Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
March 29 , 2014

How My Stay in Morocco Changed My Views of Islam and Muslims
Morocco World News By “PCV” Ann K Smith, Morocco

If we choose to bite off on the idea, juicy, delicious apples might provide insight about how most people are not as different from each other as many would have us believe. The birth of this idea came in January 2013, sitting in a hotel room in Rabat, Morocco. Eating my first Moroccan apple, richly lime green and sweetly tart, I had another first – a live Islamic call to prayer sounded from a nearby mosque. While the Moroccan apple was a reminder of my home in Florida, U.S.A., the loud chanting was not. As a stranger to the sound, it was like a tormented ghost wailing over a bad microphone, as if trying to communicate from a different world. It was eerie to me although I could not identify exactly why. In the past year, I have heard calls to prayer five times a day.  Each time I heard one, the sound became less and less strange and at some point, it became comforting. One day I will leave this African Kingdom and the once eerie sound will be a positive, nostalgic memory.  But years ago, living the busy life of a lawyer, I would not have imagined hearing or relating to these sounds at all.

I did not choose to live in Morocco, but, the Peace Corps assigned me here to serve for the years 2013-2015. Before coming, I knew little about the Kingdom other than its world-wide reputation for wonderfully spicy food, camels, snake charmers and fine rugs. My pre-departure research informed me that Moroccans were mostly Muslim, in fact, 99%. I am not. So, with those facts in hand, I knew my new situation would be strange. And indeed, I found my new culture fully, completely and inextricably tied to Islam. There is no separation between “church and state.”  Most national holidays are religious ones. Islamic study is required in all schools and Islam is the main basis for the country’s laws. Women in Morocco who cover their hair and dress modestly, more often than not, do it to respect the faith. The five-daily calls to prayer emanate from mosques in all corners of any village, city or metropolis so that they can be heard by all.

One day I was asked by a Moroccan if I would become Muslim.  I felt immediately defensive. But, I learned in due time that Muslims simply want all people to share their own joy – to them, Islam is the best religion. This thinking is not at all unlike the feelings of many who have other religious beliefs and wish to share them.   As it turns out, evangelistic behavior is actually contrary to the teachings of Islam.  Muslims generally believe that religion, like most everything else, is solely as a result of God’s will. A person could not possibly become Muslim from the prodding of any human being. And although I am not a Muslim, I have not been told that I will go to hell nor have I been criticized. I have been told that people of Islam are supposed to respect other’s beliefs. But how could this possibly be true?  These are Muslims, and we have been told time and time again that evil plots against Americans such as 9-11 were driven by their religion. Those people who have committed such hate against us told us without equivocation that Islam required them to kill us, didn’t they?

I remember 9-11 perfectly as most people do. A lawyer, I was in the courtroom that day. I noticed the judge studying his computer, and I was irritated that he was not paying full attention to my case. Soon I knew why. He recessed the trial and asked the attorneys to his office, where he told us that New York’s twin towers had been destroyed by airplanes. We were in shock, mortified, petrified, and cemented in our steps as we watched more bad news quickly unfold. “Let’s recess for the day” were the Judge’s next words. Back in the courtroom, when the Judge told the jury what had happened, I heard, “the US has been attacked?” and “Who would do such a thing?” Disbelief was first. Anxiety came second. People began dialing their phones frantically, calling loved-ones to confirm their safety. Life went on for all of us, but everything was different.

The USA and its citizens were changed in so many ways, forever.  Masses of loved ones died. We saw film of people jumping to their deaths from windows rather than to die from fire. Good people were killed, public servants lost their lives and countless numbers were seriously injured. Intense fear and anxiety naturally led to blame. Analysts debated cause and effect, and religious factions became more divided than ever. Government implemented massive changes in security, impeding our cherished personal freedoms. The entire travel industry was affected by major inconveniences. The media became a powerful and daily reminder of the horror as news shows tirelessly aired discussions and photos of the events. America’s way of life and principles, upon which it was built, had been threatened, despised and attacked.  From those feeling sprung a vile hatred that Americans had not experienced so personally before. A target was needed. Some blamed American attitudes and some even suggested that a US government conspiracy was involved. But, by far, the majority pointed the finger at the religion of Islam. And, this was very easy to do because those who took responsibility said that they were Muslims, commanded by God to teach America a lesson.

I admit my own confusion and indescribable emotions in 2001, as I tried to explain things to my children. I did not like the message given by the 9-11’ers, but it had been delivered nonetheless. People around the world rallied behind our nation in a way that they had not done so in a long time. As Americans also built a strong national group dynamic, there was inevitable rallying against Islam. The acts of the attackers had created a canyon of hate, giving the perfect incentive for people to take strong sides against each other and see each other not just as different, but dangerous. But, no matter how noble these evil doers thought their own cause, it was a devastating, destructive step backwards for all of humankind.

But then, there are apples. We all know the saying, “Don’t let a few bad apples spoil the barrel.” In theory, this saying is easy to employ, but in practice, almost impossible.  Labels and stereotypes are powerful; hard to ignore and sometimes even true.  Looking beyond them takes the courage to question our judgment. And, there can be huge negative incentive to contemplate things so uncomfortable. Ridicule or banishment from a group of friends or family might result. Twelve years after 9-11, my own labels and feelings resulting from those events would be seriously challenged in Morocco, as I was forced to face them head on via my Peace Corps service. Morocco was not only societally driven in most ways by religion, but the very religion that was cited by the 9-11 perpetrators as the perfect justification for hating and destroying human lives.

When I arrived in Morocco and first heard the call to prayer I was quickly thrust into the nation of Islam. And, although I never intended for my Peace Corps experience to provide me with insight into my feelings about 9-11, it did.  I know that my initial anxiety about Morocco’s religious, country-wide culture was justified by a primitive need for safety and security, coupled with the resulting fears from 9-11. I am not ashamed of my emotional baggage which came from a big, clear and devastating attack upon my country and my own individual values. On top of that, my family and friends worried for my safety. But, what I ultimately did with my feelings was up to me once I had travelled across the Atlantic.

Hungry for adventure and to know another culture, as most Peace Corps volunteers are, I decided to fully engage with the Moroccan “apples” and simply see what happened, for good or for bad. I acted completely myself and did not hide from my love of America or the fact that I was not a Muslim. I met my neighbors and strangers alike. I fully interacted, speaking with anyone who would speak with me. I friended the butcher and baker, the vegetable seller and the olive oil vendor.  I asked for cultural advice and found warmth. I sought knowledge and was invited to tea. I learned new ways to think and do things, and although different from my own and sometimes strange, appropriate.

I found that just like in the US, Moroccan “apples” are just as different as they can be and are red, yellow, green and every shade in between. They are small, medium and large, round and oval. Some are tart and some are sweet, a few are tasteless and even fewer, inedible. But, most of them are good and some are even wonderful.   Luckily for me, just through personal experience and being an open student, the stereotypes I had developed from the unfortunate events of 9-11 were shattered.  Despite cultural and religious differences, in Morocco I have been welcomed and respected and I believe, even loved. And, although I will never truly understand the thinking behind the participants in 9-11, I know that it is illogical to believe that those bad “apples” and their hatred for the differences of Americans represent an entire religion. In fact, not one of the hundreds of Muslims I have personally met in Morocco believes that the bombers were acting in any way consistent with Islam.

The call to prayer that was so strange and mysterious to me the first time is now simply a reminder to thank God. When I hear “Allah Ahkbar” I do not relate it to evil, but rather to love. Here in Morocco, I have personally witnessed this love time and time again in people’s actions and deeds, when I was looking and also when I was not. And, whether one agrees with any particular religion or no religion at all, the idea of loving each other is so very promising and universal that it is large enough to accommodate “apples” of every variety with room to spare. Of course, no matter what culture or religious views we are dealing with, we should all be wary of the worms that can eat “apples” from the inside out. But we are all “apples” in the barrel of human-kind, and there will always be a few that don’t taste very good or even some rotten to the core. In the end, it is still a good idea to enjoy all types of apples and respect their differences.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126712/how-my-stay-in-morocco-changed-my-views-of-islam-an-muslims/
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Morocco: A Bridge Between the US and Africa
WASHINGTON - 2014-03-25

Morocco has demonstrated time and time again that its focus on regional stability and security is serious and dynamic, providing the kind of leadership and collaboration that can only benefit US interests, says former US Ambassador to Morocco Edward M. Gabriel

At a time when many pundits are concerned about the disarray in US policy, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, our country's oldest ally continues to take steps to build bridges that not only benefit the region, but have very positive consequences for America's long-term interests in Africa.

I'm referring here to recent events that demonstrate how Morocco's strategic ties to the continent have significant implications for our economic and security interests in the region.

I have just attended the second US-Morocco Business Development Conference in Rabat, Morocco. No ordinary business meeting, it is part of the Morocco-US Strategic Dialogue, and seeks to promote stronger trade and investment ties and greater utilization of the Morocco-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA). I was impressed by the more than 100 US and Moroccan companies, agencies, and organizations that participated in the program, which focused on the investment climate in Morocco, the role of Morocco as a gateway to Africa, and sessions on automotive and aeronautic manufacturing and renewable and other energies.

