Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
August 5 , 2006

Socio-economic projects launched in southern Morocco.
Tourism Strategy
Morocco earns its partners' confidence thanks to economic reforms and major structural projects.
Women’s Intuition and My Journey to Morocco.
Moroccans sent back to school in literacy drive.
New training centre for women opens in Casablanca.
UNFPA favours programmes for Moroccan youth, official.
Morocco Foundation: US-based Moroccans support compatriots back home.
Close to 40,000 praying places in Morocco, Ministry.
Significant improvement of human rights situation in Morocco, Amnesty.
Morocco wins UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.
Tangier festival celebrates Amazigh culture.

Socio-economic projects launched in southern Morocco.
8/3/2006

The prefecture of Inezgan Ait Melloul, and the provinces of Assa-Zag and Smara have recently seen the launching of a number of socio-economic projects, MAP news agency reported. The projects in various communes of the Inezgane Ait Melloul prefecture concern urban improvement, basic infrastructure and the construction of school units and hostels for young people.

The total cost of these projects is MAD 70 million. Urban improvement will involve increasing the electricity network and the creation of parks. Basic infrastructure comprises the reinforcement and paving of certain roads and public spaces. These socio-economic projects have been launched or inaugurated within the framework of the 7th anniversary of the accession of HM King Mohammed VI to the Alaouite Throne.

On the same occasion, several socio-economic projects were launched in Smara. The governor of the province, accompanied by many elected representatives, members of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS) and other military and civilian personalities, launched Saturday the project for the improvement to the entrance to the town of Smara, at an overall cost of MAD 12.97 million

The project includes the repairing and reinforcement of the public lighting and underground electrical line, the widening of the roads and the construction of pavements. The governor also laid the first stone in the construction of a pilot municipal market in Hay Tan Tan, made up of shops and a café. The project aims at organising and promoting neighbourhood business and developing the financial resources of the urban commune. In addition, a study for a bridge across the Oued Salwane is in its final phase.

The town of Assa saw the signing, at the end of last week, of an agreement for setting up the programme of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) for the year 2006 in the province of Assa-Zag. The estimated overall cost of the programme covered by the agreement amounts to MAD 15.5 million. It will be supported equally by the province and the Agency for the South. The INDH programme for 2005 has already been achieved in the province.

The partnership agreement relates to three programmes. The first is the fight against exclusion in an urban environment and includes the connection of drinking water and electricity in certain sectors and the building of a health centre. A play-ground will be constructed in the urban commune of Zag. The second programme deals with the upgrading of the track linking Assa to Idaline and various improvements in different sectors, such as drinking water and accommodation for school-children. Support for micro-credit associations is also covered by the agreement, along with backing for income-generating activities, and social, cultural, sporting and religious actions.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/Paper/article.asp?idr=2&id=16379
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Tourism Strategy
Volume 104.  28.07.2006

Recently released figures on air traffic growth in Morocco came as yet another indication that the kingdom's Vision 2010 tourism development strategy is on track. Introducing the annual report of the National Airports Office (Office National Des Aéroports, ONDA) last week, CEO Abdelhanine Benallou announced that passenger air traffic had grown by 18% in 2005. This is more than twice the global growth rate in the industry, which reached 7.6% last year, according to statistics published by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Marrakech international airport recorded the largest increase, with an annualised 32% jump in passenger numbers in 2005, topping the 2m passenger mark for the first time. Following 14% growth in passenger air traffic in 2004, this impressive performance reinforces the upward trend the sector has recorded recently. Benallou linked this "improvement" with the ONDA's "planned and voluntary" policy. He voiced satisfaction regarding the sector's performance over the last few years, and declared that ONDA would press on with its airport development programme.

Benallou also said that a number of projects included in ONDA's 2004-2007 investment plan had already been undertaken, such as the construction of a new terminal at Marrakech, the expansion of the runway at the Essaouira airport, and the installation of an advanced approach and landing radar for Casablanca's Mohammed V airport.

Benallou recalled that the process of opening up Morocco's aviation sector had led to the signing of the "open skies" agreement with the EU in December 2005. "The agreement has encouraged foreign airline companies, including regular passenger air transport, to enter the Moroccan market," he added. He added that ONDA was looking to reinforce its position at the regional level, while adopting a forward-looking tariff policy in regard to aeronautical and airport royalties.

At the international level, the profit-sharing measures adopted both for the creation of new lines and the reinforcement of existing ones includes both regular airlines and low-cost companies. Benallou underlined that the presence of ONDA at the 11th World Route Development Forum in September 2005 in Copenhagen had allowed him to promote the new tariff scheme.

