Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
January 31, 2015

What I wish Americans knew about Morocco.
Friday 14 March 2014 - PCV Jaclyn Dean Rabat

A few months ago, I received an email from an old friend asking how I am and where in the world I am these days. When I replied that I live in Morocco, he said: “Holy crap, I can’t believe you live alone in Muslim-land; you’re much braver than I would be.”

I did not reply to that email. I was too upset. I am okay with anyone telling me that I am brave to live in another country alone. I can appreciate that. But I had a problem with somebody telling me that I am “brave” to live in “Muslim-land.”

This week is Peace Corps Week, and in celebration of it Peace Corps asked us to do a classroom challenge or to record a video on the theme of “What I wish Americans knew about my country of service.” I am currently not in Morocco and I do not like recording videos of myself, so this is my chance to explain, all at once, What I wish Americans knew about Morocco:

I wish Americans knew that Morocco is a safe place to live, that yes, Morocco is a Muslim country, and that no, it is not a terrorist country. I wish they knew that Islam is a peaceful religion. In fact, the word “Islam” is derived from the root word “salam,” meaning peace and safety, the same word Moroccans use to greet each other.

I wish Americans knew that Morocco was the first country to recognize American independence and has signed the longest unbroken peace treaty with the US in American history.

I wish they knew that many Moroccan women are and want to be feminists. They are both Muslim and feminists, and the two can go together as long as we do not impose our Western version of feminism.

I wish Americans knew that, despite high rates of sexual harassment and assault, many Moroccan men are respectful to me and to women. They treat women with dignity like the Qur’an tells them to.

I wish Americans knew that Moroccans are the most hospitable people I have ever met, that Morocco is a place where phrases like “you are like family” are not taken lightly. Sometimes, you will befriend a random couple on a train and converse with them. Once you arrive at the train station, they will cut lines for you to help you buy a ticket to your next train that leaves in 60 seconds, carry your bag and suitcase for you while running through the platforms alongside you, watch you board your train and watch you through the window making sure you’ve taken a seat, and wave at you as your train takes off. They were just strangers. (You will then be force-fed lunch by a family sitting in the same train compartment as you.)

I wish Americans knew that Morocco is not all desert, that there are the Atlas Mountains, the Rif Mountains, hundreds of miles of beaches, and I wish they could see how winter rains bring beautiful green rolling hills that look like this:

I wish they knew that couscous doesn’t taste good when it come? from a box, but instead tastes better when a Moroccan mama takes three hours of every Friday morning to make it so that it looks like this:

I wish Americans could realize that living in Morocco is not easy, and that I do not always enjoy Morocco. It is more than camel treks and tagines, snake charmers and cheap spices. But I hope they know that if they insult Morocco, I will defend it–because it is my home.

Jaclyn Dean is a current Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco who works in youth development, teaching English, exercise, drawing, and life skills to youth. She graduated from Rice University in Houston, Texas with a degree in Sociology and Political Science and worked briefly in Texas politics. Jaclyn was born and raised in Plano, Texas.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/03/125280/what-i-wish-americans-knew-about-morocco/
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CorpsAfrica, Service for Life-Changing Experiences.
Sunday 25 January 2015 - Abderrahim Boualy Agadir

CorpsAfrica has just finished training ten young Moroccan social activists. This is the second group of Moroccans that will be sworn in on January 26th to volunteer in rural areas across Morocco for one year of service. CorpsAfrica is a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 by Liz Fanning to provide an opportunity for Africans to serve like Peace Corps Volunteers in their own countries.

Last year, the organization succeeded in training and placing seven Moroccan volunteers in different regions of Morocco including the High Atlas Mountains and Dakala Abdaa regions. This year the organization trained its first group of nine volunteers for 2014-2015, all of whom are already serving in their community.
The second group of trainees comes from many different regions of Morocco: Ouarzazate, Nador, Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, and Al Hoceima. They go through one month of training before beginning their service.

During the first week of training, the volunteers participated in Design-Thinking, facilitated by the trainer Garrett Mason at the Cultural Center of Sidi Moumen in Casablanca. There they were exposed to theoretical and practical aspects of problem solving and facilitation before being placed in their communities. During the Design-Thinking training, CorpsAfrica trainees were divided into three small groups and designed different projects to address the major issues that Sidi Moumen Cultural Center faces.

The trainees learned several skills to identify community needs, as well as used tools that will help them come up with an appropriate end of service project, which will be needed to address key needs of their community. The Design-Thinking process includes the gathering of information, focusing (in which volunteers define the need of the community), prototyping (in which they create a visual image for a certain project), delivering the project and receiving feedback from the community.

During the training, CorpsAfrica trainees received first aid certification by the Red Crescent, met different active Moroccan organizations, and visited the sites of last year’s volunteers. They also had the chance to attend lectures at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane.

CorpsAfrica has the eventual goal of having 250 volunteers in every African country by 2024. As part of a three-year pilot phase, CorpsAfrica plans to expand to Senegal and Ethiopia before scaling up to the rest of Africa.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150266/corpsafrica-service-for-life-changing-experiences/
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UNDEF Project Helps Create the Moroccan Network of Local Youth Councils
Wednesday 28 January 2015 By Adil Bentahar Casablanca

As part of the ‘Engaging Civil Society and Youth in Public Policy Dialogue in North Africa’ project, the Moroccan Center for Civic Education (MCCE), supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and in collaboration with the Moroccan Center for Youth and Democratic Reforms, held the National Meeting ‘Local Youth Councils: Experiences and Projects’. The event, which was held on January 24-25, gathered more than 30 Local Youth Councils leaders from eight different regions across Morocco.

Chaired by Mr. Youssef Kalakhi, Director of Moroccan Center for Youth and Democratic Reforms, the first session featured opening remarks by President of the Moroccan Center for Civic Education Mr. Elarbi Imad. Mr. Imad gave an overview about the Center’s experience in implementing civic education and related initiatives, particularly ‘Engaging Civil Society and Youth in Public Policy Dialogue in North Africa’ project that is being implemented in Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya.

Mr. Houssam Hab, Vice-Director of Moroccan Center for Youth and Democratic Reforms, shared contextual background information about the rationale behind founding the center with a focus on scientific research and academic contributions to the ongoing democratic reforms in Morocco. President of the Local Council for Youth in Assilah, Mr. Nidal Benali, stressed the important role that the Moroccan local councils could play in promoting the dynamics of the youth sector as a suggestive power.

Mr. Abdelmalak Lakheily, Advisor to Mr. El Habib Choubani, Moroccan Minister-in-charge of Relations with the Parliament and Civil Society, also highlighted the key role of Local Youth Councils in fostering civic concepts of democracy and youth civic engagement in politics in general and the upcoming 2015 communal elections in particular. He also emphasized the willingness of the Ministry to support all youth initiatives that help prepare Moroccans civically toward understanding and evaluating public policies.

The organizers set a number of objectives for this event. These include showcasing civic education community projects and sharing and exchanging ideas about possible avenues for engaging youth and civil society organizations in public policy dialogue. They also targeted the establishment of a national network of local youth councils as one of the participants’ recommendations.

As a result of this national meeting, the participants decided to create the National Network of Local Youth Councils which would serve as a body governing and assisting in the promotion of participatory democracy and local governance, goals that the Moroccan Center for Civic Education upholds and considers in its many activities. Additional recommendations included institutionalizing local youth councils, drafting a national charter that particularly addresses the needs of local youth councils, ensuring equity among the local youth council members, and creating a committee for the preparation for collective charter. The participants also recommended designing a guide to youth local councils, creating a national Web site as a tool of communication, and last but not least, advocating for all these goals within the framework of the National Network for Youth Local Councils.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150506/undef-project-helps-create-moroccan-network-local-youth-councils/
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Amazigh New Year in the United States
Thursday 29 January 2015 - By Joshua Kohen Boston

From the moment you enter the giant hall, you might think you are in North Africa. The giant Amazigh flags plastered on the walls, guests in traditional garb, and Amazigh music playing in the background might have you fooled. But no, this is not North Africa. This is the Annual Amazigh New Year (Yennayer) Event in Boston, Massachusetts.

For the past several years, the Amazigh community of Greater Boston has been hosting the Yennayer party with great success. Kabyles, Shilhas, Riffians, Touareg, and various other Amazigh groups come together every year to share their cultures. The purpose of the event is to display the rich and pluralistic heritage of North Africa’s indigenous people, the Imazighen. This year’s event was held on Saturday, January 24, and was sponsored by the Boston Amazigh Community, Elma&Sana LLC, and the Moroccan American Cultural & Community Center.

Each year, the New Year event attracts more and more people of all backgrounds, coming together to celebrate a common culture. The celebration is not a nationalist event; rather, it is an Amazigh event, and all the people of North African descent are encouraged to participate in the celebration, regardless of their nationality, religion, or race. This year’s party lasted from 5 PM to 11 PM. Six full hours of fun, food, music, dancing, and cultural activities was a great way to ring in the Amazigh New Year of 2965, and show the deep North African identity of the vibrant Amazigh-American community.

Despite the fiercely cold Boston weather, 200-300 people from various countries braved the icy roads and attended, allowing for a full house. The evening’s entertainment created a truly energized atmosphere. Many featured bands and individual artists performed, including Amud Band, Youssef Tafroaut, Rafik Aqvayli Band, Crushing Roll, Khalid from Touareg, Ankfraf Band from Virginia, Abdelhadi Amnay, and former Arab Idol contestant Jennifer Grout.

When asked how she felt about being at her first Yennayer celebration in the United States, Grout, an American who sings in Tamazight and Arabic, said, “I felt so honored to be there because the atmosphere made me feel like I was in Morocco again. After returning from Morocco to the US, I really miss everything about Morocco and this event made me feel like I was back home in Morocco. Yes, it really feels like home for me in Morocco”.

The night before the event, Grout and other artists rehearsed for hours in preparation for the celebration. People were certainly moved by the rhythmic sounds of North Africa, with many people performing traditional Amazigh dances while dressed in ethnic attire. Throughout the evening, guests from all backgrounds expressed their delight in being present at the event and having an American venue to express their Amazigh roots.

Although most of those in attendance had an ancestral connection to North Africa, there were some people who came simply to learn more about the Amazigh people. One Lebanese-American woman said, “I came here because my husband is Amazigh and I wanted to learn more about his people and this event provided me the opportunity to explore beyond my own culture. This is completely different from Lebanese culture. Oh, and I really loved the food.” At each table, people mingled and socialized while enjoying traditional couscous, a staple of North African cuisine. Mint tea was served as well as amlou. On one side of the hall, kiosks were set up where people could learn more about Amazigh history and buy Amazigh cultural items including artwork. A henna artist was also present.