As the meeting got underway, King Mohammed VI had just concluded a trip that highlighted Morocco's strong relationships in Africa, and how valuable they can be -- not only to Morocco and to Africa, but also to potential international investors. The king traveled with a delegation of more than 100 people, to Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Gabon. More than 80 agreements were signed during those visits, covering cooperation in security, environment, commerce, education, agriculture and rural development, mining, gas, and oil initiatives.

There is no doubt that these agreements will open new markets to international partnerships that benefit all the players. The king was very clear in his remarks throughout the tour -- that it is time for Africa to work with Africa and take responsibility for the continent's development.

He strongly believes that Africa will gain a great deal by advancing from being perceived as a source of commodities to a more diversified, value-added and substantial economy, in concert with its international partners. Given Morocco's experience and challenges, King Mohammed VI is keenly aware that the region needs to generate hundreds of thousands of decent-paying jobs, which can be only achieved if governments and the private sectors seize these opportunities.

And the King's focus went well beyond the economic benefits of more robust and localized growth. In each of the countries, special attention was given to social housing projects, educational cooperation, and the training of imams (prayer leaders) in the moderate form of Islam practiced in Morocco and throughout the region. Education agreements included expanding the number of university scholarships for African students, working together on improving technical and vocational training, specialized training in service industries such as banking and tourism, and triangular aid agreements that involved the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

These visits do a great deal to consolidate Morocco's already strong leadership position in Africa, a position buoyed by substantial investments included in the agreements. For example, Morocco pledged to dedicate one of its fertilizer plants specifically for Africa to improve local agricultural practices.

In Guinea, the king and President Alpha Condé opened a new flour mill, a joint venture that will create hundreds of jobs. And in Gabon, a $2.3 billion joint-venture for fertilizer factories (two in Morocco, two in Gabon) for African markets, that will take advantage of Morocco's phosphates and Gabon's natural gas to increase agricultural output and improve food security across the region.

Morocco has demonstrated time and time again that its focus on regional stability and security is serious and dynamic, providing the kind of leadership and collaboration that can only benefit US interests.

As Ambassador Michael Battle, Senior Advisor, US-Africa Leaders Summit at the Department of State, remarked at a recent Ambassadors Roundtable on Africa, "Morocco is showing the way within the framework of an approach that doesn't recognize artificial differences between North and Sub-Saharan Africa." It is a model worth following that will reap important dividends for all stakeholders.

As the US and others look to broaden their involvement in Africa, they would do well to rely on the King's vision -- for his own country and for Morocco's African neighbors -- which reflects his strong belief that governments must serve the people and that meeting their needs, generating jobs, encouraging entrepreneurship, and raising the aspirations of Moroccans and Africans is the best antidote to terrorism and militant extremism.

Edward M. Gabriel is the former U.S. ambassador to Morocco, 1997 to 2001, and currently advises the government of Morocco
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=65045
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Gender discrimination still significant problem in North Africa: Poll.
Workplace discrimination, education gap still persist
By Paul Schemm/The Associated Press RABAT, Morocco (AP)

Attitudes toward women's equality are dimmer in North Africa than in the rest of the continent, according to a new poll of about 50,000 people across 34 African countries. The Afrobarometer poll, conducted in 2011-2013 and released Thursday, found women are at a disadvantage compared to men across Africa, but support for women's equality is growing. Those polled in the predominantly Arab Muslim north gave the lowest level of support for equality and described the highest frequency of discrimination.

North Africa in general reports greater wealth and higher levels of economic development than the rest of the continent. Yet, while 68 per cent of respondents across Africa felt women could be leaders, that figure was 50 per cent in North Africa, where people in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia were interviewed.

In eastern and southern Africa, nearly three-quarters of those polled felt men and women should have equal opportunities. In North Africa only 50 per cent thought so.

The education gap between men and women was also the largest in North Africa, even though the overall education levels there were higher than elsewhere on the continent.

The report was presented in Tunisia, which has long been considered the most progressive Arab nation concerning women's rights. Despite a conservative Islamist party being voted into power recently, politicians have just completed a new constitution that closely safeguards women's rights.

Still, Tunisians had one of the highest reported rates of workplace discrimination against women at 53 per cent. The continental average was 40 per cent.

North African women were also much more likely to report discrimination by police and in the court system, with some 43 per cent describing it as common. In eastern and southern Africa, two-thirds said it was rare or never happened.

Pollsters conducted 51,000 face-to-face interviews between October 2011 and June 2013. The survey left out many countries in Central Africa, including Congo, Chad, Central African Republic and Gabon. The error margin was 3 percentage points. http://www.hrreporter.com/articleview/20651-gender-discrimination-still-significant-problem-in-north-africa-poll
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Can Gender-Based Budgets Eliminate Gender Inequality?
UN Women March 27, 2014

“Before I was housewife and was in charge of domestic work. One day I decided to change my life and I joined classes. For two years, I learned to read and to write. I also learned Arabic, calligraphy and plastic arts. Today, I create my own paintings and with the other women in my course, we decided to create a cooperative to better market our products,” says Fadma.

Fadma is a beneficiary of a programme being implemented by the Department of Literacy in Morocco, one of five pilot departments that have adopted a results-based approach and that are integrating gender-responsive planning and budgeting by using performance indicators that take gender and women’s need and concern into account.

Gender responsive budgets ensure that the allocation of public resources benefits women and men equally. Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) determines how public funds are spent and who benefits from them. It takes into account the different needs and contributions of women and men within existing revenues and allocations and calls for adjusting budget policies in a way that contributes to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The Department of Literacy now conducts budget planning of its programmes based on its “targets” which are largely women, who now constitute 85 percent of the beneficiaries of such literacy programmes in Morocco.

This approach, which began in 2009, has allowed the Department to better adapt to the needs of its beneficiaries. As a result, several different programmes are also being developed according to age (15-24; 25-45 years and 45+), as well as employment status (employee or looking for employment).

UN Women’s efforts on GRB focus on highlighting best practices and adopting collective approaches, working closely with finance ministries and civil society.

A testimony to Morocco’s commitment to GRB, a gender budget statement or gender report has been drafted annually in the country since 2006 and presented as an annex to the Finance Bill. The report was the result of a partnership between UNIFEM (one of UN Women’s predecessor organizations) and the Government, aimed at incorporating a gender perspective into the national budget reform process. The report reinforces accountability to meet the Government’s commitments on gender equality.

“Morocco is one of the leading countries in the field of gender-responsive budgeting,” said the UN Women Regional Director of the Arab States, Sameera al-Tuwaijiri, hailing the country’s efforts to bridge the gender gap.

Ongoing efforts have resulted in GRB being progressively anchored in Morocco’s budget reform process, with five pilot line ministries applying GRB programming and 27 ministries taking part in the preparation of the gender report. Since 2011, the gender report has also included an analysis from multiple sectors which measures progress made by Morocco towards implementing international human rights standards and obligations.

Other results of advocacy are also evident. Experimentation with results-based and gender-responsive public finance management for more than 10 years in Morocco also resulted in the adoption of a new organic law of finance (akin to a financial Constitution), approved in December 2013, which legally institutionalizes gender equality throughout budget processes. Taking the GRB processes a step forward, the new legislation explicitly mentions that gender equality must be taken into account in the definition of objectives, results and indicators of performance of the line budgets. The new organic law also institutionalizes the Gender Report as an official document that is part of the annual Finance Bill – an important achievement.

The work on gender-responsive budgeting is firmly anchored in the country’s new Constitution in July 2011, which was a breakthrough, and included provisions on gender equality and access to decision-making bodies. Article 19 explicitly enshrines gender equality in the enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights. The constitutional changes also expanded the role of Parliament and civil society in public policy processes and enshrined the supremacy of international human rights instruments over national legislation.

Following the adoption of Morocco’s new Constitution, in November 2012 UN Women supported meetings such as the high-level conference in Marrakech, which brought together nearly 250 participants from over 30 countries. At the meeting, the UN Resident Coordinator in Morocco, Bruno Pouezat, highlighted the success of the Moroccan experience in GRB and the greater impetus it has within the new Constitution. He also underlined the UN’s support of countries’ efforts to integrate the gender approach in their budgets, considering this to be an essential mechanism to foster the principles of transparency in public policies.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/can-gender-based-budgets-eliminate-gender-inequality.html#ixzz2xCLNLJYB
http://www.care2.com/causes/can-gender-based-budgets-eliminate-gender-inequality.html
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Growing Percentage of Mediterranean Women Unable to Find Jobs
Friday 28 March 2014 Rabat

The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM), Fathallah Sijilmassi, said Wednesday in Barcelona, that  25 percent of women in Mediterranean countries are unemployed, according to MAP.

Speaking at the international conference regarding the socioeconomic empowerment of women in the Euro-Mediterranean region, Sijilmassi said that despite progress, the annual growth rate of active women remained at less than one percent. He further noted that Mediterranean women typically earn lower wages than men with rates ranging from 30 to 40 percent.