Morocco is aware that it needs to maintain this upward trend in order to achieve the objectives of its Vision 2010 tourism development strategy. To meet the criteria, such as reaching 10m arrivals by 2010, will require Morocco to add roughly 100 new weekly flights each year until 2010, so as to achieve a 15% annual growth in arrivals. Morocco seems to be well on track thus far, with tourist arrivals up 16% during the first five months of 2006 over the same period in 2005. Meanwhile, the number of overnight stays recorded a 9% increase.

A few weeks ago, Tourism Minister Adil Douiri had estimated that 6.5m tourists would visit the country this year, an increase of 700,000 over 2005. Douiri said he expected tourism revenue to be between $5.1bn and $5.6bn for 2006, up from last year's $4.6bn, amounting to 10% of GDP. This follows encouraging results for 2005, with arrivals up 7% at 5.84m, although this fell short of the required 15% annual increase to reach the Vision 2010 target.

However, as the increase in the number of beds fell short of plans, most Moroccan cities are overwhelmed with tourists this summer. This has prompted the national tourism office to cancel a campaign planned to attract Moroccan expatriates by offering them discounted prices. With huge investments in all types of tourist accommodation recently announced or already underway, and airlines announcing new connections every month, most analysts agree that the main challenge for Morocco will be to maintain the inflow of tourists in the medium to long term.

With service quality a key condition that encourages visitors to come back, and to benefit from word-of-mouth advertising, most observers agree that Morocco should focus on training more tourism professionals. A number of encouraging initiatives have recently been launched, such as the opening of a tourism training academy in June 2005 by French group Accor and an apprenticeship training centre last May - both in co-operation with Morocco's vocational training body.
http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/weekly01.asp?id=2149
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Morocco earns its partners' confidence thanks to economic reforms and major structural projects.
Rabat, July 30

King Mohammed VI affirmed that Morocco has managed to earn the confidence of its partners, financial backers, investors and economic stakeholders thanks to the economic reforms and major structural projects launched by the kingdom. "Thanks to the economic reforms and major structural projects launched and to the good governance principles adopted, our country has managed to earn the confidence of its partners, financial backers, investors and economic stakeholders," underlined the sovereign in a speech addressed Sunday on the occasion of the 7th anniversary of the Throne Day.

"It is gratifying to note their steadily increasing presence and involvement in major projects in Morocco, as well as their role in boosting investment and creating jobs," affirmed the king."This dynamic environment will further enhance my determination to pursue efforts aimed at developing a modern, competitive economy, which is integrated into the global economy, which benefits from all that the knowledge-based society has to offer to stimulate growth, and which plays an active role in international markets and in new, high value-added products," underlined the monarch, focussing on certain leading sectors, such as tourism, industry, agriculture and services, in addition to areas where Morocco has a comparative advantage. The king underscored the importance to upgrade the production industry and restructure the handicraft sector which, as well as being a main job provider, plays an effective part in development.

The sovereign affirmed that "reflecting all the confidence I have in our economy and in our capabilities, state authorities have been making efforts to expand and upgrade the Kingdom’s infrastructures, both to sustain regional and international competition - through the construction of motorways, major ports and seaside resorts - and to meet the requirements of territorial and social development, through social housing programs, the supply of electricity and drinking water, and the construction of rural roads." “I firmly believe in the importance of scientific and technical research to achieve development, and in the need to be part of the knowledge and technology-based society,” said the monarch.

At the social level, the sovereign reiterated the need to fight poverty, exclusion and marginalization to achieve social and economic development, “ as a result, I have been keen to ensure the nation’s energies are released, and to promote solidarity and social cohesion, making this the cornerstone of comprehensive economic development in the country.”

“The results obtained in connection with the National Initiative for Human Development, after one year, are a source of deep satisfaction. Numerous promising development projects have been put on track, and citizens, elected officials and NGOs have been closely involved in the Initiative’s programs, in an attempt to make up for sectorial or regional disparities and imbalances,” noted the king.

Concerning education and training, the sovereign said that “in virtually every one of my speeches, I have insisted on the strategic and urgent nature” of this sector. “Once again, I call on all the sectors concerned, on the nation’s resources in general, and on all citizens who are anxious to secure a bright future for Moroccan schools, to show even stronger mobilization in order to overcome obstacles and ensure the success of the educational reform process,” affirmed the monarch, noting that “it is now high time a final decision were made in this regard, to enable the sector to receive the impetus it needs at this stage in order to meet the challenge of upgrading our human resources and of paving the way for a promising future.”