Children played games and wove Amazigh flags together, a sign of cultural awareness for the younger generation. Many families brought their young children to the event because they want their American-born children to stay in touch with their North African roots. One mixed family of a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother said, “The shared historical bonds of the Amazigh people is what brings us all together under one roof with a common flag that represents our culture across North Africa. Our shared roots unite us even if we come from different countries.”

The Yennayer celebration in Boston provides the perfect opportunity for all North Africans to experience Amazigh culture, despite being thousands of miles away from North Africa. Sanaa Abidar, one of the event organizers, said, “I just want to thank everyone for their support in the celebration of our Yennayer event. We were touched by how many people came out to celebrate with us and by the number of diverse groups including Jewish, Arab, and American who came to share this unique moment with Imazighen and explore the Amazigh culture.”

In addition to striving to make a perfect evening where everyone feels welcomed, Sanaa Abidar has been working very hard to raise money for flood victims in southern Morocco. Flyers were given to each table in an effort raise to awareness of this natural disaster and to allow people to contribute to the cause. Adding a humanitarian cause to any cultural event is a great way to encourage people to get involved and remember those who are less fortunate.
The annual Yennayer celebration in Boston reminds us of the importance of our roots and maintaining a connection with our heritage. It also gives us a deeper appreciation of the diversity of the Amazigh civilization, and inspires all North Africans to explore and celebrate the pluralism of our peoples.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150570/amazigh-new-year-united-states/
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Scholar studies Arab Spring at Edinboro University
By Erica Erwin 814-870-1846 Erie Times-News January 25, 2015

Hamdi Echkaou, a Fulbright scholar from Morocco, poses Jan. 20 for a portrait in the Baron-Forness Library at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Echkaou is spending the academic year at the university, as he works on his dissertation about the role of internet and social media in Arab Spring. SARAH CROSBY/ERIE
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It started in Tunisia and, four years ago today, spread to Egypt: a growing chorus of voices demanding change.

Hamdi Echkaou saw the Arab Spring take hold in his native Morocco firsthand on Feb. 20, 2011, when thousands of protesters gathered in the capital city of Rabat to call for constitutional reforms, better living conditions and access to jobs. "They didn't fear the police beating them or anything," Echkaou said. "They had the power of unity. They could stand in front of Parliament" and be heard.

Echkaou, a Fulbright scholar, is spending the academic year at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania as he works on a dissertation about the role of the Internet and social media in the Arab Spring, the name given to a wave of demonstrations, protests and civil uprisings in Arab countries starting in late 2010.

Working with Andrew Smith, a communications studies professor who taught and researched in Morocco in the late 1990s, he is examining how the Internet and social media helped bring together different groups and interests to propel the Arab Spring forward.

Inspired by protests in Tunisia, Egypt and other countries, the Moroccan demonstrators called for basic rights, like freedom of expression; improved social conditions, especially in marginalized communities; financial security; and an end to corruption, among other demands, Echkaou said. "What I saw is that (it) was a very sensitive period in which the people brought everything they were feeling inside, out," Echkaou said.

They posted those feelings online as well. Social media and discussion threads became safe spaces for people of varying backgrounds and views to hear and be heard, and the comments and posts created a ripple effect. "People believed what they posted online and they went out on Feb. 20 and their voices were heard by the educated and noneducated, and they brought the monarchy to its knees," he said. "The king responded."

King Mohammed VI remained in power but agreed to some constitutional reforms. "They voiced their demands, and they were fearless," Echkaou said of the protesters. "I was proud." The movement resulted in lasting changes, he said.

Though censorship still exists, "now you find that if (someone) sees behavior that is not compatible with his or her values, they just say it," Echkaou said. "They are no longer fearful. "There is not this closed mentality," he said. "(People) are open to discussing topics, new topics, topics that differ from their own voice."

Attacks like the one on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo won't change that, though there are still topics considered taboo for print or debate, Echkaou said. "The right of freedom of expression is not something we can let go," he said. "We will fight for it."

ERICA ERWIN can be reached at 870-1846 or by e-mail. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNerwin.
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http://www.goerie.com/scholar-studies-arab-spring-at-edinboro-university
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Agadir Hosts the 3rd Annual Moroccan Resource Centers of English Network Conference.
Saturday 24 January 2015 - El Houssaine Naaim Marrakech

Moroccan Resource Centers of English Network (MoRCE-Net), an organization that encourages the improvement of the English teaching and learning process, will hold its third national conference from January 25th to January 27th, 2015, in Agadir. This year’s theme will be “Resource centers: Resourceful teaching and learning Opportunities.”

Mohamed Bakkas, MoRCE-Net board member, told MWN that “this conference will be an opportunity to pick the fruits of three years of hard work, dedication and collaboration. Showcasing portfolios of various resources centers will boost and consolidate the reputation of the network as an organisation that targets learners nationwide.”

The annual conference plays host to a number of experts and educators meet to suggest and exchange information about the best tools and strategies for improving methods used for learning and teaching the English Language. This year’s conference comes from an extensive background in promoting English as a second language and will reaffirm MoRCE-NET’s determination to achieve its goals, which include exposing teachers and participants to updated, innovative English language learning approaches, creating opportunities to share expertise in terms of teaching and learning processes both nationally and globally, and sharing techniques on effective management of resource centers.

In conjunction with these objectives, the MoRCE-Net conference tackles several other themes, including “enhancing ICT skills of participants, creating and running English clubs and resource centers, and managing educational projects, cross-cultural exchanges, and citizen engagement activities, and others”, according to a press release issued by the MoRCE-Net official website.

The press release added that the MoRCE-Net board has already identified the target audience, which will be composed of “teachers involved in MoRCE-Net national ERC program, teachers whose schools have signed partnership agreements with MoRCE-Net, teachers who attended MoRCE-Net second national conference and who were given portfolios of evidence, and teachers who are interested in creating and managing English Clubs or Resource Centers.”
Since it was created in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, the British Council and the U.S. Regional English Language Office (RELO), MoRCE-Net has succeeded in providing educational resources to many English language centers around Morocco.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150165/agadir-hosts-the-3rd-annual-moroccan-resource-centers-of-english-network-conference/
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48.9% of Moroccans Suffer From Psychological Disorders: Health Minister
Thursday 29 January 2015 Amjad Hemidach Fez

48.9% of Moroccans suffer or have suffered from mental illness. Minister of Health Houcine El Ouardi revealed some shocking figures about the mental state of Moroccans, claiming that 48.9 percent of Moroccans are suffering or have suffered from a psychological disorder. On Tuesday, January 27, during an oral questions session in the second chamber of the House of Councillors, the Minister answered many questions concerning psychiatric services in the country, and said, “48.9 percent of Moroccans suffer or have suffered from psychological disorder; 26.5 percent of Moroccans suffer from depression; and 14 percent of Moroccans have attempted suicide at least once.”

The Minister acknowledged the lack of infrastructure in hospitals to treat psychological illnesses. However, he announced “the imminent establishment of three regional psychiatric hospitals to be able to host 3,400 beds instead of 2453 beds currently existing.” In addition to this, the lack of specialized and qualified psychologists in the Kingdom places a burden on efforts to find concrete solutions to the problem. The Minister said, “100 psychologists graduate each year from Moroccan medical schools.”

Morocco faces major challenges in its attempt to reassure concerned citizens of efforts being made to address the needs for psychological and medical treatment for those suffering from mental illness. Although many associations provide help in terms of clothing and housing, most suffering from mental illness do not receive adequate, if any, professional treatment. Morocco is striving to improve its mental health institutions, as well as provide special training for professionals to help mentally ill people return to a life with opportunities.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150525/48-9-moroccans-suffer-psychological-disorders-health-minister/
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British Council Discusses Youth Employability in Morocco
Monday 26 January morocco world newsBy Ferdaws Aharrar Rabat

The British Council Morocco will organize a meeting on the topic “Employability of Marginalized Youth” on Tuesday at the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco (CGEM) in Casablanca. The meeting aims at “building a collaborative international community focusing on the development of marginalized youth in Morocco and the United Kingdom” through a British Council program entitled “Skills for Employability,” which focuses on “skills development and vocational training”. The program will be conducted in coordination with the CGEM and in partnership with, Moroccan organizations AIDA and Bayti, and British institutes Coleg Gwent, West Lothian College, and Coleg y Cymoedd.

According to a press release obtained by Morocco World News, “the meeting will raise awareness around the issue of employability of marginalized youth,” and aims “to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the main private and state actors committed to the same issue in Morocco and the United Kingdom.”
The meeting will explain the details of a partnership that includes “elements of technical training, monitoring and educational support engagement with employers to ensure the care of the young beneficiaries in the development of their skills and build their future.” This initiative was inspired by the vast number of youth facing many obstacles to employment. The program aims to provide skills and training for those in need, under the terms of a partnership between Morocco and the United Kingdom.

Young people from Cardiff and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom and Casablanca in Morocco will participate in the event. They will have the opportunity to exchange their experiences and knowledge overcoming their own difficulties in their access to employment. They aim to show those who are still trying that they can have a real chance to change their current situation.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150334/british-council-discusses-youth-employability-in-morocco/
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20% of Moroccan Associations Monopolize 80% of Public Funding: Economy minister
Tuesday 27 January 2015 Rabat

Economy minister Mohamed Boussaid said, on Monday in Rabat, that 20% of associations monopolize 80% of public funding meant for association action, while 97% of the said associations do not submit their financial reports.“20% of associations monopolize 80% of public funding meant for associations action, while 97% of the said associations do not submit their financial reports which hampers the supervision of public subsidies granted to them,” said the minister at a meeting of the parliamentary committee on public finances control.

At the end of October 2014, over 683 associations benefited from subsidies as part of ministerial budgets, against 646 in 2013, including social associations and institutions, said Boussaid, noting that this number is distributed among 578 social associations, 46 economic ones and 59 administrative ones.
The amount of subsidies granted until end October 2014 reached 1.44 billion dirhams, including 1.12 billion dirhams for social activities, 181 million dirhams for the economic field and 143.98 million dirhams for the administrative field, he added, noting that this figure stood at 1.33 billion dirhams in 2013.
Regarding the social solidarity fund, 700 million dirhams was allocated in 2014 to the Moroccan Association for Education to finance the “Tayssir” program and the 1 million schoolbag operation, he said.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150383/20-of-moroccan-associations-monopolize-80-of-public-funding-economy-minister/
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Abderahim Talks About His Life as HIV/AIDS positive in Morocco
Wednesday 28 January 2015 - 18
Video in English:
Abderahim is a HIV/ AIDS activist who lives in Agadir. He was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 2014. He decided to devote himself to fight against the deadly virus and rescue youth of Morocco who have the same destiny.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150501/abderahim-talks-life-hivaids-positive-morocco/
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The Muslim and the lost Jews of Morocco.
Tali Farkash 01.23.15/ Israel Jewish Scene
(A good video/slide show on the link below)

A surprising discovery by Muslim director Kamal Hachkar led him to Israel, where he found the former Jews of the Atlas Mountains, learned Hebrew in ulpan and embarked on a battle to break down stigmas.