Sijilmassi stressed that improving the socioeconomic status of women is likely to help companies develop further and emphasized the need to strengthen the presence of women in the political scene and fight against all forms of discrimination.

Some 200 participants from 35 countries, including government representatives, international development agencies and international organizations specializing in women’s empowerment and gender equality attended the meeting in Barcelona.

The conference adopted a program of vocational training for 1800 girls from the countries of the Mediterranean, whose ages varied between 15 and 20 years. The program aims to help women and girls with high school diplomas gain access to employment opportunities by focusing their training on the field of English language teaching or information technology.

The conference was attended by about 20 researchers and experts, in addition to 86 NGOs and 20 economic institution leaders, including Morocco’s state-owned phosphates company, OCP.
Edited by Liz Yaslik
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126744/growing-percentage-of-mediterranean-women-unable-to-find-jobs/
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Meknes Hosts a Workshop on Leadership Skills
Friday 28 March 2014 Meknes 

A workshop on leadership skills and youth empowerment, jointly organized by ToGether and Global Community Shapers-Meknes and led by Nabil Belmekki and Fofana Ousmane Kerfala, was held on March 25, 2014 at the Ecole Superieure de Technologie of Meknes (ESTM)

A total of 30 participants from various faculties with a good command of English, between the ages of 18 and 30, participated in the workshop.

The overall goal of the workshop was to bring students together to learn about and identify opportunities for acquiring leadership skills and expanding sustainable individual entrepreneurial initiatives. It also aimed to inspire future leaders through personal examples, give participants a greater understanding on the role of leadership in development, highlight the importance of youth involvement, sensitize participants to the value of critical review, and foster the collaboration of members towards the realization of a common project.

The agenda began with an overview by Mr. Fofana of the background and context of why Global Community Shapers matters. He then shared stories of exciting past, current, and upcoming initiatives, such as the “ToGether As One English Club,” to develop the young generation.

Mr. Nabil delivered a keynote speech about effective leadership, emphasizing emotional intelligence as a key quality of a successful leader. He provided participants with concrete examples of successful and unsuccessful leaders in the world to show how leadership is effectively exercised.

Participants appreciated the workshop very well and requested the continuation of such workshops in the future. One woman expressed her enthusiasm and happiness about it, saying: “Thank you very much for the workshop, it was so amazing as expected, you were so inspiring to the extent I started seeing the world with new eyes.”

Fofana Ousmane Kerfala explained why the workshop focused on youth leadership: “Youth are like a reserve pioneer or engine of a machine, they need to be well trained and well informed, because they will replace the society in the future. Youth are the key for the successful society in the future. If they are well educated society will be educated, if not society will not.”

Mr. Nabil Belmekki said that “Having student leadership is not only a boon for the young person but also for his particular organization.  Making young students as tomorrow’s leaders enables and provides them with opportunities to solve their problems and create the world they wish to see.”

“Leadership is an opened door for young generation to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, plan rationally, and organize skillfully. Student leadership is a key success to ambitious future,” he added.

The workshop was the culmination of an enormous collective effort. All participants wholeheartedly expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the dean for his assistance and help in the realization of the event.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126804/meknes-hosts-a-workshop-on-leadership-skills/
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Yves Saint Laurent worked in Paris for most of his adult life, but he was famously enthralled by Morocco. He and his partner, Pierre Bergé, owned a series of homes in Marrakech and began collecting regional art and textiles there in the 1960s.

For its new exhibit, “Berber Women of Morocco,” the Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent, which occupies Saint Laurent’s former haute couture house in Paris, features more than 200 items, including gorgeous textiles, jewelry, and ceramics, on loan mostly from the permanent collection of the Musée Berbère, a museum of Berber culture Bergé and Saint Laurent founded in Marrakech.

Berber history spans thousands of years across much of North Africa. This exhibit focuses specifically on Berber women from the Rif Mountains in Morocco’s north to the Sahara in the kingdom’s south and examines how their mastery of traditional arts such as weaving, jewelry, and basketmaking has helped sustain an ancient culture that is uniquely African and Mediterranean.

The exhibit includes kaleidoscopic Beldi carpets, wedding blankets, and haik wraps; silver headdresses and necklaces and cuffs made of amber, coral, glass, and shell; and a series of kohl eyeliner pots and tagines, as well as archival photographs and ethnographic films of traditional Berber women.

Items in the main salon are niched in terra-cotta-orange displays. Overhead, a black ceiling inset with small round lights glitters like a starry night high up in the Atlas Mountains.

Through July 20 at the Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent; fondation-pb-ysl.net

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/blogs/daily/2014/03/berber-women-of-morocco-fondation-pierre-berge-yves-saint-laurent
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GSE student named 17th most influential Arab woman.
Maha Laziri has worked in Moroccan schools since she was 12

In the summer of 2012, Maha Laziri walked into the small, humble home of a woman who had nearly died that day.

Laziri, who is now a student in the Graduate School of Education, was in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, organizing the renovation of a local school in the village of Ichbeken. She had arrived early to the work site that morning, expecting to find five or six volunteers from the community waiting to help with the renovations. Instead she was met with the news that a woman in the village was bleeding to death after giving birth to a healthy baby.

Hospitals and helicopter lifts were not options for the people of Ichbeken. The women of the village could only do their best to care for the struggling mother, and miraculously, she survived.

As she was recovering, Laziri went to her bedside to voice her concern. Despite the language barrier — Laziri was not fluent in the village’s indigenous language — she expressed to the mother that she and her team were worried about her and interested in helping.

The mother, who was grateful for the work Laziri was already doing in the community, responded by placing her baby in Laziri’s arms and asking her to name the child.

Laziri was only 22 years old at the time and felt daunted by the responsibility. She resisted, but the mother was adamant. Finally, Laziri agreed and named the baby girl Hayet.

“It means life,” Laziri said…………… …

Read more here: http://www.thedp.com/article/2014/03/gse-student-100-most-powerful-women
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Robert Walker, social studies teacher at Academy of the Canyons, just returned from a two-week trip to Morocco, as part of the Teachers for the Global Classroom Initiative.

It’s been three days since Academy of the Canyons teacher Robert Walker returned from Morocco, and he said that he is still trying to process the two-week trip.

Walker, who teaches social studies at AOC, was selected as one of 72 teachers nationwide to be part of the U.S. Department of State’s Teachers for the Global Classroom Initiative, which involves a symposium in Washington, D.C. and an online course, in addition to international travel. He left for Morocco on March 8 and returned on Saturday, March 22.

High School Teacher To Travel To Morocco As Part Of Fellowship

It was the first of several Global Classroom Initiative trips that will take place this spring and summer.

Walker spent his time in the Moroccan cities of Rabat and Goulmima, meeting the locals, visiting important cultural landmarks and teaching in classrooms. “We got a chance to see the inside of Morocco’s education system,” he said.

Walker was struck by the similarities between American and Moroccan students and the similar challenges that teachers face in both countries, he said. “They’ve got concerns about literacy,” he said,” getting their students reading and writing up to a college level.”

But there were also differences that Walker noticed.

Moroccan students graduate high school with exposure to four languages, including their native dialect of Arabic, standard Arabic, French and some English. He also said that the push for gender equality is a more recent initiative in Morocco--only about 10 years old.

But they are moving in the right direction, Walker said. “In some cases, teachers are worried that their focusing so much on educating girls, that they are neglecting their male population,” he said.

During his travels, Walker maintained a blog for his students to read and comment on.

A lot of their questions focused on culture, gender relations, the local cuisine and what Moroccan students did during their free time, Walker said. Now that he is back in the United States, he wants to maintain the connections he made in Morocco and give his students a taste of global education.

“…I really want to make sure that I start including…ways for my students to work with students in Morocco,” Walker said. Some issues, like global warming and sex trafficking, affect the entire world, he said, and “there’s no way for us to confront those issues by ourselves.”

Walker’s experience teaching Moroccan students helped him learn to find commonality and communication across cultural barriers, he said. “If I could find a way to get (my students) to have that kind of experience, I think they’re not only going to be more global learners, but I think they’re going to better prepared citizens,” Walker said.

Walker will continue to maintain his blog as he processes his trip and what it taught him.
Read more here on the blog: http://aocmorocco.blogspot.com/

http://hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/education/william-s-hart-union-school-district/academy-canyons-teacher-reflects

http://hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/education/william-s-hart-union-school-district/high-school-teacher-travel-morocco
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Chance, Coincidence and AIESEC, Why I Chose Morocco?
Thursday 27 March 2014

Must admit, I was expecting people to ask me this question. It’s so simple and at the same time too hard. As I mentioned, the best things come to us unexpectedly, but I know this is not the explanation you want to hear. The answer is not so obvious since there are many factors that contribute to my stay in this bewitching country. I once sat down and asked myself why. Well, I couldn’t come up with the perfect answer. Let me point out the main reasons that made me come to Morocco and the ones that made me stay here.

How I made it to stay in Morocco and afford living here?

I first came to Agadir and Marrakesh in 2010 and I loved the country. A week wasn’t enough to understand the citizens of this warm, welcoming country and fully indulge in its culture. I promised myself to come back. One day, for longer……….