“To rise to current and future challenges, we need to have full confidence in ourselves and to believe firmly that, notwithstanding the difficulties and the constraints, our future lies in our hands,” concluded the sovereign.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_economy/morocco_earns_its_pa/view
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Women’s Intuition and My Journey to Morocco.
—By Pnina Zoharah  August, 2006 Workers at the hamam

Rabat: the capital of Morocco, a modern city surrounded by the old wall. It’s a city that blends traditional life and modern life, two worlds that live in peace with each other. It was there that I found my connection to my ancestors, and the understanding of my female creative energy.

My dream to visit this mysterious land came true in June 2005.

My aspiration was to meet Moroccan women and learn how they utilize their female energy. It was important for me to be open to this experience because of the way I was raised, in a strict and male dominating world. By being open-minded, I gained a new awareness not only about the Moroccan women but also about myself and all women in general.

After a long day of exploring Rabat, I went to eat at a restaurant by the local market (suke), where the food was delicious and exotic. I was sitting close to two women who spoke Moroccan and French. Digging into my memories, I tried to remember the Moroccan language, and how my grandmother and my mother spoke it when I was a child. After a few minutes, I began to understand what the women were talking about.

I realized that the best way to start up conversation with them would be to compliment them. In my broken Moroccan mixed with English, I told them that I liked the natural henna color of their hair, and the beauty of their eyes through the Cahal (all natural eye-liner). After 10 minutes of conversation, the women, named Sabira and Fatima, and I went to shop at the suke. Walking at the Suke felt very familiar, and from that point on my trip in Morocco felt like visiting a past life. I asked my new sisters if they wanted to travel with me, but Fatima had to work. Sabira was not working at the time, though, and became my tour guide.

After visiting Rabat, we headed to the Atlas Mountains. On the way, Sabira made sure to stop to introduce me to her family, who were members of the Berber tribe. Sabira and her family were very poor, but extremely open and generous. After we enjoyed a wonderful meal at Sabira’s, we continued our journey to the Atlas Mountains. Our destination was a small village called Azarue, which is known for its handmade carpets.

On the way we stopped in the old city of Meknes. While walking the narrow streets, I noticed the energy of the mountain people, but more specifically, the energy of the mountain women. They had an amazing sense of pride and strength, which was something that I felt was inherint in me as well. Although Moroccan women live in a male-dominated world, there is a sense of strong female energy. By speaking to Sabira I understood that the traditional woman is much more respected than I originally thought, and though the Moroccan woman is still behind the veil, she is the source of creativity and represents the inner grounding and the nurturing of the family and tribe.

The most interesting experience I had when interacting with the women of Morocco was in the hamam (spa). Sabira and I went to a natural hot spring close to the city of Fes. In the spa there was a mosque that provided a sacred space for whomever chose to integrate spiritual ritual with bathing in the holy mineral water. As preparation to purify the body, I enjoyed the traditional songs that the women who bathed us sang. I was surprised to see how comfortably casual the women, who had strong traditional and religious morals, where about bathing us. Without feeling intimidated in any way by our nakedness, they washed and scrubbed every part of our bodies while serving us with delicious sweets and tea.

Along the journey, Sabira and I continued to become more connected. We talked about anything and everything and shared our natural healing abilities with each other. By spending this time with her I saw how her intuition came so naturally. Like most Berber women from the Atlas Mountains, she knew a lot about healing with herbal medicine. She helped me realize my natural source of intuition, my psychic strength, and my connection to the female energy that came from my Berber ancestors. This awareness expanded my understanding of who I am as a healer. I am much more comfortable and in peace with where I came from, which is enhancing my daily healing process with myself and others.

Pnina Zoharah is a gifted healer and spiritual teacher. She has been exploring women’s sexuality and intuition for many years, using clairvoyant reading, hands-on healing, emotional bodywork and workshops. She can be reached at (415) 342-3007;http://www.movementandspirit.com.
http://www.babwnews.com/article.php?id=669
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Moroccans sent back to school in literacy drive.
Wed Aug 2, 2006 By Tom Pfeiffer and Zakia Abdennebi RABAT, Morocco (Reuters)

Azeddine dropped out of school before he could read and now spends his days working in a bakery and his evenings trying to sell plastic bags to shoppers in the Moroccan capital. "I gave up school because I got ill and fell behind in my studies," said the 13-year-old. "Then my father died and my mother remarried. My stepfather said if I wanted to stay with her I would have to earn my keep."