Kamal Hachkar, a French director of Muslim-Moroccan descent, by chance during a visit to his homeland made a shocking discovery about Tinghir in the Atlas Mountains - the existence of the town's Jewish residents, who lived for thousands of years alongside their Muslim neighbors, including his family. Close neighborly relations were cut with the immigration to Israel of the Jews of the mountain village.
Following his video journey, Hachkar has returned to Israel several times, even learning Hebrew in Haifa. And, as part of his discovery of his roots, he moved to Morocco and maintained a warm relationship with the Jewish community. His latest visit to Israel was also the first opportunity to hear from the director, who hopes to create a bridge of friendship between Israelis and Moroccans.

The same village
I meet Kamal in Jerusalem, where he is a guest of Joelle Afflalo of the Matanel Foundation, for an evening entirely devoted to paying homage to experiences in the Maghreb. He already feels here "at home," he says, communicating in English and Hebrew. "On one family holiday, as I walked the streets of the town with my father, I ran into an old closed up house", he recalls. "Dad told me that Jews once lived here, and that was for me a real shock. Until then I was not aware that there were Jews in Morocco. I learned the story of the Holocaust in the French school, perceived Jews as something belonging to Europe, and suddenly discovered that this is totally wrong."
The discovery sparked curiosity within Hachkar about the identity of the Jews of Tinghir.

"I felt that we were the same, and their identity as Jews confused me, because from the outside they seemed Muslim," he explains, adding that he had wanted to show respect for these people, who had been deleted from the history of the Atlas Mountains, where they had lived for hundreds of years.
In one scene in the film, an elderly man from the village talks about the departure of his Jewish friends: "When they left, we said, poor things, leaving Tinghir, their home. The place where you are born and grew up, that is your country. You have a house, and suddenly, you must leave it. It's bound to be hard."

Branded as primitive
Hachkar embarked on a lengthy mission to track down the surviving Jewish villagers. "Most of them are elderly women who today live in Yavne or Safed, and who suddenly find they share a dialect and cultural experience with the young Muslim opposite them," he says. "This region in Morocco is an area that Moroccans like to define as 'primitive'. (Israeli singer) Shlomo Bar sang about Todra village, which is in the same area. We have a unique dialect and culture, but I learned while I was in Israel that this stigma is not only in Morocco."

The crux of the film centers on the shared cultural experience of Jews and Muslims from the country, and certainly made waves. "They are very proud of this shared culture", says Hachkar. "We share a Moroccan-Berber identity, an identity shared by Jews and Muslims. This did not vanish even after we left - in my case to France, and in their case to Israel."

Brothers and sisters
Hachkar decided to return to live in Marrakech, Morocco, and was unwilling to give up on his complex cultural identity. "Although I grew up in France and have a French passport, French culture and I think in French, I also from Morocco. In Marrakech, we have a small Jewish community, and if you go to the synagogue on the Sabbath, attend prayers, it's sustenance.

"There are also some Jews from the United States, and even Israelis who return live in Morocco. Now I'm planning a film about the singer Neta Elkayam and the new Israeli generation of Moroccans, whose dream is to make a Moroccan passport, and connect to this side of their culture, a party who did not have such an expression here."

This shared experience, he says, can help mend ties between Jews and Muslims, driven apart by the fighting in the Mideast. "If we want to make peace and build bridges, it is possible. We have the same memories, same songs, same cultural experiences. It is hard now because there is a lot of reaction to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but it is all there. When you listen to a Moroccan song sung by Neta Elkayam, you - like every young Moroccan - connect. We are the same, brothers and sisters. "

The impact of the story of the Maghreb Jews on Hachkar's life was immediate. "My acquaintance with Jewish culture made me become more familiar with my own Arab culture. It is a shame that there is no widespread call for it here. Many Israelis do not know the Arabs in Morocco, and vice versa. Moroccan Arabs do not know the Israelis. For them, they are all soldiers. We have to get to know each other through culture, and this is what I'm trying to promote," he says.

"I met an elderly woman in Yavne during filming, someone who felt like my grandmother, and she said: 'Haram! Earth did not move. It will always be here. We have to live together. We can live together. We live with complex identities today - you no longer have to choose. You can be both Israeli and Arab, and I can be Moroccan, French and Arab as well."
http://world.einnews.com/article/245871975/qDdAlme2H_-5pmnE
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Young Moroccans Lack Interest in Local Affairs
By Hassan Benmehdi Casablanca

As Morocco prepares for local government elections, apathy among young voters is a big concern. Interior Mohamed Hassad is doing everything possible to encourage citizens, and young people in particular, to vote in the June poll. Figures released by his department show that only 7% of young people were registered to vote at the end of March 2014.

Students Hassan Elkouzi and his friend Yahia Benrachdoun are among the young Moroccans who do not plan to participate in the election. "Registering to vote is a right, but as far as voting is concerned, I don't think I will do that," Hassan said. Yahia said he had no reason to vote in the communal election. "The desired changes have been slow in coming," he said.

For Safaa Mahdini, who belongs to the youth wing of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS), motivating young people to vote requires more than just encouragement from the authorities. "Above all, political parties should give support and guidance to young people and explain to them the real issues surrounding elections, in terms of democracy, economic development and human rights," she told Magharebia.

According to Ahmed J'mali, who works with young people living in shanty towns, there's a reason why voter turnout among youth remains low. "Young people, especially those living in suburban neighbourhoods and shanty towns, find themselves with no local representative who is listening to them and willing to talk to them about the projects and plans that have been announced, especially the ones that really matter to them," he said.

A new study released earlier this month by the Abderrahim Bouabid Foundation confirms his point. The study showed that 80.3% of respondents did not know the names of their local council leaders. The rate was 88% among people aged 18-24. What is more, just 58.5% of respondents knew the date of the upcoming communal elections and only 22.5% knew that the next legislative elections were slated for 2016.

More than 80% said that they were not members or supporters of a political party. The rate was 90% among women and 91.5% among the unemployed. "Voting is a process that must go beyond the ballot box," political analyst Salim Elfkih suggested. "It has to address the most fundamental expectations of the public and at the end of every term of office, elected representatives have to be called to account," he added.

Motivating citizens to cast their votes is more urgent than ever, according to journalist Ayyoub Cheikh. "The stakes for the upcoming communal elections are high, because a low turnout could destroy the efforts made since 2011 to reconcile the public - especially young people, who showed a great appetite for change during the Arab Spring - with politics," Cheikh said.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501290944.html
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Teacher takes the road to Morocco
By Tony Russo

When Delmar Middle School physical education and health teacher, Morgan Rush approached the board of education last year requesting a leave of absence, it truly was to take advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime. Rush had been accepted into the Semester at Sea Lifelong Learning program at the University of Virginia, which would provide her the opportunity to travel the world as a mentor to college students while learning more about her field abroad.

Rush learned plenty. She spoke with researchers in Brazil about the country's obesity epidemic and compared prices in the open air market with those at the local grocery. In Morocco she camped with nomads in the desert, getting a sense of how their lifestyle was affected by the brutal realities of living in the open. Each of the countries--Germany, France, Ireland, Salvador, a host of others--provided an opportunity to get a better understanding about health practices, games students played and the relationship between social and academic life around the world.

The stops and experiences Rush had were a small part of the overall experience. Between calls of port there was intensive learning on a seven day schedule. Beyond the schedule were her responsibilities as mentor to the college students who participated in the study abroad program. As a mentor, she was able to put the classroom lectures and activities into perspective for the mentees, many of whom were teachers and few of whom had practical classroom experience.
When the board elected to allow Rush a semester-long leave of absence, it did so with the understanding that she would receive no direct college credit for her work. Rather, it was a value for the district to have an instructor with a better perspective. Moreover, Rush said she was particularly encouraged by the board's support of the notion of learning for learning's sake. Certainly, her trip will help transform aspects of the curriculum Rush deals with directly. Health practices abroad and games students play around the world were welcome additions to her professional arsenal. But the expansion of her personal arsenal that Rush believes can help her make an even bigger contribution to her students' experiences.

Some of these were immediate. She has several Brazilian students, and being able to share the experience with them was a chance to connect with that particular student in a way she couldn't have before. As Delmar's diversity increases her experiences as a traveling teacher and cultural explorer only will help her connect and teach her students to do the same.

Although she hasn't had the opportunity to discuss the possibility with her colleagues, Rush believes her visits to concentration camps in Poland and Germany can help her to bring a particular perspective to the students as they study the cultural, political and literary effects of World War II. For instance, the Poles, she said, were adamant that there were no Polish concentration camps. "These are in Germany," she was told of the camps build on Polish soil. Similarly, standing on the beaches of Normandy as the guide played the American National Anthem for her tour group, gave her a sense of the battle's enormity.
Experiences like these and others, as well as an injunction by her mother, convinced her to keep a journal of her trip just for reference."I took a camel trek across the desert...swam with pink dolphins...played a game called tchoukball," she said. "Your thoughts are so jumbled together you have to write them down."
http://www.laurelstar.com/index.cfm?ref=42578&ref2=504
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Another shore: Morocco's child migrants.
Al Jazeera – TANGIER, Morocco

Saber first decided that he wanted to live in Spain when he was 10 years old. Hoping for a better life on another shore, he began to think of migration and of leaving his family behind in Morocco. Now 13, rosy-cheeked and rustling in a thin yellow windbreaker, he stands with his friends at a stone lookout nestled high in Tangier's medina, watching the sprawling ferry port across the street. "I have been trying and still am trying," Saber said of his attempts to illegally breach the port's entrance, secure a hiding place on one of its boats, and cross to the other side. He added, "My parents know and they tell me, 'May God help you'."
Human Rights Watch estimates that of the 3,000 to 5,000 unaccompanied foreign minors in Spain, the majority are Moroccans. They arrive in Spain alone, having left their parents behind to embark on clandestine journeys considered illegal by the Moroccan government.

Many cross through Tangier, and part of the reason is proximity: All that separates the city from Spain is a 14km wedge of blue sea. UNICEF has estimated that 33 million migrants worldwide are aged 19 or under, many of them traveling alone on dangerous journeys to escape poverty, violence or, in Saber's case, a perceived economic crisis in their home country. ….
Read the rest here: https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/another-shore-moroccos-child-migrants-084716634.html
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Argan oil: The Moroccan ‘liquid gold’ for hair and skin. 
Arab News Wednesday 21 January 2015

Argan oil is known as ‘liquid gold’ and is made especially in Morocco. It is used in beauty rituals and in cooking. Lately, this oil has captured the attention of many for its proven nutritional and cosmetic health benefits. The oil is sold around the world as a luxury item and can be difficult to find outside its production areas.