More here : http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126601/chance-coincidence-and-aiesec-why-i-chose-morocco/
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State Employs over 860,000 Civil Servants, 54% in Education.
Thursday 27 March 2014 Rabat

The total number of civil servants exceeds 860,000, according to statistics announced Wednesday in Rabat during a press conference devoted to the presentation of the Action Plan 2014-2016 of the Ministry in charge of Public Service and the Modernization of the Administration.

521,553 employees work in the various government departments, 190,442 in public institutions, while local communities employ more than 150,000 employees, Minister of State for Public Service and the Modernization of the Administration, Mohamed Moubdi was quoted by MAP as saying. The Ministry of Education alone accounts for 54.09% of public servants, the Ministry of Interior 15.64% and the Ministry of Health 8.87%, the Minister added.

Women represented around 38.6% of the total number of civil servants in 2012, up from 34% in 2002, noted the Minister, adding that this proportion goes up to 56.61% in the Ministry of Health, 48.56% in the Ministry of Justice and Freedoms and 44.67% in the Ministry of Public Service .

This cost the State a budget of 98 billion dirhams in 2013 (more than 11% of GDP), against 103.7 billion dirhams for 2014.

A total of 44,037 calls for applications for employment positions have been posted on the portal “ job-public.ma” from beginning of 2012 until March 23, 2014, including 19,959 job positions in 2012 and 23,187 in 2013, while 891 openings were announced in 2014.

Regarding appointments to high office, the council of the government adopted 353 proposals as of March 23, he said.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126659/morocco-state-employs-over-860000-civil-servants-54-in-education/
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2-day forum, which wrapped up in Rabat on 22 March, was held following a year of brainstorming and series of discussions that were designed to turn the Morocco’s civil society dialogue into real actions. The goal of the forum that was attended by an array of Moroccan and international institutional figures was, according to El Habib Choubani, the minister for parliamentary relations, to create “a legal arsenal that can guarantee the freedom to create organizations” and ensure the “independence of civil society activity and governance.” Mr Choubani also stressed that through this complex process, Morocco was “heading towards the legislative phase, which will mark the end of this year-long process of consultations with all organizations.”

The main objective of this national dialogue is to come up with a long-term vision on how to give a greater say to the Moroccan civil society sector in the context of the country’s new constitution. A prominent community activist Jamal Moussaoui has explained that “the discussions have made it possible to create new prerogatives that civil society workers, as partners of public policy, must exercise”. The forum was also attended by a representative of the Council of Europe, Anne-Marie Chavanon, who highlighted the need to encourage a public exchange founded on trust. Meanwhile, there is a general agreement among Moroccan citizens that they needed to have a voice in the formation and implementation of public policy. To that end, the recent Rabat conference proposed adopting a “National Charter for Participatory Democracy” designed to strengthen the cultural values of solidarity, cohesion and social volunteering.  Last year only, 18 meetings were held that drew nearly 10,000 people. More than 140 organizations offered their visions for legislation governing the activity of NGOs. http://northafricapost.com/5333-moroccos-civil-society-dialogue-progresses.html
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Together As One: an initiative for students’ academic excellence.
Tuesday 25 March 2014 By Youssef El Assaad Meknes

In early march, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Together As One For Development Exchange Programs Abroad, started a program that aims to provide free weekly English sessions for all university students.

The initiative took place on March 8, 2014 at the Faculty of Sciences in Meknes. Around 300 students attended, many from the different departments of Moulay Ismail University. The participants were divided into groups based on the number of English teachers who are either graduate students or teachers with the Ministry of Education. Five groups were formed, although as the number of teachers increased, the groups did too.

This program is as extension of some of the wider aims that the Together As One organization has adopted as its core mission. This main vision is to inspire young Africans towards achievement and to support literacy and education. This specific program will last for three consecutive months and will have an achievement test at the end to measure whether the instructional objectives have been reached. Students and teachers will receive certificates to recognize their work and spirit.

The first group of students who attended were very successful and showed a lot of promise for a more productive future within such a program. This was a mutual feeling among both teachers and learners.

“My class was really the class any teacher would love to teach; helpful, attentive, and collaborative. They [the learners] did display a good proficiency level, and they grasped all what I have provided to them… As I said, their [the students] willingness to learn helped making the session a better start for me,” wrote Youssef El Assaad, a teacher, on the group’s Facebook page.

Also, some learners expressed their gratitude and happiness about the initiation.

“Thank you for your great efforts and to the teachers and their outstanding proficiency level and way of teaching that is very close and engaging for the learners… I wish you success and best of luck,” said Hajar Ch.

Another student agreed, saying, “It was a wonderful day really and thank you for everything you did for the students.”

During the first meeting, the founders of the NGO, Fofana Ousmane Kerfala and Nabil Belmekki, along with some other members, provided instructions on what the teachers might need in their classrooms and how they can deal with any problems the newcomers might’s face. The same guidance was sustained in the second session that took place on March 15 th, 2014.

Without the collaboration and integration of the many different parts, this program could not be realized and manifested. On behalf of the association, we offer a sincere expression of gratitude to the Faculty of Sciences in Meknes as well as to the Dean, who displayed patience and flexibility and had faith in the program.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126416/together-as-one-an-initiative-for-students-academic-excellence/
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Morocco’s Minister of Education: French is No Longer Valid, English is the Solution
Saturday 29 March 2014 Rabat

Morocco’s Minister of Higher Education Lahcen Daoudi announced that the government is moving to boost the position of English in Moroccan universities, stressing that English is the language of scientific research, and it is believed to be the solution in Morocco’s education system

After the Secretary General of the Independence Party Hamid Chabat called for the adoption of English instead of French as the second official language in Morocco, Daoudi announced that the government is to adopt English in Moroccan universities.

Talking to Al-Yaoum 24, Douadi declared that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research will impose English in engineering and medical programs. The ministry is to make‘ “English proficiency a condition for obtaining a doctorate.’’ “Thus, students who want to have access to science departments at Moroccan universities must be proficient in English,’’ Daoudi explained.

Daoudi declared that the ministry’s policy of adopting French Baccalaureate in the country is “a dubious solution”, to Morocco’s ailing education system explaining that “French is no longer useful”.

According to Daoudi, Morocco should follow many countries, such as Spain, Portugal, and Romania, which adopt English as the main foreign language in their education systems. He stated that “French is important in France and Africa. But Morocco must have educational frameworks for more languages.”

Adopting French as the second official language in Morocco after Arabic has always been viewed as the main problem in the country’s educational system. In this regard, Douadi said that “we master neither Arabic nor French…because most scientific references are in English.”

According to Daoudi, when Arabic was the language of science in the past, scientists were obliged to learn Arabic, like Pope Sylvester II, who used to study in Arabic in University of al-Karaouine in 996.

But nowadays, “English is the world language for scientific research,” Daoudi stressed.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Training concluded, “Whoever wants to learn Arabic, must also learn English first.”  Edited by Jessica Rohan
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126856/moroccos-minister-of-education-french-is-no-longer-valid-english-is-the-solution/
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Clint Eastwood to Shoot American Sniper in Morocco.
Wednesday 26 March 2014 Casablanca

Super movie star Clint Eastwood is back with a fresh breath—the veteran filmmaker has an upcoming film project entitled American Sniper.  The shooting will take place in Morocco. Morocco’s beautiful landscape is still the favorite setting of world’s most successful blockbusters, and Eastwood’s upcoming film project is predicted to be a smash hit.

Starring in the film are Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, Sienna Miller as Taya Renae Kyle, Jake McDorman as Ryan Job, Cooper’s friend, and Navid Negahban as Sheikh al-Obeidi.

The film is based on a true story. A Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle is a soldier who beats all records in sniper kills by an American. According to the website Cinemablend, American Sniper is based on Chris Kyle’s autobiography, and Jason Hall is scripting the adaptation.

In February 2013, Chris Kyle, a former Navy SEAL and the author of American Sniper, was shot and killed at a Texas gun shooting.

Kyle’s bestselling book American Sniper records his experience as a sniper in the US military. http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126506/clint-eastwood-to-shoot-american-sniper-in-morocco/
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Moroccan artwork highlights traditions of Eastern women.
Sunday, March 23, 2014 By Rachel Kenney | Contributing writer

Prepare for the East to be brought to West Campus: Lalla Essaydi, the world-renowned Moroccan multimedia artist is coming to Sawhill Gallery today.

In the Western world there exists a particular preoccupation with women of the East and the traditions they adhere to, most specifically the adornment of the hijab, or veil. The West often sees this tradition through a singular, narrow lens that depicts this custom as oppressive and damaging to the women who wear them.

However, Essaydi, whose works will be exhibited this year in 17 different locations worldwide, including JMU’s own Sawhill Gallery, uses her paintings and photographs of veiled Arab women to shatter these stereotypes of Muslim women and their traditions.

“Images of the harem and Odalisque [Turkish concubine] still penetrate the present, and I use the Arab female body to disrupt that tradition,” Essaydi said in her artist statement, which is titled “Disrupting the Odalisque.”

