarter for the equivalent of $110,000. ‘‘If you are lucky, you can get away with a simple upkeep project, but while the property market is in its infancy, the majority of homes require complete restoration.’’ Inside the medina, orwalled city,many of the 12,000 riads and dars, the local term for townhouses with courtyards, are more than 1,000 years old; ‘‘new’’ homes are usually at least 100. But it is this historic value that makes the Unesco World Heritage site so distinctive and heightens many buyers’ determination to restore properties authentically.

‘‘You need to put the rest of your life on hold while doing it up,’’ saidMs. Eve, who started house hunting in Marrakech but found the prices more alluring in Fez, around 50 percent cheaper. ‘‘But it is time well spent, as there is always going to be a demand for restored medina homes.’’ The historic value of such homes helps protect a buyer’s investment, according to FrancesMcKay of the real estate agency Francophiles, a British business that sells properties in France, Morocco and Cape Verde. ‘‘Because no two medina homes are the same, traditional properties will always keep their value when elsewhere real estate prices fluctuate,’’ she said.

On average, a three-bedroom unrestored property in the oldest part of the medina, the Andalusian Quarter, will sell for 250,000 to 350,000 Moroccan dirham, or $30,500 to $42,700. But while such homes are likely to have the most original features, they also are likely to need the most restoration.

These traditional homes are built of clay brick, sand and lime, which helps the walls ‘‘breathe’’ — making them cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Temperatures in this city of 1.5 million range from highs of 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) to lows of around 2 degrees (35 Fahrenheit).

In contrast, a 20th-century home along the outer rim of the medina, particularly in the Batha and Ziat neighborhoods, can start at 1 million dirham if it has parking, a rare feature in this predominantly pedestrian city.

Ms. Eve, along with her partner, Paul O’Sullivan, and their 2-year-old son, Finlay, are renting an apartment outside the medina while they wait for work to be completed on their new home, Dar Fin, named for their son.

Likemost homes here, Dar Fin’s 4,000 square feet of living space surrounds a central courtyard, where the couple have added a fountain and plunge pool.

Its four floors include four bedrooms, three living rooms and a roof terrace with views of the city’s famous landmark shrine to Moulay Idriss, founder of Fez.

There are no restrictions on foreign ownership of property in Morocco, but foreigners are advised to ensure that a thorough title search is conducted before a sale is closed. Local mortgages are available, although only through BMCE Bank and Crédit du Maroc, and for up to half the property’s value.

The resale market has not yet taken off in Fez, partly because the city continues to be a relatively new find for foreigners.

Until 2007, there were no direct flights from any European capital and only one English-speaking real estate agency.

Even today, Fez’s role as the kingdom’s religious capital and its most conservative city means a Westerner will find living there much different from a more cosmopolitan city like Marrakech.

For example, Mike Richardson, owner of Café Clock, the medina’s only restaurant to stay open after sunset, said: ‘‘People are very suspicious of Café Clock. They assume that because it is open after dark, we are doing bad things.’’ The Clock, as it is known, includes a cooking school and a cultural center that offers belly dancing classes, Arabic calligraphy lessons and concerts. ‘‘It has brought life to the medina in the evenings, which is something that has never occurred in the 1,200 years since the first stone was laid,’’ Mr. Richardson said. ‘‘I guess that is quite a lot to get used to.’’ Despite the population’s reluctance to change, King Mohammed VI has plans to modernize the ‘‘new town,’’ the sprawling area of concrete homes that surrounds the medina.

The project, 2015 Fez, includes the construction of two tourist developments, Oued Fès and Ouislane, with a total of three hotels, golf courses, tennis clubs and shopping malls. It is part of Vision 2010, a nationwide plan of the king’s to increase Morocco’s tourism to 10 million visitors a year by expanding hotel capacity, creating 60,000 tourism jobs and regenerating the country’s coastlines. The local plan has not gathered much momentum yet, but officials say it is still on schedule.

Some privately funded construction in the area has been delayed, however, because of the global downturn and the tightening of regulations making it harder to use agricultural land for commercial purposes.

One notable new project that is almost complete is Les Colombes, positioned on the road between the airport and the medina.

Sixty-nine luxury villas, with individual prices starting at 5.1 million dirhams, are being developed by Pack Energy, a Moroccan company headed by Houria Benjelloun, one of Morocco’s few female developers. Sales are scheduled to begin in mid-March, with foreign buyers offered 50 percent mortgages at 6.6 percent interest.

Recipes for Moroccan starters

A Moroccan meal usually starts with a number of cooked salads, which are scooped up with chunks of bread. Here is a selection to get you started. Add a dish of olives and you'll have a spread fit for a pasha!

These recipes serve 4-6 as part of the first course.

Ful (fava or broad beans in tomato sauce)

1/2kg shelled broad beans
6 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2tsp paprika
1tsp salt
sprinking of black pepper
pinch of chili powder
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

Place the beans in a pot with plenty of salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Partially cover the beans and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the beans for about 30 minutes, or until the beans are quite tender and can be popped out of their skins. Drain set aside.

While the beans are cooking, add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients to a large pot, and stir to mix. Cook uncovered over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and mashing the tomatoes as they soften, for about 25 minutes, or until a rich, thick sauce has formed.

Add the cooked and about two tablespoons of water to the sauce. Simmer for a few minutes to heat the fava beans, and remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Aubergine Puree

2 aubergines (eggplants) weighing in total around 600g
2 sliced garlic cloves
1/2tsp ground cumin
1tsp paprika
50ml olive oil, plus extra to serve
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
mint or coriander to garnish


Cut slits in the aubergines and insert the garlic slices. Bake in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes until the skins are charred and blistered. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Halve the aubergines and scoop out the flesh and garlic slices. Squeeze out any excess liquid. Put the aubergine, garlic, cumin and paprika into a food processor and mix to a puree. With the motor running, slowling pour in the olive oil to give the consistency of a soft dip. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to a serving dish. Just before serving, dribble some extra virgin olive oil over the top and garnish with mint or coriander.

Carrot Salad

700g fresh carrots
1 1/2tbs lemon juice
1 1/2tbs oil
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1tsp cumin
salt and pepper

Peel the carrots and cut into rounds. Boil them until just cooked. Drain. Mix in the other ingredients and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.

Taktouka (cooked tomato and roasted pepper salad)

6 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 or 3 large green peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3tbs chopped parsley
3tbs chopped fresh coriander
salt and pepper to taste
1tbs paprika
2tsp cumin
pinch cayenne
1/3 cup olive oil

Cook all the ingredients in a large frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft. Adjust the heat if necessary to keep the tomatoes and peppers from burning.

Smash the softened tomatoes with a spoon, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until the liquids are reduced to oil. At this point the salad should be well-blended and can be stirred away from the sides of the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

See all our Moroccan recipes here: The View from Fez Menu!

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