In 1998, Morocco’s argan forest was designated a UNESCO protected biosphere so that argan oil is sustainable. Argan trees grow in southwestern Morocco and go to up to 10 meters in height and live up to 200 years. The leaves of this tree are small and long and the flowers are also small with five pale yellow green petals that bloom around the month of April. The argan fruit has a thick bitter peel surrounding a sweet smelling flavored layer that surrounds a nut that is rich in oil. The fruit takes around a whole year to mature which makes it ready to fall the next summer after its blooming.

After the harvest of the falling argan nuts, Berber women of the southwest start with the oil extraction process. Traditionally, the women use a specific technique for oil extraction where they start roasting the seed to give the oil a nutty flavor, then grinding the roasted seeds into a paste with a small amount of water between a rotary stone quern. Then they start squeezing the paste by hand to assure the extraction of oil, which can be used for up to six months. The paste is rich in oil and is sometimes used to feed animals in the area. It takes one woman three days to make just one liter of oil. This is why argan oil is so valuable.

American and European cosmetic companies have grown fond of argan oil and it is now available in many countries in beautiful packaging to attract more people to the product. Many beauty experts consider argan oil to be the go-to beauty elixir. It is filled with essential fatty acids, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals that promote your overall health by moisturizing, softening as well as protecting your face and hair from sun damage without harmful toxins and Parabens.
Argan oil has many uses; it can fight aging and wrinkles. It is known as the elixir of eternal youth because it modernizes and protects the skin to keep it young. A small drop can go a long way; try using it instead of your night moisturizer after cleansing , massage your face and neck with the oil before going to bed. It is considered to be a dry oil so don’t worry about it being all greasy on you, this also makes it easier for you to use it in the day time because it will be absorbed quickly by your skin.

This oil can also be used as a hair treatment to give it vitality and smoothness; it revives hair loss and encourages hair to regrow, returning its shines and brilliance. Argan oil can be used as a styling product for your dry hair by taking a few drops of this golden oil on your palm and rubbing them together, then running them through you hair. It will leave the hair shiny and frizz free. It can be used as a leave-on conditioner after shower, add a few drops to the tips of your hair to help nourish it without having to blow dry your hair. Moroccan women especially like to use it as an overnight treatment where they gently massage their scalp with a few drops up to the end of their hair tips, wrapping it while they sleep. They would wash their hair with warm water the next day to have soft, shiny locks.

Many nails artists have discovered that argan oil can be used as a treatment for nails to prevent cracking and for keeping them strong and healthy. Nails can be kept well-groomed and cuticles healthy by applying argan oil to them. It will help moisturize your skin and nails as well as strengthen them. Your nails will never crack again if you use it regularly.

Argan oil is perfect for use in your homemade beauty rituals. Mix some argan oil with brown sugar and lemon to create a gentle body and face scrub. You can also add a few drops to your face pack mixed with yogurt or avocado.

Argan oil is also used for cooking; many Moroccan women use this ingredient in their hearty dishes. The nutty tasting oil is sometimes used in salad dressings or as dipping for bread. One of the most famous Moroccan dippings made with argan oil is the Amlou comprising unsalted raw almonds, honey and argan oil.
Start by roasting the almonds for around 20 minutes, then grind them into a powder. Mix the powder with honey and argan oil and enjoy with crispy bread and chips.
Email: Life.style@arabnews.com
http://www.arabnews.com/fashion/news/692546
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A Moroccan Education
BY GARY M. KRAMER Added by Gay City News on January 22, 2015.

Said Mrini, as young Abdellah, and Amine Ennaji, as his brother, Slimane, in Abdellah Taïa’s “Salvation Army.” Abdellah Taïa, the celebrated out gay Moroccan writer, has adapted his autobiographical novel “Salvation Army” for the screen, and the result is remarkable. The film features a rare gay Arab protagonist, and Taïa proves himself as lyrical a filmmaker as he is a writer.

This intimate, episodic coming-of-age story is told in two parts. The first, longer section has young Abdellah (Said Mrini) living with his family in Morocco. He is secretly attracted to his handsome older brother, Slimane (Amine Ennaji), and lies in his brother’s bed, breathing into the pillow as if to capture Slimane’s essence. His mother (Malika El Hamaoui) chastises him for entering Slimane’s room, almost as if she knows about his obsession. His infatuation provides a symbolic expression of his own burgeoning but repressed homosexuality. Taïa is attuned to capturing these moments so they reveal the complexity of Abdellah’s hidden sexuality and identity; they are never lewd or vulgar moments.

Young Abdellah himself exudes a sexual magnetism, and it bewitches several older men in the town. He is stopped on the street by a man and taken to a construction site for sex. At the market, a fruit vendor caresses Abdellah’s hand and head, sending him off with a watermelon afterwards. Abdellah instinctively understands that men desire him — and that he is attracted to men — but he cannot articulate this reality. He does, however, acknowledge that sex is a means for getting something else. Taïa presents these encounters with subtlety, letting them silently inform the protagonist’s experiences, actions, and outlook.
Abdellah Taïa’s adaptation of autobiographical novel charts journey to uncertain European adulthood

The young Abdellah is not without shame about his sexuality. He is teased one night by his sister for wanting to eat with the women in the family. His relationship with his father (Abdelhak Swilah) is more complicated, and the issue of his son’s sexuality is not discussed.
Taïa takes pains to depict Abdellah’s conflicted emotions, but his narrative approach also forces viewers to draw inferences. When Abdelleh pulls off a flower’s petals, playing “He loves me, he loves me not,” the object of his desire is ambiguous. He is probably thinking about his brother, and not the stranger he recently had sex with or his father.

The film also shows how Abdellah’s formative years are shaped by the larger family dynamics. A painful scene has Abdellah’s father abusing his mother, and the family rallies to her defense. This moment, along with a scene where Abdellah reacts to a stranger’s threat on the street by shouting “I’m not afraid of you,” demonstrate his toughening up. He matures further when Slimane takes him and his much younger brother to the beach for a vacation. The trip proves a pivotal moment in his life.

At their hotel, Abdellah pretends to be sleeping as he spies on his naked brother drying off after a shower. When Slimane talks with Abdellah about the importance of learning French and leaving Morocco, Abdellah is torn. But in the film’s second part, we see him taking his brother’s advice. A critical episode when Abdellah has a sexual assignation with a stranger signals he is finally accepting his homosexuality.

Taïa captures Abdellah’s longing beautifully, poignantly, and even painfully. These encounters are shot — as is most of “Salvation Army” — with a minimalism that draws viewers in, even if the drama can at times feel detached. But there is something hypnotic about Taïa’s filmmaking here; it is always full of emotion, even when the characters are a bit aloof. A scene in a hammam is exquisitely sensual as an older man washes the mud off Abdullah’s body. Lingering shots emphasize the story’s competing themes of purification and eroticism.

“Salvation Army” jumps ahead 10 years for its second part, and here the adult Abdellah (Karim Ait M’Hand, a great physical match for Mrini) is initially involved with Jean (Frédéric Landenberg), an older Swiss professor. Their relationship, however, is yet another exchange of sex for something else. We next see Abdellah in Geneva with a student visa, searching for a place to live while he waits to start school. As he wanders the city and washes himself in a public bathroom sink, his despair is palpable. When he finally arrives at the Salvation Army, the ending is deliberately open-ended.

Taïa’s impressionistic film does not build to a dramatic climax, but each scene creates a distinctive feeling. Abdellah has a wide variety of encounters with strangers in his life, and moments from his childhood are reflected and refracted in his adult experiences. Audiences who embrace the filmmaker’s oblique storytelling technique will make connections and draw parallels. Taïa, whose book fleshes out his story more completely, has adapted it into a subtle film with less explication but no less power.

SALVATION ARMY | Directed by Abdellah Taïa | Strand Releasing | In French and Arabic, with English subtitles | Opens Jan. 23; one week only | Film Society of Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 W. 65th St. | filmlinc.com
http://world.einnews.com/article/245839635/xkK3qfxQHneXZSkO

Salvation Army Makes Tender Art of Growing Up Gay in Morocco
By Inkoo Kang Wednesday, Jan 21 2015

Homosexuality is outlawed in Morocco, but young men walking down the street holding hands in friendship is a common sight. Hiding from the law and the gaze of neighbors (though not always family) are boys like the teenage Abdellah (Said Mrini), who gets talked into hurried outdoor trysts by older men who show him little affection after, or even during, the deed.

After one such encounter, Abdellah steals for himself a rare moment of solitude, picking the petals off a flower: "He loves me, he loves me not." The impossibility of such a love haunts the coming-of-age drama Salvation Army, writer-turned-filmmaker Abdellah Taïa's lovely and elliptical adaptation of his autobiographical novel about growing up gay, effeminate, and powerless in Morocco.

Though the film is full of culturally revealing moments, like Abdellah helping his much older brother Slimane (Amine Ennaji) wash his hair by pouring a teapot full of heated water over his head in the sink, it's a highly idiosyncratic self-portrait — a fine precedent set by one of cinema's first gay Arab protagonists. Abdellah's growing pains include an incestuous crush on Slimane and an uneasy alliance over his taunting mother with his wife-battering but homosexuality-tolerating father.

Details: Salvation Army
Directed by Abdellah Taïa
Strand Releasing
Opens January 23, Film Society of Lincoln Center
Salvation and real love must await Abdellah, but where? Not in Geneva, where post-colonial realities complicate another bad romance, this time with an out-and-proud Swiss national. Despite stilted camerawork often locked in the medium shot, Salvation Army is a touching ode to the freedom to finally be who we want to be — if we can ever find where we belong.
http://www.villagevoice.com/2015-01-21/film/salvation-army/full/
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Moroccan chicken in a pot: Dish dates to 17th century France
Morrocan chicken in a pot with harissa in Concord, N.H. Wednesday, January 21, 2015 Associated Press

Chicken in a pot. Not a very romantic name, I’ll admit. Luckily, the French have the more melodic “poule au pot” to fill that gap for this utterly delicious dish.
But however you say it, chicken in a pot is a traditional French country dish that dates back to Henry IV in the 17th century. You see, he apparently promised that during his reign everyone would be able to afford chicken in a pot on Sundays. A few hundred years later, this idea was revived in American politics when Herbert Hoover’s presidential campaign promised a chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage.

Monarchs and presidents aside, you need to learn this simple and fantastic recipe. The traditional version of chicken in a pot consists of a whole stuffed chicken poached with vegetables. All of the ingredients contribute to a rich broth, which then is served over the chicken and vegetables, often garnished with pickles, mustard and coarse salt.