Essaydi’s work subverts misconceptions of Islamic traditionalism by applying calligraphy and henna to women’s bodies. Calligraphy is a form of art historically reserved for men, while henna is a tradition performed solely by women on women’s bodies. Just as Essaydi gives a voice to Arab women, the exhibition of her work on campus helps shed light on a culture that is oftentimes underrepresented in the JMU community.

“As a former student from JMU, I was one of the few Muslim women at the time as a minority on campus,” JMU alumna and former officer of the Muslim Student Association, Mavra Ahmed (’12), said. “I believe that it is very important to display a Muslim artist’s work on this campus for the university to get a broader perspective on Muslims and of course, Muslim women.”

The fact that the art to be featured was made by a Muslim woman dispells these stereotypes in more ways than one, through both the art and the artist. “Muslim women are engaged in the public realm and are creative, free-thinking minds, which is not an image you usually see being tied to Islam when it comes to women in particular,” sophomore political science and international affairs double major Nahla Aboutabl, said.

By featuring women Essaydi knows personally, her work “[invites] the viewer to resist stereotypes” in a deeply personal way. “Stereotypes aren’t just part of the outside world. They exist on campus as well as off campus,” Aboutabl said. “To educate students who are unfamiliar with Muslim women’s contributions to art and culture could really open up their minds to what Muslim women are like and not what they’re thought to be.”

The exhibition of Essaydi’s work will benefit not only JMU, but Harrisonburg as a whole. “One of the hidden treasures of Harrisonburg, which is usually unknown and a surprise to the JMU community, is the ultimate diversity that Harrisonburg actually has,” Ahmed said. “The town itself has a huge Muslim population, ranging from the majority of Muslims coming from Iraq, Kurdistan and the Middle East, to South Asian countries such as Pakistan.”

With such a varied and widely representative community, Essaydi’s exhibition has the potential to act as a unifying force between Harrisonburg’s ever-flourishing Muslim population and the JMU community. “Muslims are very much part of the international community as well as local ones and it’s important to highlight that,” Aboutabl said. “It’s important to understand the culture of people around you if cooperation and coexistence were to ever be achieved.”

Essaydi’s exhibition, “The Photography of Lalla Essaydi: Critiquing and Contextualizing Orientalism,” will be on view today through Friday, April 4 at the Sawhill Gallery on the fourth floor of Warren Hall. Essaydi will also be hosting an artist talk tomorrow from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Grafton-Stovall Theatre.

Contact Rachel Kenney at kenneyra@dukes.jmu.edu.
http://www.breezejmu.org/life/article_4333b788-b2de-11e3-9ea1-0017a43b2370.html
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Boston Boys Bring it on Home from Morocco to Rockwood Music Hall.

Future Roots band, The Boston Boys, return home this month after a tour of eight countries throughout Europe and North Africa, concluding with a three week stint in Morocco. Their tour in Morocco, in partnership with the U.S. State Department, is part of cultural exchange programming whose alumni include Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

"Returning to Morocco for a month gave us the freedom to feel integrated into a rich musical community and incorporate some of their traditions. The connections we made inspired us to learn more and branch out even further,” says mandolinst Eric Robertson. “The purpose of music has always been to encourage community, whether through dance, praise, or storytelling.”

These influences can be found in their new video “What You Say!?!” that the band shot on location throughout Morocco with Moroccan musicians Bouhssine Foulane and Abdellah El-Miry. Watch here:  http://youtu.be/k6kSTaWuc_c

Read more here: http://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/boston-boys-bring-it-home-morocco-rockwood-music-hall
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Reading Strategies and Fostering Them in the Classroom.
Monday 24 March 2014 Aziz Ennassiri Oujda

Reading is a critical learning tool that should be better emphasized both inside classrooms and out. Because reading is an important prerequisite to successful learning, the government should encourage it through offering newspapers, books, magazines, as well as by providing free public Internet access. Having a more literate population will lead to a more educated and engaged citizenry.

Unlike the past, reading now is on the increase; however, in order to read at a high level, one must apply various skills and strategies that altogether make the text meaningful. Readers who apply these strategies are better able to understand texts and to develop a more sophisticated vocabulary. Most experienced and skilful readers use a variety of ways to understand the text at hand. Many Researches have emphasized the importance of teaching the following strategies to young and beginning readers.

Making connections is an effective way to encourage students to actively engage with the text. Students who make connections between texts while reading are better able to understand the text they are reading. It is helpful for students to draw on their own prior knowledge and experiences to connect with the text. In this strategy guide, students should learn how to model text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world. Text-to-self refers to connections made between the text and the reader’s personal experience. “The more prior knowledge one has stored about a topic, idea, or concept, the easier it is to understand a text discussing that topic, idea, or concept” (Pearson et al., 1979). Text-to-text probes into the relationship between the current text and relating it to texts read in the past. To best exemplify this is to compare story elements in one book with one another. Text-to-world connections entail associating certain aspects of the text with what is currently taking place or what has happened in reality.

To effectively encourage young readers to use this strategy, teachers should spend a great deal of time modeling for students how to make meaningful connections. Reading titles, asking questions, and using visual aids are all ways to help make connections. Asking questions is particularly important, as they can indicate whether students have understood the text.

Making predictions is the strategy in which readers use clues from the story, along with what they know from their own experiences, to anticipate what they are going to read or what is going to be next. Readers who make predictions are more likely to understand the text well, because they are constantly thinking ahead as well as revising and verifying their predictions.

Teachers can help students make predictions about texts by previewing and predicting using the title of the text, pictures, headings, subheadings, etc. This is the most accurate technique that provides students with sufficient background knowledge before beginning their first reading.

Making Inferences is the reasoning involved in drawing conclusions based on evidence and prior knowledge rather than observation. It involves using what one already knows to form links, which is often known as “reading between the lines.” Readers making inferences often use the clues in the text together with their own experience to help them figure out what is indirectly implied.

One important way to actively encourage students to make inferences is that teachers should first introduce the concept to students. After, the teacher has to explain to students why this can be so important in the process of understanding the text. Such technique on the part of the latter can help students use inferences effectively.

Coping with unfamiliar vocabulary  is pivotal in improving one’s reading comprehension. Students who are not advanced in English often encounter dozens of unknown words while reading. This is a large reason why many learners end up feeling frustrated and unwilling to continue their reading. In fact, building a good English vocabulary is not as difficult as most students think, but the key to make this successful is to know how to do it and to work hard for it.

To teach this strategy effectively, teachers have to encourage students to work on word meaning. Using a variety of games is one way to help students remember words. Encouraging the use of dictionaries is also a necessity. However, teachers should help students consider the context of the word before checking the dictionary, as explanations can sometimes be confusing. Students should also learn strategies to guess the meaning of a word before referring to the dictionary. This will also encourage them to use their thinking and linking skills.

Self-questioning  is simply a process in which students ask and answer questions while reading. This method helps students go over most of the difficulties of the text in ways that good readers do naturally. “Questioning is the strategy that keeps readers engaged.  When readers ask questions, they clarify understanding and forge ahead to make meaning.  Asking questions is at the heart of thoughtful reading.” Harvey and Goudvis.

There are three useful steps that the teacher can encourage to help students ask questions about the text under study. They are: thinking aloud, guided practice and independent practice.  “Thinking aloud” has been often described as spying on someone’s thinking. With this step, teachers verbalize their thoughts while reading a selection orally. Guided practice is to show to the students how to do the task properly. As part of instruction delivery, good teachers incorporate guided practice through active application of information and when students use information, it is more likely to be acquired and recalled. Independent practice, on the other hand, involves students engaging with learning from the earlier stages of reading, with the teacher keeping an eye on their work.

The Visualize Strategy  encompasses creating a vivid image in the students’ minds based on what they read. Visualizations can include anything that makes the scene more real such as sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings. Visualizing brings the text to life. Unlike using words, students can boost their imagination and their senses. When students visualize, they gain insight into the experiences of the incidents they read about, thus helping students remember them later. Keene and Zimmerman in their book Mosaic of Thought emphasised that visualizing, however, is a comprehension strategy that enables readers to make the words on a page real and concrete.

During the reading process, the teacher should ask students to pause after a few sentences which contain good descriptive information in an attempt to relate this image to real life situations. While being in pause, the teacher should share the image he has created in his mind, and talk about which word from the book helped him “draw” his picture. Drawing vivid images reinforces the students’ understanding of the text.

Summarizing  the text teaches students how to discern the most important ideas in a text, how to ignore irrelevant information, and how to integrate the central ideas in a meaningful way. Summarizing builds comprehension by helping to reduce confusion.

In order to help students know how to summarize, teachers should make them aware of its importance through a variety of different mediums, including writing, oral activities, drama, art and music. Teachers train students to process the information they read with the goal of breaking down content into succinct pieces. Summarizing text by using writing activities builds on prior knowledge, helps improve writing, and strengthens vocabulary skills.

In general, reading is never an easy-going process, but can be overwhelmingly difficult when not taught effectively. These seven methods, however, can be used effectively to help shape successful readers. Teachers should keep these methods in mind when teaching their students, and their students should strive to use the methods most useful to them and the way they process information. Reading is a process that can always be improved with the right tools.