Azeddine is one of 12.8 million illiterate Moroccans, just under half the population and a number that has doubled since 1960. A study in 2004 found that 43 percent of people over 10 were unable to read or write. The government hopes to eradicate illiteracy by 2015 by reaching out to children like Azeddine and adults who may have never opened a book. It says it is drawing 1 million people back to school every year in a campaign that is reaching even into the North African kingdom's most isolated hamlets. "I hope in 10 or 15 years' time we'll no longer be talking about illiteracy, because it's a burden for our country," El Habib Nadir, director of Morocco's literacy program, said.

Illiteracy is one of the main reasons Morocco stands at number 124 out of 177 countries in the U.N.'s Human Development Index, which also takes into account factors such as life expectancy and access to healthcare. Millions in the country rely on others for simple tasks like dialing a phone number or reading a bill. Women have fallen ill because they did not know they could go to a doctor without their husband's permission, while illiteracy leaves people vulnerable to being abused by those in authority or manipulated by religious extremists, Nadir said. "You can tell someone who's illiterate anything you like about the Koran because he can't check whether it's true," said Nadir.

NEW SCHOOLS
The drive to eradicate illiteracy has gathered momentum since King Mohammed came to power in 1999. In recent weeks, the government has come out with bolder and clearer targets for teaching all Moroccans to read and write. Small schools have sprung up across the kingdom's rugged countryside and crowds of children with satchels can be seen trudging along dusty rural roads. The government has developed dedicated learning manuals for farmers, fishermen, soldiers, street children and prisoners. Voluntary associations, companies and civil servants with a few hours to spare are all being drafted into the nationwide campaign, Nadir said. To lure adults back to the classroom, they are also offered lessons in crafts like sewing, and micro-credits to help them start a business.

Road construction worker Hamid Berhila found it hard to manage his family's affairs, find his way around town and progress in his job before he was offered reading and writing classes by his employer. "Now that I can read, I can make the right measurements and read plans and signs. That should help improve my work situation," the 53-year-old told Reuters. At a literacy award ceremony in Rabat last month, Berhila beamed as he was handed his reading certificate by Prime Minister Driss Jettou while TV crews and photographers jostled for the best view. "My children are happy that their father can pick up a book and read it with them -- they are very proud," he said. "I know that now I must make sure my wife learns to read too."

WRITERS LOSE OUT
Last year, the United Nations' education agency UNESCO said that illiteracy was jeopardizing global attempts to halve world poverty within a decade. It said one-fifth of the world's adults were illiterate with three-quarters of adult illiterates in just 12 countries -- India, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Egypt, Brazil, Iran, Morocco and Democratic Republic of Congo. Perhaps the only people losing out under Morocco's new campaign, are "public writers," mostly old men who sit by little desks in the street with ancient typewriters and who charge a small fee to hammer out letters for the illiterate.

Men ask for letters disputing bills or the details of land deeds. Women dictate correspondence to their husbands in prison or formal complaints to the police over domestic abuse. "I've been here 35 years and I get fewer customers now than before," said one public writer in one of the poorest quarters of Rabat's old town. "More people seem to think of illiteracy as a problem nowadays."
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=inDepthNews&storyID=2006-08-02T122136Z_01_L03925218_RTRUKOC_0_US-MOROCCO-LITERACY.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C3-inDepthNews-3
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New training centre for women opens in Casablanca.
By Houcine Ait Mhand

The “Mohamed Smiha” Centre of Vocational Training for women has been opened in Casablanca. As part of the National Initiative of Human Development (INDH), launched in May 2005, the new project aims at improving the living conditions of women and girls, who can learn a craft to be able to earn their living. About 380 people will be taught sewing, embroidery, hairdressing, and computing skills. The amount of money allocated for this project totaled MAD 800,000, MAD 500,000 of which is in the framework of the NIHD.

In addition to this step forward, several other development projects have been launched in many prefectures and provinces of Greater Casablanca on the occasion of the Throne Day. In this context, Mohammedia prefecture witnessed the start of improvements on Al Alia football stadium with a total budget of MAD 2.6 million. Al Alia Cultural Complex also benefited from improvement works, which will be budgeted at MAD 5,575 million. The building of the Al Bachir covered hall necessitates MAD 7 million, as part of the total amount of MAD 10 million allocated to the whole project. Among the projects realised in Mohammedia prefecture feature the inauguration of the headquarters of the Delegation of Housing and Urbanism, which is budgeted at MAD 1,300 million, along with a centre for haemodialysis.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/Paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=16341
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UNFPA favours programmes for Moroccan youth, official.

The representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Morocco, Georges Georgi, said that the Fund places Moroccan youth at the centre of its programmes, reported MAP news agency. To incite youth to play a decisive role in the development of their country, UNFPA set up a specific programme since 2004. The official announced that the assessement of the programme entitled “Youth for Youth” will be presented Friday in Rabat during a meeting organised on the occasion of the World Population Day, which is themed this year “Youth and the human development”.

“Initiated in partnership with the departments of health, national education and youth, this programme aims at providing Moroccan youth with adequate services, necessary information and participation right,” he added. “Active participation of Moroccan youth marked the conception and establishment of this project's activities,” underlined Georgi, adding that many achievements took place since the launching of the projects, 3 years ago.

Among these achievements, he listed the establishment of health centres for youth and the creation of health clubs in schools and educational institutions. He recalled that this experience, which was first launched in Marrakech, has extended now to four other regions, namely Rabat, Fez, Tangier and Beni Mellal. Georgi also affirmed that the UN organisation, UNFPA, supports the efforts made by the Moroccan government for the population, notably in terms of promoting women and youth life condition.

Created in 1969, the UNFPA is an international development agency that promotes the right of the world population “to enjoy healthy life and equal opportunities.” It supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and ensure good health condition for world populations.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/Paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=16240
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Morocco Foundation: US-based Moroccans support compatriots back home.
By Kaoutar Tbatou 8/2/2006

Hicham is 7 years old. He lives in a village near Essaouira. Every morning to go to school, he has to walk at least 6 Km. His daily ordeal gets even harder during winter, when the dirt road he takes becomes impassable. This, in addition to his family's financially precarious conditions, make Hicham, and hundreds of children like him, constantly face the risk of school dropout.

To improve the schooling conditions of Hicham and those like him, US-based NGO Morocco Foundation (MF) launched this year a project labeled “Schools without Borders”. The current operation of Schools without Borders concerns the Ben Hamida School Group (over 50 Km north of Essaouira), which is made up of four centres where even basic needs like bathrooms, water and electricity are missing. With the help of donors, the Foundation aims to improve the infrastructure of the group, and also provide the students, among them 15 orphans and 10 children who were abandoned by their parents, with school supplies and basic medical examination.

Since its creation in 2004 by US-based Moroccan professionals, FM has made efforts to respond to the needs of the underprivileged in Morocco. The Foundation's projects become a reality thanks to the contributions of donors willing to help those in need.“We use different methods to collect funds. We have a team of volunteers who help with fund-raising locally in their own communities, we organize fund-raising events, and solicit funds from corporations,” explained Ali Bettahi, MF president.

The NGO's forthcoming fund-raising event will be held on Sept.9 in San Francisco, California. Funds can also be received via the foundation's website www.morocco-foundation.org. The projects fully benefit from the collected money thanks to the Foundation's tax-exempt status which it gained in 2005.

Health and education, the foundation's major concerns

Schools without Borders is not the Foundation's first project. Also concerned about health issues, MF launched another programme in 2006 to help kids suffering from cerebral palsy in the southern city of Laayoune. This project aims at supporting the efforts of a local NGO, l'Association Marocaine des Handicapés et de l'Enfance Démunie (The Moroccan Association for the Disabled and Poor Children).

Funds are needed to purchase medical equipment, including pediatric wheelchairs, walkers for kids up to 12 years old, and material for therapy, as well as kids' bicycles, toys and clothes. A year ago, MF started other programmes, including the Water Wells Project, which aims at drilling and building five water wells for six villages, and the Big Brothers Big Sisters project, a sponsorship program for sick children in Morocco.

The organisation's members admit that their mission is no picnic. But despite difficulties, mainly caused by the distance separating them from Morocco where the projects are launched, the effort is certainly worthwhile, especially that one donation could change a life.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=16355
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Close to 40,000 praying places in Morocco, Ministry.
Rabat, Aug.3

There were 39,876 praying places in Morocco in 2005, revealed the Moroccan ministry of Habous (endowment) and Islamic affairs. According to a ministry newsletter, the number of mosques where Friday prayers are performed reached 14,659, i.e. 37% of the total number of mosques, noting that the number of msallahs (large open spaces used for prayers during Islamic feasts) was 8,059. The number of praying rooms reached 11,202, i.e. 28% of the total number of the praying places.