But truth is, most of us won’t bother with the stuffing. And that’s a good thing. Because then this becomes a lean dish, one well suited for the new year as we try to recover from the excesses of the holidays. Given that all animal protein becomes tough when boiled, the key to success in this recipe is to cook the chicken gently, ensuring that it stays moist and tender. In my recipe, the chicken simmers softly for just 25 minutes. Then, pulled off the burner, it finishes cooking in the residual heat of the broth. The vegetables are cooked afterward in the same broth.

Finally, the chicken is skinned, deboned and returned to the pot in large chunks, but only to be reheated, not cooked any further. All of this care pays off in the finished texture of the star of the show. Rubber chicken is a dish only a comedian could love!

In terms of seasonings, I’ve taken this French dish to Morocco, adding ginger and harissa, a hot chili past from Africa. I serve it with country bread, toasted and rubbed with garlic, though you’re welcome to ladle the chicken and vegetables onto couscous instead, which would complete the Moroccan theme. Whatever you decide, this is a wonderful dish to serve to a crowd.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN IN A POT
Start to finish: 1 hour 50 minutes (50 minutes active)
Servings: 8

For the harissa:

• 16-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the chicken:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 1/2-pound whole chicken
• 3 quarts chicken broth
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound white potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, to garnish

1. To prepare the harissa, in a blender combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
2. To prepare the chicken, in a 7- to 8-quart stockpot over medium, heat the oil. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken, breast side down, then pour the broth over it. The broth should cover the chicken. If not, add a bit of water or additional broth. Bring the broth just to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, skimming any scum that comes to the surface, for 10 minutes. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer gently for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot broth, covered, for 30 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set it on a plate. Let it cool until it can be easily handled.
5. Add the carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes to the broth, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the vegetables are just tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, pull off and discard the skin from the chicken and remove the meat from the bones in large chunks. When the vegetables are tender, return the chicken meat to the pot and cook gently, just until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and top each portion with a spoonful of harissa and some cilantro.
http://world.einnews.com/article/245584019/RQjOHgy6enO6CBqf
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Dispatches: Morocco’s ‘Tolerant’ Islam Meets Realpolitik
January 23, 2015 Eric Goldstein

Yesterday, Morocco’s police preempted a small rally called to protest Saudi Arabia’s court-imposed punishment of blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and a 10-year prison sentence for “insulting Islam.” Badawi had set up an online forum to discuss religious reforms and for criticizing authorities in Facebook posts.

To stop the rally, Moroccan police – manifestly avid readers of activist pages on Facebook – fanned out on the streets near the Parliament in Rabat. One high school student, 17, told me, “I came with a couple of friends, but the police know me as an activist in the February 20 [youth pro-reform] movement, and so they stopped us across the street from the place. They made my friend give them her ‘Free Badawi’ banner, and shoved us, saying, ‘Leave now unless you want trouble.’ So we left.”

Last Sunday, a handful of pro-Badawi demonstrators, responding to a Facebook appeal to assemble in front of the Saudi Embassy in Rabat, were intercepted by policemen who ordered them to disperse.

Both of these events were blocked prior to the announcement that Saudi King Abdullah had passed away. Authorities tolerate a wide variety of demonstrations in front of Parliament, but criticizing other Arab governments seems to be a red line. Journalists at three daily newspapers in 2009 were prosecuted for criticizing Libya’s ex-ruler Muammar Gaddafi and, in 2005, a court convicted another paper of insulting Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. (Morocco’s press code calls for prison terms and fines for “insulting the person or dignity” of foreign heads of state or senior officials.) And before Tunisians ousted President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, Moroccan authorities prevented human rights activists more than once from protesting his repressive rule in front of the Tunisian embassy.

Silencing domestic criticism of its repressive allies appears to be largely about protecting Morocco’s foreign alliances. On January 19, the day after the first thwarted rally for Badawi, King Mohammed VI received Saudi Intelligence Chief Prince Khaled Bin Bandar Bin Saud. Saudi Arabia’s monarch claims religious legitimacy as custodian of Islam’s holy places in Mecca and Medina. The Constitution of Morocco enshrines the king’s authority as “Commander of the Faithful.” Saudi authorities mete out harsh punishments in the guise of protecting Islam. Moroccan authorities, meanwhile, say that under Mohammed VI’s stewardship, Moroccan Islam is “open” and “tolerant.”

To be sure, unlike Saudi Arabia, Morocco has no laws providing for corporal punishment for criminal offenses. However, if Morocco is to claim the high ground as a promoter of religious tolerance, it should allow its citizens to publicly challenge the inhumane punishments that other states are perpetrating in the name of Islam on peaceful dissenters.
http://world.einnews.com/article/246060706/XC2iVfGWKzVj1DYC
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Photographing the face of Morocco’s diversity.
India Stoughton| The Daily Star Jan. 29, 2015 BEIRUT

Numerous times over the past four years, Beirut-based Moroccan photographer Leila Alaoui has packed up her cameras, lights and a small portable studio and set off on a road trip to some of her homeland’s remote rural villages. On a mission to document vanishing traditions, she sets up her small studio on market day and takes portraits of the locals against a plain black screen.

A selection of the best photographs from the ongoing project is currently on show at the Black Gallery in the Beirut Jewelry Souks, as part of Lebanon’s second annual Photomed festival. The 12 portraits on display in “The Moroccans” convey something of the country’s broad ethnic and cultural diversity. “I wanted to do work on traditions that are disappearing,” Alaoui said, “so what I try to do is go to places that are not touristic, because in the big cities people [might] dress this way to attract attention. I purposely go into areas where it’s really rare that there are any tourists. All the people that I photographed were dressed this way when I photographed them, and they were either walking around or in their homes.”

Alaoui’s aim was to challenge stereotypical Orientalist imagery of Morocco and its people by creating a series of portraits that were more natural, concerned with showing the subjects as they chose to be shown, rather than exoticizing them. The stark black backdrop and dramatic studio lighting might not seem as organic as photographing someone in their natural surroundings, but they served as a means of dissociating the subjects from their contexts and ensuring that the focus is on the human being.

“People have been photographed many times in their environment,” Alaoui said. “The whole idea was to just cut with those traditional representations. It’s also an aesthetic choice because I come from [a background of] studio photography ... I like the interaction [that comes with] putting someone into a situation where they’re there to be photographed.”

The subjects in Alaoui’s photographs all stare straight at the camera, backs straight, hands clasped before them or resting at their sides. The similarity in their poses was not an aesthetic decision on the photographer’s part, but a pattern that emerged naturally.

“I don’t want to direct them, even when they’re posing,” Alaoui said. “The only thing I tell them is to go into the studio and look at me ... When I started the project I didn’t know how I was going to direct them. Then I realized that they had this natural pose, which was much more interesting, so I decided just to let them be themselves.

“As soon as you tell them to turn a certain way, they don’t know what to do and they feel awkward. They don’t look natural. Whereas when you let them choose how they want to be photographed they just kind of fall into that posture ... It’s probably because people are not used to being photographed and they think it’s like taking an ID photo – that they have to stand really straight and look straight at the camera. They’re not used to casual photography.”

People in more remote villages are so unaccustomed to photography that Alaoui sometimes struggles to convince people to sit for her. Superstitions about having one’s image captured endure, and in some villages people believe that photographers can steal their subjects’ souls.

“I’m photographing in areas where people don’t really have smartphones,” Alaoui said. “They have small Nokia phones, but coming with this big camera and having these big studio lights is super intimidating for them. They usually accept, but they are really scared in general about having their photos taken ... A lot of it comes from belief in witchcraft. It’s known that with your ID photo someone can put a spell on you.

“Also the women are scared about what the men are going to say about them posing – their husbands or their fathers. So the women are really reluctant. The men a bit less, but it takes a bit of convincing.”

Often, she has just one chance to get her shot before the subject leaves. “Once they get into the studio the flash is so strong that they get intimidated,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Okay, that’s enough.’ I missed a lot of good shots because I didn’t focus right or I didn’t frame it right.”

Alaoui studied photography in New York and was inspired by iconic portrait series, including Robert Frank’s “The Americans” and Richard Avedon’s “In the American West.” It was the latter project that gave her the idea to undertake a similar journey, packing up a portable studio and traveling across the country to photograph people from a wide variety of ethnic and tribal groups, both Arab and Berber. Her Moroccan background allowed her to integrate with and gain the trust of her subjects.

“I don’t think I would be able to do this if I wasn’t a woman and I wasn’t Moroccan,” she said. “For each region I cover, I usually spend at least a week in a village or in several villages ... so the day of the market when I set up my studio everyone kind of knows me. They know I’m Moroccan and people [have good things to say about me] because I’ve been kind of hanging out with them, which helps people accept me a bit more.

“Another thing I do is I have this little printer. Each person that gets photographed I give them a small photo, so that’s kind of cool too. They get something in return ... When I print the photos I get more people saying, ‘Oh, can I get my photo taken too?’”

From a bride in a traditional wedding outfit consisting of a white robe and a decorative red and gold embroidered headdress that hides her face and eyes, to a young boy in an embroidered cap who stares soulfully into the camera, “The Moroccans” is a marriage of art and documentary. Out of the individual portraits, a complex portrait of a country where countless traditions and cultures coexist side-by-side begins to emerge.

“The Moroccans” is on show at the Black Gallery in the Beirut Jewelry Souks until Feb. 11.
For more information, please visit www.photomedliban.com.
- See more at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Arts-and-Ent/Culture/2015/Jan-29/285750-photographing-the-face-of-moroccos-diversity.ashx#sthash.huX07OgX.dpuf
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A stroll by the Casbah: Chefchaouen, an outrageously picturesque blue-walled city, offers an artsy, bucolic retreat.
Ben Sklar / for The New York Times

Chefchaouen, known for its blue-painted walls, is four hours from Fez.
By: Melena RyzikSpecial to the Star, Published on Fri Jan 23 2015

It was sometime around the fourth encore that the conga line really took off: a crowd of jubilant children and adults, in harem pants and jeans, snaking around the dramatically lit courtyard of an 18th-century casbah. A French gypsy-punk band, Basta Paï Paï, was tearing up the stage, its members wearing top hats and black tuxedo jackets trimmed with devilish red fins.

“Vous dansez bien, Chaouen!” the bare-chested frontman shouted, as the audience bounced in and around their seats. It was a spring night in Chefchaouen, a town nestled in the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco, and it seemed as if a fair number of the inhabitants, especially the younger ones, had filled the square. When the band announced a reggae song, a mosh pit threatened to open up. “We’re trying to make something happen in Chaouen, culturally,” said Karim Khlifi, an organizer of the event. “Our role is to make Chaouen known around the world.”