References:

Keene, E.O., & Zimmermann, S. (1997). Mosaic of thought: Teaching comprehension in a reader’s workshop. Portsmouth NH: Heinemann.

Pearson, P.D., Hansen, J., & Gordon, C. (1979). The effect of background knowledge on young children’s comprehension of explicit and implicit information. Journal of Reading Behavior, 11(3), 201-209.

Rosgal S.A. Greenwood, J. (1992). Class Readers. Hong Kong: O.U.P. Harmer, J. (2010). How to Teach Reading. Pearson –Longman

http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126326/reading-strategies-and-fostering-them-in-the-classroom/
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Nass El Ghiwane: story of a Moroccan Legend
Saturday 22 March 2014 Mona Badri Rabat

“Art grows from joy and sorrow; but mostly from sorrow. It grows from human lives.“ Edvard Munch.

Suffering has been associated with art for so long. Humanity has endured a great many experiences and has generated creative ways to showcase its suffering through art. Every person has an artist sleeping inside who wakes up only when its vision is bleak and the horizon hides its colors. Though some contemporary artists contradict this statement and seem to be most productive only when they are happy, this is not the case with the Moroccan music band Nass El Ghiwane.

The 60s and 70s represented a significant transitional point in history. People’s political awareness started to grow and many voices emerged to shape reality in creative ways. Nass El Ghiwane stood out by putting on unprecedented performances in which they tackled issues that touched the core of the Moroccan society.

Boujmia Hagour, Laarbi Batma, and Omar Siyed, three young men who came from simple families and lived in the poor neighborhood of Hay El Mohammadi in Casablanca, set the pillar for a band whose echo traveled across the globe. Their passion for music brought them together. First established in 1970, Nass El Ghiwane gained fame and built a reputation. More enthusiastic youth joined their journey: Abderahman Paco, Allal Yaala, Mulay Abd Laaziz Tahiri, and Mahmoud Saadi, though the last two quit the band very early.

In October 1974, the band lost its founder Boujmia. His presence in the band was short, but he set out the path for it to follow. His lyrics and the strong voice gave Malhun songs a different taste. In a poem that marks disbelief towards the death of Boujmia, entitled “Annadi ana” (I am calling), the band repeated:

“My brother passed away yesterday
His news arrived just today
My brother died of agony
Leaving behind his places and family
O no brother, you are still with us
Or is it me that cannot take the loss”

The band started to perform at Casablanca’s famous theatre Al-MasraH Al-Baladi. At that time, the artist, Tayeb Seddiki, known as the godfather of young talents, was amazed by this group of young men who were fascinated by their own language and popular art; Nass El Ghiwane was the first musical band that Seddiki described as “troubadours.” Moroccans recognized Nass El Ghiwane’s music to be the mirror of their everyday life. Few are the instances when you enter a Moroccan house without finding a tape, a CD or the lyrics of their songs written on a piece of paper.

The era of Batma, Siyed, Allal and Paco coincided with a revolutionary movement in the 60s and 70s that took on a satirical approach to society, mainly manifested in poetry, Zajal, criticism, and theater. The “phenomenon” of Nass El Ghiwane drew inspiration for its verses from Moroccan popular culture. The “Moroccan maternal heritage” and was always present in their well- versed poems.

The band contributed to the shaping of a conscious and politically aware generation. Their songs had stinging criticism of society and the spread of corruption within its institutions. The late Hassan II received them exclusively to perform before him their most political songs. This unexpected invitation came at a time when people “rolled their tongues seven times” before they could speak of politics in Morocco.

After Laarbi Batma’s death from cancer in 1997 and the withdrawal of Paco, Nass El Ghiwane could have perished and been forgotten, like any band that lost significant icons like these

However, Omar Siyed and a new member of the artistic Batma family continued to entertain Moroccans with authentic rhythms that Moroccans have memorized since they were kids. Nass El Ghiwan has become an icon of Moroccan music. It combined Gnawa music of “Paco”, Chaabi music of Chaouia “Batma,” and Amazigh music of “Omar Siyed,” creating a mosaic of cultural specificities fused together and formed into a harmonious breeze to which Moroccans fall submissively whenever it blows.

Nass El Ghiwane was not just a craze; it was a phenomenon that inspired many prominent writers, poets, and film makers who chose to honor their writing careers with at least one work devoted to the legend of Nass El Ghiwane, including Ahmed El Maanaoui (“Transes”), Ahmed Sayeh, Mohammed Bennis, D.Caux, T.Fuson, and Taher Benjeloun, among many others.

Nass El Ghiwane sung for love, hope, peace, victory and failure, beauty, the body, the land, and the country. Their songs will be a constant reminder of authenticity and an immortal link to Moroccan roots.  

 They even sang about cats:

My kitten
My kitten is little
Her name is Namira
Playing with her is such a joy
She follows me like my shadow
She shows off a skill
To haunt a mouse
She is beautiful
Her hair is long

The simplicity of their themes and the way in which they presented them was revolutionary. In addition to the religious songs, in which they praise the Prophet of Islam, they have inspired Moroccans to sing about a tray, “S-siniya,” as if it were a diamond. S-siniya’s cultural and social connotation in Morocco goes beyond the fact that it is a mere tool with which to serve food or drinks. When a family gathers around a tray on which tea is served, they perform a very sacred ritual in the Moroccan culture. It symbolizes unity, hospitality, generosity, and company. These are the principles that Nass El Ghiwane has tried to transmit in its songs.
Edited by Melissa Smyth
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126067/nass-el-ghiwane-story-of-a-moroccan-legend/
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Super Tough Trees Will Grow In Moroccan Desert To Produce Green Energy.
By Kathleen Caulderwood on March 23 2014

A biotech company has invented a new hybrid tree that grows at record speed on barren land, and can be used to create clean energy.   They’ve already set up a project in southern India, and now they’re taking on Morocco.   

Anagenesis Trees Corporation is planning to plant more than 50,000 acres of their patented Trifolia trees in Morocco within a few years. The trees will be used to produce clean energy and be a lucrative source of income for local communities.

“It’s a very interesting concept,” said Talal Belrhiti, an international business consultant in Casablanca who is working with the company.   “It’s great for the environment, it’s pretty and it’s a way to make good money as well,” said Belrhiti.

The trees themselves took 17 years to engineer. Using an especially hardy species originating in China and Southeast Asia, scientists developed a new hybrid for strength, climate tolerance and a low requirement for water.   “The best performers in each category were selected and then cuttings were taken from each sample and were reproduced in the laboratory via tissue cultures,” reads a report from the company.

In 2009 Anagenesis patented their Trifolia tree.

One of the most important aspects is how fast they grow. Their distinctive three-leafed rows take in more sunlight and nutrients than ordinary trees, which helps them reach seven meters in just a year. “Within four or five years you can have a full-fledged forest,” said Belrhiti. They can be harvested annually, and grow back from their stumps. They’re also specially designed not to leach nutrients from surrounding soil.   Plus, they’re strong enough to grow in a variety of climates.

“The plant developed by Anagenesis promises to transform the economics of biomass to energy,” wrote Andreas Wahl, a renewable-energy analyst at Wimmer Financial, in a note.  “Furthermore, it has substantial additional potential uses as a source for ethanol and several natural products,” he wrote.  

Once the trees have been grown and harvested, they’re ground up and fed into a pyroliser, which heats the material that is eventually converted into hydrogen.   This gets cleaned and filtered until it becomes synthetic gas, or syngas, which can be used to power electric generators. Any residue is returned to the beginning and goes through the whole process again.

The whole operation has taken decades to develop.  The tree’s inventor began working in the late 1980s, but it wasn’t until November 2008 that the Anagenesis Biomass Corporation (ABC) was officially launched.  

In 2010, they secured a 15-year agreement with a government-backed energy-trading group in India that cost about $350 million.

The location was chosen on the basis of climate, government support and energy deficit.

Today, they’re setting their sights on Morocco and beyond. “With the plantation in Morocco, we are proceeding slowly but steadily,” said Kyriacos Koutzis, CEO of Anagenesis. They plan to plant more than 50,000 acres of the Trifolia trees. He said the project will promote job creation and local ecosystems, among other advantages. “Forestation plantations such as the one in Morocco with the Anagenesis Trifolia Trees will have a tremendous impact in the region,” he said. http://world.einnews.com/article/196572052/22bNwF-XoLIz4W35?n=1&code=F0A6UI8SDeLVJB2O
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Kenitra: A Castle upon a Hill.
Sunday 23 March 2014

A story of a plant and a bird… This city chooses to honor and triumph its own throne in the hearts and the minds of its people and keep them wonderfully lost in its seductive world of warmth and beauty. Kenitra!...............

Read more here: http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126249/kenitra-a-castle-upon-a-hill/
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Morocco’s argan tree in decline: study.
Monday 24 March 2014 Larbi Arbaoui

Despite the country’s efforts to preserve and protect the argan tree, it is endangered and the number of trees per ha is in decline according to a study presented by Mohammed SghirTaleb during the World Congress on Agroforestry held in Delhi, India last February.