In order to protect the prayers' safety, the newsletter added that the ministry has taken urgent measures, including the closing of 17 damaged mosques and others used as homes by some people to preach extremism and violence. The ministry had earlier revealed that 69 small mosques will be annually built in urban neighborhoods and 20 mosques in peri-urban neighborhoods to eradicate inappropriate praying places.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/general/close_to_40000_pray/view
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Significant improvement of human rights situation in Morocco, Amnesty.
Rabat, Aug.3

Human rights situation in Morocco "has known a significant improvement," affirmed chairman of International Amnesty in Morocco, Mohamed Sektaoui. In an interview published Thursday by the Arabic-speaking daily "Assahra Al Maghribia", Sektaoui noted that Amnesty was the first to hail this progress, underlining that Morocco "has been able to introduce, in north Africa, a new example of a strong political will aiming to turn the page of the past through establishing the Reconciliation and Equity Commission."

He said that the kingdom has demonstrated a "strong determination to improve human rights legislations," noting that Morocco will lift reservations on the conventions aiming to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women. "Since Morocco's election as member of the new UN Human Rights Council, it has assumed more responsibilities," said Sektaoui, noting that following this election, Morocco should "not only fulfill its commitments in human rights field, but also strive to be an example for other countries and endeavour so that these rights be respected worldwide."
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_politics/significant_improvem/view
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Morocco wins UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.
Beijing, July 24

The Moroccan ministry of Education was attributed the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy for its non-formal education program. The award will be handed to the Moroccan ministry on September 23 in the province of Shandong, china. UNESCO said last November that the UNESCO Confucius prize for Literacy rewards Morocco's program of non-formal education, an innovative national literacy initiative designed specifically for marginalized adolescents in rural areas. The program's objectives include ensuring the right to education for all, democratizing education and promoting good governance.

UNESCO also underlined that this program provides short-training cycles to permit recent drop-out adolescents to return to school and identifies students facing a high risk of dropping out of school. The UNESCO Confucius Prize is attributed every year to efficient literacy contributions. The USD 20,000 prize was created in 2005 thanks to a Chinese donation.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/morocco_wins_unesco/view
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Tangier festival celebrates Amazigh culture.
03/08/2006 By Farah Kinani

The second Mediterranean Amazigh Festival of Tangier is being held from 3-6 August. The event aims to recognise Amazigh culture in Morocco. The second Mediterranean Amazigh Festival of Tangier is celebrating Amazigh culture from 3-6 August. The Touiza Assocation, which is hosting the event, says its hopes to encourage a spirit of citizenship, national unity and cultural dialogue.

After the success of last year's festival, the association expects the annual event to create a tradition of dialogue and communication between Mediterranean peoples, as well as attract tourists. With a budget of 12m dinars in contributions from both the private and public sectors, including support from major national television and radio stations, the festival appears to be well on its way towards achieving its goal of reaching various segments of society. Event organisers hope to celebrate Amazigh culture, the roots of which are African and Mediterranean, according to Agraw.com, an Amazigh website that sponsoring the festival. The organisers also said they are recognising "the values of citizenship and cohabitation".

Last year's festival included musical performances from Jura, Groupe Thidrin, Said Zerouali, Walid Mimoun, Allal Chilah, Firdaous Taziri, and Mimoun Ousaid. Some of the event's participants debated "the Amazigh question" and used the festival as a "place for dialogue". This year's festival will continue with its tradition of dialogue and diversity, as exemplified by the addition of Libyan artists. Agraw.com webmaster Mahamed Bounda feels all indigenous North Africans are Amazigh. Besides Rifians, Soussis and Atlassis, he also includes Kabylians, Gnawi, Canarians and Touaregs.

"We are all Amazigh. Those regional divisions were used … to separate us from each other," Bounda told Magharebia. Despite Amazigh's lack of recognition over the years, the language and the culture still has a strong presence in Morocco, with evidence that Amazigh may soon share a similar status as French and Arabic.

The Moroccan government recently announced a project to create an Amazigh television station. National radio and television stations already feature daily news and television programmes in Amazigh language. This festival is not the only one celebrating Amazigh culture. Last month, the Timitar Festival in Agadir hosted artists from all over the world. Bounda still seems to think Morocco has a long way to go in giving proper recognition to his native language. "Amazigh should be taught seriously and be made obligatory in all Moroccan schools and also presented in all Moroccan public institutions," he said.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2006/08/03/feature-01
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