Chefchaouen, or Chaouen, as it’s sometimes called, is already famous. It is as an outrageously picturesque blue-walled city. Inside the ancient gated medina, nearly every building is painted an arresting shade of cerulean or azure, the sky blues juxtaposed with white trim and terracotta rooftops. Twisting cobblestone paths lead up and up, around the ochre-coloured casbah, past a crumbling cemetery where goats graze, to a landscape of green hills and mountaintops, uninterrupted sky extending beyond. It’s like being inside a Chagall painting.

Settled in the 15th century, Chefchaouen has been home to Moorish and Jewish populations and was part of the Spanish Moroccan enclave from 1920 to 1956. The Jews began the blue-wall tradition generations ago, the story goes. For non-Arabic-speakers here, Spanish is still far more common, and more useful, than French, Morocco’s main commercial language. And Chefchaouen continues to draw Europeans, especially Spaniards, who alight in the summer after taking a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar.

Chefchaouen retains its relaxed native charms. It’s an artsy, bucolic retreat less than three hours’ drive from more bustling and seedy Tangier, and is popular with visitors for weekend hiking and climbing, and waterfall dips for locals.

Arriving in the evening after a bumpy drive through the mountains from Fez, about four hours away, photographer Ben Sklar and I made a beeline for the Hotel Atlas, one of the few places to get a beer in town. (Although not illegal, alcohol is heavily regulated in Morocco, a Muslim country.)

As many hotels here do, it advertised mountain views. The scene in the slightly dated lobby was also arresting: a musician at a keyboard, singing over synthesized Middle Eastern dance tunes, as men drank Casablanca beer around him. Aside from concerts and hours spent sipping mint tea in cafés, this is the local night life.

We left our car nearby at a lot watched by an amiable attendant for a few dirham a night. There’s no need or room for a car inside the medina. En route to the parking spot, we got a quick lesson in the hospitality of Chaouen when our SUV became stuck in a narrow blind alley. Backing out was not an option, though a dozen men materialized to help us try, communicating in three languages. Before we knew it, and without any encouragement from us, they exchanged a few words, convened around us and, like a crew of real-life superheros, simply picked up the car. They plopped it down a few feet over, and we were able to navigate out.

“First time here? Welcome!” one helper said, waving us on.

The mellow vibe might be cultural or medicinal: Chefchaouen is also known for being smack in the middle of hashish country. The Rif Mountains are the site of vast kif, or hashish, farms, and we were barely in town for an hour before a man approached, inviting us to visit one. We politely declined. Although smoking it is technically illegal, young backpackers and hippie couples do flock here.

Just strolling the streets of the medina is relaxing enough. There are sacks of rainbow pigment, for paints, below a blue-shuttered window; a vendor squeezing fresh orange juice, with bright peels curling around his stand, in a small square; boys playing soccer in the alleys or skittering down the steps, loops of freshly made sfenj (Moroccan doughnuts) around their arms. You can get a pair of babouche, soft leather slippers, custom-made in two days, and the Berbers who live in the surrounding villages are known for their ironwork and textiles.

The items are all available at the markets around the medina’s four babs, or entry gates, where bargaining is de rigueur, but on the advice of a hotel manager, we stopped in shop up the street which dealt in fixed prices. There we found Fadal, an 80-year-old artisan, busily operating his loom.

“I’ve been in photos all over the world,” he said in French, as he spun white and blue wool thread into wide striped blankets. His son and apprentice draped me with fabric so I looked like a Berber villager, complete with pompommed hat, and I left with a stack of pillowcases and throws.

Thanks to the regular influx of hash tourists, there is a plethora of hostels and other budget accommodations in town, but I preferred Casa Perleta, run by a lively and supremely helpful Spanish woman named Begoña. Like other hotels, it was built around a leafy central courtyard and decorated with traditional Moroccan furniture, patterns and lanterns. Our room was cool and effortlessly welcoming, with a low couch in the front sitting area.

Breakfast was served on the shaded roof terrace, a hillside of cyan and Prussian blue houses stretching out before a spread of olives and olive oil, fresh feta cheese, jam and Moroccan doughy treats, including sfenj. Chefchaouen is not known for adventurous dining; most of the dozen or so restaurants serve the same medley of tagines, lamb meatballs and harira soup. At Chez Hicham near the casbah, the pastille, a flaky pastry stuffed with lamb and topped with toasted Marcona almonds, stood out. The view from the tiered terraces was outstanding. The best meal was a few miles from town at Caiat. It was a lamb tagine dotted with plump prunes, and beer and wine on the menu.

Just past the gates of the medina there are more cafés and sandwich shops, and I joined locals strolling Avenue Hassan II, the wide main boulevard. Lined with fragrant orange trees, it ends at a pleasant circular park, where chirping birds compete with the call to prayer and teenagers hang out, armed with freshly fried potato chips and candy from roadside vendors.

On a Sunday we drove a half-hour outside town for a hike in Akchour, aiming for the natural structure known as Pont de Dieu, God’s Bridge. The parking lot was filled with minibuses and carousing local youth. Young families waded in the pools at the base of the mountain, picnicking by the waterfall-fed streams. A few enterprising restaurants delivered right to the water’s edge, waiters carrying mint teas by the half-dozen.

We ascended the trail, followed by scampering children, and, as we went higher, European trekkers in sturdy shoes. Wildflowers sprouted along the path. It was a 45-minute climb, not too strenuous, to the bridge, an 80-foot-high rock arch. No guidebooks or advice prepared us for what we found there: Tucked way up in a mud and plant hut, was . . . a café.

There was a wooden table and a stone banquette covered with a straw mat. Behind the mud counter, up popped the proprietor, Mohammed. He built his workplace himself, he explained in Spanish. It took seven months. The thatched roof was held up by branches, and a cot was hidden in the back. For the last decade, he’s been climbing down daily from his village nearby, dispensing sodas and advice, fetching lost keys from the rocks and preparing the occasional tagine for hungry swimmers, who shout their orders from the stream below.

“I’m the jefe of Puente de Dios,” he said proudly, giving us free drinks and cookies. We took in the mile-long views of the surrounding countryside and the rush of the waterfall, sipped our tea, and agreed.
http://world.einnews.com/article/245999941/4OEW8y2o20U5s-nb
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Morocco Improves Its Ranking in the Index of Economic Freedom 2015.
Thursday 29 January 2015 - Tarik El Barakah Rabat

Morocco is ranked 89th among 178 countries in the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom 2015. The kingdom was the 75th among 178 nations in the last year ranking. According to the report, Morocco’s economic freedom score is 60.1and is found in the group of “moderately free” countries. The report added that Morocco’s score is 1.8 points better than last year, reflecting considerable improvement in five of the 10 economic freedoms, including labor freedom, monetary freedom and investment freedom, which outweigh declines in business freedom and the management of government spending, the authors say.

Morocco is ranked 9th out of 15 countries in the MENA region, and its overall score is just below the world average. Morocco’s trade freedom score is 78.2, fiscal freedom is 70.9, government spending 61.0, business freedom 68.8, investment freedom 70.0, monetary freedom 81.9, financial freedom 60.0, labor freedom 33.4, freedom from corruption 37.0 and property rights score is 40.0. “Proximity to Europe and a free trade agreement with the United States have helped to establish a foundation for dynamic economic growth. Openness to global trade and investment has facilitated the development of a modern and competitive financial sector. Relatively prudent fiscal policy has encouraged macroeconomic stability and greater structural reform,” says the report.

Hong Kong (89.6), Singapore (89.4), New Zealand (82.1), Australia (81.4) top the rating. The Arab countries are ranked as follows: Bahrain 18th, United Arab Emirates 25th, Qatar 32nd, Jordan 38th, Oman56th, Kuwait 74th, Saudi Arabia 77th, Lebanon 94th, Tunisia 107th, Egypt 124th, Yemen 133rd, and Algeria157th.
The report hailed Morocco’s banking sector, describing it as the “most liberalized in North Africa.”

However, the Foundation Heritage 2015 Index of Economic Freedom said that corruption continues to undermine investor sentiment and raises the cost of operating a business. “The courts are inadequate and cannot be relied upon to rule quickly or fairly,” the report added.
Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/01/150591/morocco-improves-ranking-index-economic-freedom-2015/
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Gay, Closeted, and Heartbroken in Morocco (VIDEO)
01/26/2015 Nathan Manske

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-manske/gay-closeted-and-heartbroken-in-morocco_b_6538098.html?utm_hp_ref=travel&ir=Travel
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Sand dunes, camels and clay castles in Moroccan desert
January 25, 2015By Giovanna Dell'Orto / The Associated Press

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001857238
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Spring/summer jewelry collection Morocco-inspired
By Irene Seiberling, Leader-Post January 27, 2015 REGINA

Think Morocco — the bright reds and blues of Moroccan tile work, the vivid greens and yellows in a spice market, the sandy colours of the Sahara Desert, the pinks and oranges of an exotic garden in bloom, and the golds and bronzes of a desert sunset. In its 2015 spring/summer collection, unveiled Monday, Regina-based luxury jewelry design company Hillberg & Berk (H & B) pays homage to the Kingdom of Morocco.

“It’s a little bit of a throwback to when Morocco was the hub for artists and celebrities … and that jet-set, fast-paced lifestyle that the people who inhabited that area at the time were feeling,” explained Rachel Mielke, who founded Hillberg & Berk in 2007. “So there’s a lot of really beautiful, glamorous, glitzy pieces in the collection. But they do also have an esthetic that’s a little bit more reminiscent of Morocco.”

The geometric shapes of some of the jewelry pieces are similar to some of the tile work you might see in Morocco, she said. There are approximately 150 pieces in H & B’s spring/summer collection, ranging in price from $65 to $1,295. “This collection brings back some the really beautiful gemstones that Hillberg and Berk is known for,” Mielke said. “For the past few collections, we’ve seen a lot of Swarovski (crystal) pieces … I think our customers will be happy to see some of these great gemstone pieces again in this collection.” The new collection showcases rose quartz, amethyst, turquoise, jasper, crystal quartz and rutilated quartz. Some of the groupings are designed so pieces can be easily layered together. As well, statement pieces are included…
Read the rest here:
http://www.leaderpost.com/life/fashion-beauty/Spring+summer+jewelry+collection+Morocco+inspired/10762075/story.html
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In Moroccan Culture Shift, Entrepreneurship Has Become "Cool".
By Jordana Merran Moroccan American Center for Policy (Washington, DC) 8 January 2015

In his famed "a new beginning" speech delivered in Cairo in 2009, President Barack Obama announced the creation of a Summit on Entrepreneurship "to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world."
"All of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century," he had said to the crowd.