Argan tree, which is located in the south west of the kingdom, represents 7% of Morocco’s forest resources covering about 870,000 ha. Mohammed SghirTaleb said, “The exploitation of argan is not sustainable.”

“What we need is a national strategy on access and benefit sharing which could improve the livelihoods of local people through sustainable use and management of the resource at the local and regional levels,” the researcher added.

Locally known as the tree of life, argan trees produce fruit (almonds like seeds). which are processed traditionally by women, who lately united in cooperatives, to extract the most expensive edible oil in the world, the argan oil.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126352/moroccos-argan-tree-in-decline-study/
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Morocco: A Model of Islamic Inclusion
K. Drawi, 202-578-2014 ROCKVILLE, Md., March 28, 2014 Standard Newswire

HM King Mohammed VI performed Friday prayers at the mosque Tarik Ibn Ziyad in Tangier even though the preacher of this mosque, Mohamed El Fizazi, is a former theorist of Salafia Jihadia.

Many experts particularly involved in the politico-religious domains have seen several strong messages to this event. According to them, the fact that His Majesty the King chose the mosque, regardless of the preacher who officiates, shows that as a Commander of the Faithful he conciliates different interpretations of the religion.

For many observers it is a revelatory act of an entire integration process, after a period of radicalization. It's also revealing of the effectiveness of the Moroccan approach against radicalization and the integration and inclusion of leaders of Salafia Jihadia.

Fizazi who has been preaching at the mosque since July 2013, officiates in a standardized framework, regulated and institutionalized Moroccan religious field.

Fizazi belongs to a majority of preachers in the country who used to adhere to the Salafia Jihadia extremist rhetoric and are now fully accepting to conform to the official religious institution.

The reforms that have been taken under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI have drastically enhanced the ability of religious institutions to absorb social phenomena and rationalize thought in a comprehensive and standardized framework. The Moroccan religious model is also considered as one of the best, most moderate, in the region.
http://world.einnews.com/article/197553024/zyI0MFYQxiXjv3_E?n=1&code=F0A6UI8SDeLVJB2O
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Ouarzazate, Morocco's movie Mecca, seeks return to glory days.
By Omar Brouksy ,AFP March 29, 2014 OUARZAZATE, Morocco

Ouarzazate in southern Morocco was once dubbed the mecca of the film industry for its studio facilities and the stark beauty of its locations, with many Hollywood blockbusters shot there. “Laurence of Arabia” (1962, Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif), “The Sheltering Sky” (1990, Debra Winger, John Malkovich), “Kundun” (1997, Martin Scorcese), “Gladiator” (1999, Russell Crowe, Oliver Reed) and “Babel” (2006, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) and more.

All of them feature scenes shot at Ouarzazate, which lies at the foot of the scenic High Atlas Mountains.

But that was then and this is now. Its film industry is in the doldrums, needing fresh winds to get it moving again.

The famous town lost its appeal to international film-makers as economic crisis and the turmoil of the Arab Spring swept across the region.

As the North African winter ends, and some snow still graces the mountain peaks, a small group of people attends a casting call at Studio Atlas, one of the town's largest.

Ouarzazate's lengthy affair with showbiz has life in it yet.

“I began going to the cinema in 1967,” says Larbi Agrou, who was in “Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra” in 2000. “For the past three or four years there's no longer been a rush by producers to get their films shot. “Most people who work in films here also have other trades to keep them going — farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters. But without tourism and the cinema, Ouarzazate would be dead,” he says.

'More crows than filmmakers'

Agrou says the first encouraging signs of a revival appeared last year, and that 2014 “is starting rather well.”

Ouarzazate is known for attracting big-budget historic epics with large casts, and already Nicole Kidman and Tom Hanks have visited since the beginning of the year. “Let's hope it lasts,” says Aziz, another hopeful at the casting call, rubbing his hands. “There are already four films in production here.”

And that means work for hundreds of people in Ouarzazate.

In 2005 alone, mega-productions such as “Indigenes” (Days of Glory) by Rachid Bouchareb, and Robert Dornhelm's “The Ten Commandments” were filmed there.

Fast forward to 2010, the year the Arab Spring broke out with an uprising to oust a dictator in Tunisia, and nothing on a similar scale was shot at Ouarzazate between then and last year.

A major factor behind that, according to Moroccan film critic Adil Semmar, was the rising insurance costs caused by security problems in the region, notably after the Arab Spring uprisings. http://world.einnews.com/article/197467296/U2FYnqlpwHAw0JnE?n=1&code=F0A6UI8SDeLVJB2O
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UNE to inaugurate new Morocco campus.
Bangor Daily News March 28, 2014, AUGUSTA, Maine

Less than two years after entering into a formal agreement with the American School of Tangier, the University of New England will inaugurate its newest campus in Tangier, Morocco, on April 22, as the only American higher education institution in this thriving North African country.

UNE President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., hails the new campus, stating it is “reflective of UNE’s commitment to advance the internationalization of higher education, create truly global citizens, and open new windows of opportunity not only for UNE students, but also the entire state of Maine.”

The university has invited dignitaries and representatives from Morocco, the city of Tangier, UNE’s global education partners, and the state of Maine. Recently appointed US Ambassador to Morocco Dwight L. Bush, Sr., is also expected to attend. Among Maine’s expected attendees are Gov. Paul LePage and Senior Education Policy Adviser Tom Desjardins. The UNE delegation includes Pres. Ripich, Provost Jim Koelbl, Vice President of Global Affairs Anouar Majid, Ph.D., and officers of the Board of Trustees.

UNE welcomed its first 23 students to the Tangier campus on January 10 th, 2014. The students’ inaugural semester balances language and cultural enrichment courses with laboratory sciences that enable them to stay on track in their academic majors. Faculty members include UNE and Moroccan scholars who teach physics and chemistry, as well as basic Arabic and courses about Moroccan history and society.

The UNE students received Global Education scholarships funded by donor Josephine “Dodie” Detmer, which paid for their round-trip airfare to the new campus. They have quickly immersed themselves in the culture and are actively exploring the region through trips to European and Moroccan cities like Budapest, Amsterdam, Rome, Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Casablanca, Fez and Marrakesh.

Tangier is experiencing extraordinary economic growth and cultural development.  Its bustling deep-water TangerMed cargo port is an active commerce and trade center located directly on the Strait of Gibraltar, at the crossing of two major maritime routes. It is one of the largest ports on the Mediterranean Sea, connecting North Africa with the global import/export market.

“As one of the most important free trade zones in the world, Morocco has aggressively developed its infrastructure to become a gateway to North Africa and the European Union,” said Gov. LePage, in a press release. “There are excellent opportunities for Maine companies to expand foreign investment in our state. To keep creating jobs here at home, we are doing everything we can to reach new customers for Maine-made products abroad.  I applaud President Ripich and her team for advancing higher education to the new Moroccan campus, which creates an educational partnership that will expand educational opportunities for UNE students and provide a Maine presence in the global trade economy.”

UNE’s Majid, a native of Tangier, said in the press release, “Tangier has instituted numerous infrastructure and economic improvements in recent years.  Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has just launched major economic and social projects aiming at making the historic city the most dynamic metropolis in the southern shore of the Mediterranean within five years. UNE couldn’t have chosen a better location to build its first campus overseas.”
http://world.einnews.com/article/197436921/39QULygRdkh4KlYG?n=1&code=F0A6UI8SDeLVJB2O
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Morocco’s Goulmima: the Pearl of the Desert.
Monday 24 March 2014

Goulmima derives its name from Aglmam/Lake. Goulmima is an oasis located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in South Eastern Morocco where the common language is Tamazight. It is also referred to as Ghris or Tizi n’ Imnayn. Its ever green palm trees spread 15 km along the banks of the seasonal Ghris River and its economic resources are mainly agricultural.

 Goulmima is 60 km south of the province of Errachidia in the region of Meknes-Tafilalet. Its width is estimated of 3 to 4 km with a population of approximate 18-000 inhabitants. The common system of irrigation depends on the seasonal precipitations and the springs in the neighboring oasis of Tifunasin http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/126331/moroccos-goulmima-the-pearl-of-the-desert/
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From Morocco with Love, Or Rouge, Yves Saint Laurent.
by SunHee Grinnell

Morocco, a bohemian kingdom filled with mystery, exoticism, and caftans, became a place of refuge for young designer Yves Saint Laurent in the late 1960s. “Its architecture, large avenues, and pillared monuments reminded him of primitive Paris”, explains Florence Müller, a fashion historian and curator of many YSL retrospectives.

A destination he sought often—to recharge and from which to draw inspiration—the rich colors that saturate the environs expanding from Tangiers to Marrakesh translated into his most idolized couture collections. In 1980, Saint Laurent purchased the storied Majorelle Gardens, to refurbish for the people of Marrakech. To this setting, where he felt he could re-invent his youth, friends such as Paul and Talitha Getty, Andy Warhol, Bianca Jagger, Loulou de la Falaise, and interior designer Bill Willis frequently flocked to join him, for revelry and unforgettable holidays.

In this same magical place, decades later, YSL Skin Science has made a significant discovery. From the legendary crocus, an indigenous flower symbolic of beauty, sensuality, longevity, and love, it has harvested Moroccan saffron, "the world’s most expensive spice by weight," according to Chris Kilham, ethnobotanist and medicine-hunter.

For only one week each autumn, the flower's red pistils (three prongs known as saffron) are extracted by hand one flower at a time. The climate and soil of the High Atlas Mountains near Marrakesh help to cultivate the highest-quality saffron in the world.

YSL beauty scientists have deconstructed the saffron pistil to extract glycan (complex sugar), which they have combined with other powerful ingredients to produce Or Rouge (French for "red gold") in honor of the spice's nickname. The result is a revitalizing and luxurious skin-care collection designed to combat aging. The aromatic cream, which comes in a gold jar with

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/beauty/2014/march/from-morocco-with-love-or-rouge-yves-saint-laurent
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Morocco: The call of the casbah.
By Carol Huang, special to The Washington Post. 03/25/2014

An enormous pile of sand was not our intended destination when we flew to Morocco over the winter. Instead, we were supposed to spend a week luxuriating at one of Marrakesh's top riads, where a friend was to celebrate a 50th birthday.

But as sometimes happens with lavish affairs, things got complicated. Rather than fuel the drama, we decided, somewhat romantically, to go somewhere to see the sun rise over the desert. A glance through the guidebooks sold us on Erg Chebbi, an area of 400-foot-high sand dunes on the edge of the Sahara. The 350-mile journey there would take us through a southern region of the country known as the Valley of 1,000 Casbahs.

These earthen castles and fortified villages of mud and clay were built by the sheiks and powerful families who ruled various regions of Morocco through the centuries. Though many casbahs have disintegrated, the remote oasis valleys and undeveloped deserts south of Marrakesh abound with the soaring walls and towers of those that remain.

First, however, we had to cross the snow-covered peaks of the High Atlas mountains. The riad staff loaded our luggage onto a little donkey named Cous Cous and escorted us out of the medina by foot. At an exterior intersection, my husband haggled with a line of taxis until he settled on a price of around $150. Soon we were driving across a broad, flat plain toward a line of snowy peaks.

Thought to have been formed by the same geological shifts that created the Alps and the Pyrenees, the High Atlas include North Africa's tallest peak, Toubkal; its most dramatic waterfall, Ouzoud Falls; and the Tizi n'Test pass, where the road narrows to a single lane in places as it traverses switchbacks and blind curves nearly 7,000 feet above sea level. In the winter, the Tizi n'Test can be blocked by snow and avalanches. There are rock falls and rains year-round.

Because we were going East rather than South, we headed toward the Tizi n'Tichka, a pass described as “marginally safer.” As the road grew steeper, I saw there were no guardrails. The temperature fell at the snow line and continued to drop as we climbed. Our driver, who looked to be in his 40s and was wearing only a light jacket, pulled his collar higher. “Could you turn up the heat?” my husband asked. The driver fiddled with the knobs and shook his head. We burrowed deeper into our coats.

The road twisted and turned. We passed mountain streams that plunged from narrow crevasses and tiny villages tucked in deep ravines. We drove through cloud mists and shadowed passages where the only light was what fell on the white peaks overhead. As the daylight diminished, I saw that the road had no lights. Conversation in the car dwindled in the coming darkness and ceased altogether as we focused on the winding road.

Thankfully we began our descent before nightfall, but it was dusk when we passed Ait Benhaddou, Morocco's most famous and widely photographed casbah. Located on a river in the foothills of the High Atlas, Ait Benhaddou served as a backdrop in “Lawrence of Arabia” and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. We didn't get a good view in the dark, but it was just the first of many casbahs to come……………..

Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/travel/ci_25418249/morocco-call-casbah#ixzz2x64F2tC8
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Skip Marrakech. This is the City You Need to Visit in Morocco

Morocco’s bustling cities, like Marrakech or Tangier, are clearly its main tourist attractions. But at times, the bustling medinas can be overwhelming and exhausting. Cue Chefchaouen, a.k.a the Blue City. (It even sounds relaxing). Named after its buildings, which are all painted varying shades of blue, it's situated in the Rif Mountains about two hours' drive from Tangier. Here's a quick guide to the city:

STAY HERE: The stylish Lina Ryad & Spa (Avenue Hassan I; +212 06 4506-9903; doubles from $188) boasts suites from $188 per night, with breakfast included, and also serves excellent food in-house—think Moroccan salads and an excellent pastilla. Also worth a stay: Casa Perleta (Medina -Bab el Souk; +212 05 3998-8979; rooms from $76), a charming riad tucked inside the medina with breathtaking views.

EAT HERE: Join locals in the heart of the medina at Casa Hassan’s Tissemlal Restaurant (22 Rue Targhi Chefchaouen; +212 05 3998-6153; three-course meal from $22), which serves up classics like chicken tagine and harira soup, as well as green salad with the region’s specialty goat cheese.

SHOP HERE: Take a walk to Aladan the Herboriste (on Place Outa el Hammam and rue Targui) to pick up argan oil, Moroccan spices, and soaps, and then peruse the local markets for rugs and jewelry. (Since the city is fairly off the grid, the prices on these handcrafted items are heavily discounted in comparison to the big cities).
http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2014/03/morocco-chefchaouen-food-shopping
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Valley woman vacations in Morocco with 50-mile desert run
Friday, March 28, 2014 Scott Stuntz TVN Staff

A Teton Valley woman will be heading to Morocco early next month for one of the toughest foot races on the planet. Julie Bryan is running the seven-day “Marathon des Sables” through the Sahara Desert, to benefit the Huntsman Cancer Institute, a cancer foundation run by the owners of Huntsman Springs.

Even though it’s referred to as a marathon, it is actually made up of multiple stages, several of which are actually longer than a marathon’s 26.2 miles.

Bryan’s coach for the race is Lisa Batchen of Dreamchaser’s Outdoor Adventures in Driggs, who has not only participated in the race herself, but she is a former champion.

“When you’re around people who do things that are out of the ordinary and do these extraordinary things, all of a sudden extraordinary things become ordinary,” said Bryan. “It’s just an amazing town we live in.”

Bryan is also a former member of the USA Mountain Running Team, and she said the race is a great athletic challenge, but that’s not the only reason she chose to compete.

“I lost my mother to breast cancer when she was only 52,” she said. 

The group she is supporting with her run, the Hunstman Cancer Institute, according to Bryan, “hold[s] the same ethics and values that I do with regards to work, cause, belief, purpose and hope.”

This is actually the second year Bryan entered the “Marathon des Sables.” She was forced to pull out of the competition last year because she tore her Achilles tendon shortly before the race. She tried to run anyway, but her injury made it impossible for her to finish.

She said a big part of ultra marathon running, anything over 50 kilometers, is not just physical condition, but being able to keep your mental composure as well.

In that regard, running for charity, makes this race different.

“This time I can’t imagine any other thought would enter my mind other than, ‘No matter how bad I feel, or how much I hurt, I’m running to help save lives and children and families who have cancer,’ Bryan said.

Racers are required to carry safety equipment, including a survival blanket, knife and snake-bite kit, at all times. Bryan’s racing backpack also features a custom pocket for carrying a distress flare, sewn in by local tailoring company Apparels of Pauline.

Before the race’s April 6 start, the competitors will be bussed seven hours into the desert, where they will then get on military surplus trucks to be taken to the race site. Bryan said until that time the actual race route is kept a secret.

She is taking time away from her fulltime job as a broker at Huntsman Springs Real Estate to compete in the week-long event. In addition to the time she is taking to travel to Morocco, she said the training for the race cuts into her sometimes 80-hour workweek, as well, making her leave for her training runs as early as 2 a.m.

Despite the secrecy, the 130 degree heat and the back-to-back days of running over 50 miles, Bryan said she feels like this is almost a normal vacation since she lives in Teton Valley.

“For a lot of people it would seem like a really unique way to spend your vacation time, but around here it’s amazing, you see people doing things like this all the time and it’s a different lifestyle,” she said.

Another renowned Teton Valley runner Grant Maughan is also competing in the “Marathon des Sables.” For information on donating to the Huntsman Cancer Institute, email jbryan@huntsmansprings.com. http://www.tetonvalleynews.net/outdoors/valley-woman-vacations-in-morocco-with--mile-desert-run/article_60830c22-b6b1-11e3-9583-001a4bcf887a.html

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Childhood friends prepare to take on desert marathon challenge.
By Tom Gillespie, Reporter

Childhood friends are set to run a gruelling six day marathon, in the scorching heat of the Sahara. Andy Prickett and Kieren Unwin, both 29, are taking on the infamous Marathon des Sables. The 156 mile ‘ultramarathon’ is based in southern Morocco, where temperatures regularly soar above 50 degrees.

It is widely regarded as the toughest footrace on earth, covering a distance equal to five-and-a-half marathons.

The pair, who will scale enormous dunes and face a battering from sandstorms on their arduous journey, have been running 80 miles a week in preparation……….

More here: http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/11098749.Childhood_friends_prepare_to_take_on_desert_marathon_challenge/?ref=var_0
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