This was before the Arab Spring protests rippled through the Middle East and, years later, took on new and--in some countries--sinister forms. But, perhaps even bolstered by these difficult times, President Obama's commitment to using business as a platform for cultural exchange and diplomacy has not wavered, and in November 2014, the fifth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) made its way to Marrakech, Morocco. There, thousands of business leaders, government officials, and entrepreneurs from the region and around the world met for three days of panel discussions, workshops, and networking.
News coverage of the event showed an energetic and welcoming crowd (certainly Vice President Joe Biden would agree--when he mentioned in his keynote address that it was his birthday, the audience of thousands broke into song). But as with all such gatherings, one may wonder how much can truly be accomplished.

Yasmine El Baggari, a young Moroccan entrepreneur, is optimistic. She heads her own startup, Voyaj, which matches people worldwide looking for travel opportunities wherein they can share cultures, beliefs and mutual understanding. Meanwhile, she is finishing her studies at Hampshire College, where she has focused on women's empowerment and entrepreneurship trends in the Middle East and North Africa. Yasmine participated in three panel discussions at GES 2014 (and was even invited to attend a White House Travel Blogger Summit a few weeks later).

"It used to be the case that if you are an entrepreneur in Morocco, you just haven't found a job and this is your last option," she explains. "Now the culture has shifted so that being an entrepreneur is 'cool.' You're being innovative, you're not following the traditional path, and you're adding value."

The Summit "had a very important impact on Morocco because it was the first time that I observed businesses, government and young people together in one place having constructive discussions. We need more of that. We need to organize more round tables and workshops."

One GES workshop of particular interest to her was with Former Kansas Secretary of Commerce Laura Owen on mentoring. We "talked about the importance of mentoring and conducted an interactive activity connecting mentors to mentees," says Yasmine. "For established business women to be engaging the younger community, especially the young girls, I think that it is extremely important to focus on this concept of collaboration and mentorship." "From personal interviews, Moroccan women are the ones leading entrepreneurship in the large cites. A number of incubators or co-working spaces are led by women. They are doing an amazing job engaging entrepreneurs from around Morocco to involve different communities."

"Moroccan women are working extremely hard to be involved in the workforce and to be active members of Moroccan society. I have personally met many amazing women, and I have been amazed by the talent and motivation that we possess."

Yasmine spent two months traveling around Morocco interviewing entrepreneurs from around the country, and establishing partnerships with organizations and universities for Voyaj. While she found that women were often leading the change, she realized, too, "that a lot of people are entrepreneurs, they just don't know it.""For example, if I go to the souk and I talk to someone who's selling olives or selling argan, they are able to use their limited education in mathematics to bargain and sell their products. They're also creating businesses. It might not be technology, but it's still creating jobs for other people and for themselves."
The work of GES and related programs is to support these men and women to grow their businesses. In Morocco, it is well underway.
For further insight from Yasmine and her research on entrepreneurship in Morocco, check out her latest article on the Atlantic Council blog
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501091533.html
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Connecting Morocco’s artisans with the world: A crowdsourced digital bazaar will directly bridge the gap between local craftsmen and global consumers.
MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics January 27, 2015 Press Contact
Sarah Smith Email: sajsmith@mit.edu Phone: 617-253-4592  MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics

Although tourism accounts for the second-largest industry within Morocco’s economy, many Moroccan craftsmen who depend on tourism to earn their living still face significant economic hardship, as a growing percentage of international retail transactions are being conducted online. Having witnessed this struggle firsthand on a trip through the Atlas Mountains, MIT Supply Chain Management graduate student Zyad El Jebbari, a Morocco native, was motivated to find innovative new ways to help his country’s craftsmen leverage the opportunities provided by a globalized economy. Now, with his creation of MoroCrafts, Moroccan artisans will be able to use an online platform to directly market and sell their handcrafted goods to a global customer base.

“I felt that there was an urgent need for young Moroccans to take action through entrepreneurship to help our artisans broaden their horizons and reach,” El Jebbari says. “My main objective is to create a platform referencing the products made by local artisans, set up an authentic Moroccan brand that consumers can trust, and serve as a bridge between my country and the demand coming from all around the world.”

According to UNESCO reports, Morocco still maintains a high illiteracy rate of more than 35 percent, primarily among the socioeconomic demographic that comprises many local craftsmen. A lack of literacy provides a challenging barrier to access the modern distribution channels of today’s fast-growing market demand for handmade goods.

Current models for exporting and selling goods from developing countries via “middlemen” retailers often place craftsmen at the bottom of the supply chain, where they receive the least benefits. These artisans often rely on microcredit loans with high interest rates to fund their initial production, and can expect to see an average return of only 5 to 20 percent of the retail price of their goods.

“The supply chain design behind MoroCrafts is part of Zyad’s business strategy,” says Edgar E. Blanco, a research director at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics and a MoroCrafts advisory board member. “It provides not only more transparency but also a connection between consumers and artisans, often lost in global supply chains.”

MoroCrafts aims to increase artisan earnings by up to 70 percent of retail price through maintaining a "low-to-no" inventory model in which artisans only produce crafts that are requested and prepaid for by consumers. The platform will also provide interest-free credit loans to artisans in order to ease barrier of entry, as well as guidance and services for local artisans to improve their processes, designs, and administrative responsibilities.
Consumers will also benefit from the new platform in several key ways.

• Guaranteed handcrafted authenticity and quality control.
• Direct communication with craftsmen via ratings and direct messaging.
• More choice in the products they can buy.

“MoroCrafts represents a fundamental shift in the fair-trade industry,” El Jebbari says. “Our vision is to broaden the Moroccan artisans’ horizons and enable them to improve their standards of living. This has broader implications in improving the region’s business and cultural dynamism and ultimately puts in place a sustainable economic model that will help reduce poverty in the country. Instead of offering charity to these regions, we are planning on opening them up to the world and removing them from isolation.”
A Kickstarter campaign launched on Jan. 17 aims to reach a goal of $10,000 in order to help fund the project, along with seed grants from the Legatum Center. El Jebbari has also entered his project into the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge competition. MoroCrafts plans to expand its platform to other African countries within the next five years.
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/crowdsourced-digital-bazaar-morocca-artisans-0128
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Technicolour dream! Moroccan bound for magic trip to red city: HORNS beeping, goats bleating, scooters weaving in and out of donkey-drawn carriages.
By Billy Labrum/Published 24th January 2015

For those not accustomed to travelling on roads without rules, a ride through the bustling streets of Marrakesh can be eye-opening. On our way to Jemaa el-Fna square we rather enjoyed soaking up the sights, sounds and smells of Morocco’s Red City, which gets its nickname from the blush-coloured walls constructed of tabia, a mix of red mud and water from the Hazou plains.

But in reality, Marrakesh is a kaleidoscope of colours – from the vivid rust and amber spices piled up in pyramids on street stalls, to the rainbow bright dresses of women going about their daily chores.

Having finally arrived at the square, it was another feast for the senses. The place was positively alive with snake charmers, fortune tellers and trinket sellers.
And the air was hot, humid and filled with the aromas of spiced dishes sizzling in huge pans. Locals touted for business and tourists lapped up the craziness.
Hopping from one mini showpiece to the next, we watched a performing monkey followed by a man doing tricks, before sampling some super spicy lamb from a stall and enjoying a few beers in a rooftop bar.

It was a lively evening, full of surprises, animated conversations, sometimes disbelief, but memorable. Buzzing from a full-on night in the square, we headed back to our base for the trip, the Tigmiza Suites & Pavilions, a 20-minute car ride away in the old town area known as the Palmeraie.
This haven of peace provides the perfect escape from the madness of Marrakesh. It is essentially a boutique hotel with 27 suites and villas, some with their own private pools.

Check-in included mint tea and Moroccan pastries served in a beautifully decorated lounge, before we were shown to our suite, the Oriental. Decked out in ruby reds, deep pinks and mahogany, it was set over two floors with a downstairs living room and upstairs bedroom and bathroom. Two large pools, one heated, glistened in the lush green grounds of the hotel. Comfy sun loungers and a bar for cocktails and snacks added to the luxury feel.

Morocco is an all-year-round destination with temperatures range from 15 degrees in winter to 29 degrees in the summer months. If you feel the need to escape from the heat, venture down to the spa on the lower ground floor for a facial or a massage. Or if you fancy freshening up, Moroccan-style, try the hotel’s traditional hammam, where, after sweating it out in the steam room, staff will give you an all-over polish so thorough, you will come out glowing.
Tigmiza also has its own cinema where guests can choose a film from the library and watch it on a huge screen in private.

A slightly cheaper alternative is the Caravan serai Hotel. Designed around a traditional “Dar” (Arabic House) with the red walls, ornate lamps and Jacaranda trees, it has an inviting pool surrounded by loungers, as well as a spa with hammam and steam room. We enjoyed a traditional Moroccan feast there one night with flavoured meats, cous cous, dips and flatbreads. Next morning, we caught the bus to the Medina, where there is a photo opportunity at every turn.
There are snake charmers, women offering henna tattoos, as well as local people dressed in traditional Berber outfits who are keen to pose for a snap with tourists – only to thrust out their palms for coins afterwards while flashing a cheeky grin!

We finally found the entrance to the souk which led us into warren of alleys and passageways. With plenty of bartering and buying going on, it was fascinating to watch the sometimes, rather intense, exchanges. But whatever the price starts at, you usually end up paying less than half after a good-natured battle of wits. We enjoyed the bartering experience for a leather holdall from a bag store next to a meat stall, from which the butcher was throwing scraps of meat to stray cats.

A green oasis in the centre of Marrakesh is the Jardin Majorelle. Owned by Yves Saint Laurent until his death in 2008, this shady retreat of shiny palms and soaring cacti explodes with colour from striking lemon yellows and cobalt blue adorning the walls to intricately-designed planters.

There was just enough time to fit in a close-up look at Marrakech’s most famous symbol, the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque. Topped with four copper globes, it’s visible from most of the city. Non-Muslims may not enter, but you can walk around it. Just three-and-a-half hours away by plane, Marrakesh is a hot and spicy weekend adventure, peppered with green and serene sanctuaries to discover.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/travel/adventure/421785/An-exploration-of-Marrakech-in-Morocco
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Mule women of Melilla.
MELILLA, SPAIN - JANUARY 20

Moroccan women wait with their packages at the 'Barrio Chino' border crossing point between Melilla and Morocco on January 20, 2015 in Melilla, Spain. Hundreds of women, known as Porteadoras or Mule women of Melilla, carry heavy bales of goods across the border between the Spanish enclave of Melilla and Morocco, for merchants every day. A tax loophole means any hand-carried packages taken across the border into Morocco is considered luggage and is duty-free. The job for most is a last resort and is usually carried out by widows, divorcees and wives with husbands who are unable to work, many of which are older or ailing. Some of the women can make up to two or three trips per day earning about 3-4 euros per trip, carrying loads up to 80kg. According to the American Chamber of Commerce in Morocco more than €1.4 billion worth of goods are carried across the border of of 'El Barrio Chino’ by the Mules Women each year.

Read more: http://www.azfamily.com/news/slideshows/Mule-women-of-Melilla-289729781.html#ixzz3QKcoAhTe
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Date set for Fez sacred music festival
The 21st edition of the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music will take place on May 22-30th, Au Fait Maroc reported on Tuesday (January 20th).
Since the festival's debut in 1994, it has managed to forge an international reputation, attracting more and more hand-picked artists and intellectuals, organisers said. The sacred music event has become a cultural forum and a platform for dialogue among civilisations. The UN selected it as one of the most important events promoting world peace.
http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2015/01/21/newsbrief-05
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Radicals risk women's rights, activist says
By Mohamed Saadouni in Marrakech for Magharebia – 30/01/2015

Fouzia Assouli, president of Morocco's Democratic League for Women's Rights (LDDF), has been on the front-lines of the battle for gender equity.
Magharebia met up with Assouli last fall at the World Human Rights Forum (WHRF) in Marrakech, where she discussed her views on the changing status of women in the Maghreb and their future in light of growing violent extremism.

Magharebia: Are things better or worse for women since conservative movements took office?
Fouzia Assouli: …The status of women in general hasn't changed following the change that was carried by the Arab Spring. Generally speaking, in crises… women are basically the first victims. This is especially the case when a political movement leads to, or gives the chance for, the growth of conservative, extremist groups that don't look at women as full human beings, but as second-class human beings…
We're fighting desperately to change mentalities to accept the idea that women are the other half of men… We can't talk about democracy in a society that differentiates between men and women in rights and duties.

Magharebia: What are conditions like today for Maghreb women?
Assouli: There are many big challenges facing women and impeding their future in the Arab Maghreb... On the top of these challenges, we find the different political wills… We are aware of these challenges, and that was why we organised this workshop…
We consider King Mohammed VI's message to the WHRF to be a strong message that Morocco is adopting the principle of equality and parity. The king said: "Morocco considers this issue to be a main pivot in its public policies, especially by approving budgets that take into consideration the gender dimension, which is the same approach approved by the United Nations as a pioneering mechanism."

Magharebia: What can we expect to see this year?
Assouli: I think 2015 will be a landmark for the evaluation of international policies on women's rights. There will be… several international meetings to shed light on problems and obstacles impeding women…
I firmly believe that there must be evaluation of the existing international mechanisms given that there is mobility in women's struggles… The follow-up committee has made a number of recommendations, especially recommendation number 19, which considers violence as some sort of discrimination against women and discrimination as some sort of violence against women. The mechanism also has insisted in a number of recommendations that countries must take clear measures about the responsibility of governments in pushing for commitment and implementation.

Magharebia: What about new laws? Are you working on that aspect?
Assouli: …We're co-ordinating with many women's movements in the Arab Maghreb …Violence against women in Tunisia, Morocco or Algeria is violence against a Maghreb human being representing the other half of a Maghreb man.
I firmly believe that there must be clear laws that take into consideration the four universal criteria: prevention, protection for female victims, deterrence and compensation, because compensation is an acknowledgment on the part of the state of mistakes and an endeavour to redress damages … This gives confidence to victims …

Magharebia: What is next for Morocco?
Assouli: Morocco has created an independent commission for ensuring parity and combating discrimination to follow up on the government policies and provide proposals on the protection and promotion of women's rights...
I hope that the king's guiding speech on the implementation of the constitution will be dealt with seriously by officials to combat all forms of gender-based violence.
http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2015/01/30/feature-03
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Moroccan desert upends expectations.
AP Jan 31, 2015 ERG CHEBBI, MOROCCO

The bold black silhouettes of our three-camel caravan stood out against a tall sand dune like a background drawing of the Three Kings in a Nativity scene.
While Georgie, as I had nicknamed my blonde dromedary camel, plodded through this remote corner of Morocco at the edge of the Saharan Desert, I was transfixed by our reflection — because it was well past sunset and there was no moon.

With the complete lack of artificial lights, the vault of stars was bright enough to cast shadows, but I was struck by how this desert constantly upends expectations. Shadows without light, luxuriant bursts of palms among stretches of barren land where you’d swear you’ll never see water again, canyon rock formations that turn out to be fortified villages — a three-day guided driving loop from Marrakech to the dunes of Erg Chebbi in early summer was one mirage-like surprise after another.

After all, I was following one of Africa’s most mythic, and historic, trading routes: the road to Timbuktu, lined with centuries-old castles, oases and the occasional camel-crossing road warning.

While he liked to play pop hits and discuss U.S. immigration policies in fluent English, Said Ahnana, my driver and guide from the Desert Majesty tour company, had grown up in a nomadic family, herding camels among these dunes.

It took him a minute in a village sewing store to wrap 3 meters of turquoise fabric around my head into a sand-proof turban called a shesh, getting me ready for leaving the road behind, stepping out into the dunes and onto the kneeling camel for a sunset ride.

Waveringly perched above Georgie, I watched the nomadic encampments disappear as we climbed nearly 150 meters up the dunes. I clambered up barefoot for the last leg into a sea of orange and pink sand. On the way back, another guide, who was leading us on foot in his flowing blue robe, asked what sounded like an either-or question, of which I only understood the word jamal, camel in Arabic — so of course I picked that choice.

That’s how a couple from London and I lucked into riding more than an extra hour in the brilliantly lit, eerily silent night to our camp of wide, round tents nestled in the lower dunes. It turns out I had declined car rides for the last few kilometers.

Not all my travels were by camel. With temperatures exceeding 48 degrees Celsius, the air-conditioned SUV came in handy as we traveled more than 1,000 km over steep mountain passes and into pink canyons barely wide enough to traverse.

The roads climbing over the High Atlas Mountains to the 2,260-meter Col du Tichka, or weaving in and out of the Dades Gorge, are contorted enough for any Marrakech snake-charmer.

But I was too busy marveling at the unfolding landscape to feel the turns. Colorless flatness turned into a river lined by blooming pink oleanders in the Dades gorge and into sheer cliffs tall enough to block the sun in the Todra gorge.

The most astonishing eye trick is to behold what nomadic and Berber civilizations over centuries have eked out of this desert.

Wherever there is water are bursting groves of date palms, olive and pomegranate trees. Just after the Skoura oasis, Said jumped out of the car and came back triumphantly holding a fragrant Damask rose — improbably, the area around Kela’a M’gouna is famous for its flowers.

Literally carved out of the sand and rock are scores of fortified villages, casbahs, and turreted castles, ksars, that served caravans for 1,000 years along the Dades and Draa valleys.

From basic square houses to massive forts, they are made of a pressed mixture of clay and straw called pise and decorated with carved geometric patterns reminiscent of indigenous arts from New Mexico to Mali. Perfectly preserved Ait Ben Haddou and Tamnougalt looked like stage sets — Morocco’s movie capital, Ourzazate, is nearby. But in their narrow alleys, I came upon flapping laundry lines, a transport donkey parked outside a garden and a public hamam bath — the ancient routines of daily life.

I had meals of herb salads, lamb skewers and sweet mint tea in cool, clay courtyards that in other times sheltered traders and their camels.
As we drove away, I kept looking back until the earthen walls and unpaved streets melted into the shimmering desert, disappearing like another mirage.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2015/01/31/travel/moroccan-desert-upends-expectations/
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Moroccan Tagine with Root Vegetables: From corriander to fennel and celeriac root, there are many good things happening in this dish!
By: Jaymi Heimbuch Thu, Jan 08, 2015

The list of ingredients might look a little long at first, but every one of them helps make this dish worth the extra effort. (Photos: Jaymi Heimbuch)
The spice and heat of this dish are absolutely wonderful. But if you don't like spicy food, you can make a few adjustments, including using less serrano pepper, or using half a jalepeño pepper instead. You can also use a dollop of yogurt to cut the heat.
This recipe is adapted from one created by Kelly Rossiter.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Total time: 75 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Moroccan Tagine with Root Vegetables
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
• 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons ginger, grated
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, including liquid
• 1 sweet potato, halved and sliced
• 2 fennel bulbs, cut into batons
• 1 celeriac root, cut into batons
• 1 small bunch of spinach
• 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Cooking Directions

• In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds and tumeric. Add in the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the ginger, serrano pepper and garlic and stir to combine. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add in the tomatoes, sweet potato, fennel bulbs, and celeriac root. Cover the pan and simmer on low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
• Fold in the spinach, cilantro and almonds into the vegetable tagine, and continue to stir until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Plate, serve and enjoy!

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/stories/moroccan-tagine-with-root-vegetables#ixzz3QPyVRuLf
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A lifeline for Morocco's fishermen

A fish breeding center at a lake in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains is meant to boost dwindling populations and help local communities secure their livelihoods through increased fishing and tourism.
A film by Julia Henrichmann More information: http://www.ideasforacoolerworld.org
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Recipe: Moroccan Mint Tea
Tuesday, January 13, 2015

This recipe reminded me of the mint tea ceremony my husband and I enjoyed in West Africa about 25 years ago. The ceremony honors family and guests, while promoting friendships and good conversation in a relaxing atmosphere. It involved a three-step process, with the tea getting sweeter and sweeter as more sugar is added. Enjoy this version, which keeps the health benefits of the tea without the extra sugar. What a wonderful way to relax on a cold winter’s day!
Makes 8 cups
3 tablespoons loose green tea leaves OR 5 tea bags
1 bunch fresh spearmint leaves PLUS extra for garnish
1/3 cup sugar OR ¼ cup agave nectar (or to taste)
Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Turn off water and add tea. Cover and steep 4 to 5 minutes. Add mint to the pot. Cover and steep an additional 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir to combine. Strain and serve. Garnish with a mint sprig.
To serve chilled, allow the tea to reach room temperature, then transfer to a pitcher, cover and refrigerate until cold. Serve in a tall glass with ice and a mint sprig for garnish.
Approximate nutrients per 1-cup serving: 15 calories, no fat, no protein, 3 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 15 milligrams sodium.
http://world.einnews.com/article/244289681/iFtNH80Ng5Xg7WxW
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Mountain Bike Adventure in Morocco (Video)
By Epoch Video | January 13, 2015

When it comes to adventure mountain biking, it doesn’t get much more accessible than Morocco. Close to mainland Europe, budget flights to Marrakech are affordable and Morocco’s Atlas Mountains sit only a 40-minute taxi ride south of the city. Do we mention that they’re full of easy-to-spot, fun, flowy trails. Dan Milner shows you how easy it is to get yourself out to a village and riding the trails you see from your front door.
View the video here: http://world.einnews.com/article/244161643/z1ZmuAlO0s3W544h
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