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Morocco Week in Review 
January 4, 2020

Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web

RPCV Tony Gibson and Molly Dwyer Moroccan high school English event

Watch the video and interviews here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAridNlHT7w&feature=youtu.be======================================

RPCV Adriana Curto 2017-2019 Experiecne at her site in Talmest – Near Essaouira

After working for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in a village in the Southwest region of Morocco, a student came up to me and asked me to write a letter to the place I had lived & worked in. This video is a reflection of my experiences, feelings, and gratitude for the Moroccans I interacted with and who treated me like family. Words cannot thank them enough for all they've done for me so here's a little something for both. Before I left Morocco a student came up to me and asked me to write a letter to the place I had lived & worked in for the past 2 years. This video is a reflection of my experiences, feelings, and gratitude for the Moroccans I interacted with each day and who treated me like family. My words cannot thank them enough for all they've done for me but here's a little something for both of my inner circles to listen to and understand, both Moroccan and American.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfLxoMwgDVE&feature=youtu.be
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Who is David T Fischer, the New US Ambassador to Morocco?

The newly approved ambassador to Rabat spent much of his life in business, a passion he inherited from his father who owned a car dealership in Michigan.

Safaa Kasraoui is a journalist at Morocco World News. Dec 20, 2019 Rabat

Morocco will finally receive an American ambassador after the US Senate approved President Trump’s nomination of David T. Fischer as US ambassador to the North African country after several years. Trump first nominated Fischer as ambassador to Morocco in November 2017. But the businessman began his confirmation hearing in the US Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relation almost a year later, in August 2018. The impeached president is entrusting American diplomacy in Morocco to Fischer, who contributed an estimated $250,000 to Trump’s inauguration fund.  In his statement to the Senate committee as a nominee in August 2018, the ambassador vowed to work to reinforce the US-Morocco friendship and “continued economic, political, and security collaboration.” He added that the cooperation with Morocco is “vital and must be strengthened.”
At least 120 American companies operate in Morocco. Annual Moroccan-American trade has exceeded MAD 51 billion ($5.3 billion), an increase of 28% from 2017, the Moroccan government said………….
More here: https://world.einnews.com/article_detail/505396283/CfCIN7mt11cW3Y8k?n=2&code=I5p3xRh7196OtpCd&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morocco+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+Morocco+%29+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+%29+Search+Results&utm_content=article======================================

Morocco in 1948 in Skoura (RPCV Rachel Diniega)

This short film is entitled "New Ways for Old Morocco" or "Le Pain de Barbarie" (The Bread of the Berbers). It was produced during the French occupation in Skoura M'Daz in the 1940s, when the main irrigation canal was built.The film represents the Skourian way of life during that period, and it focuses on an interpreted story about two resident tribes: Ait Saghrouchn and Ait Said. The Arabic translation is a result of a collaboration between Peace Corps Volunteer Rachael and local activist Houssaine Oihi. It was revised by Rachid Outahar and Ali Khalifi, with assistance from Youssef Azougagh . We express our gratitude to all those who supported and encouraged us to accomplish this work. thank you Association El Harche for adopting the work  . Special thanks to my colleagues and comrades: Houcine Aqboub Unes AQ Aziz Ait Akka Yacine Yacine Mench Jon Snow Loverman Oihi Med Cotta Baali HaSsan El BoUkili Lahcen Ribery Taleb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtlVQpwfvWo&app=desktop
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Jennifer Grout: Moroccans Generosity Was Behind My Conversion Into Islam

The American singer is married to a Moroccan man with whom she has a daughter

By Hamza Guessous - Dec 28, 2019 Rabat

In an interview with Al Jazeera, American singer Jennifer Grout evoked pleasant memories of times spent in Morocco that pushed her to convert into Islam in 2013. After graduating from McGill University in Canada and going on a summer trip to Morocco in 2012, Grout said that there was something unique about Morocco that affected and led her to convert into Islam. The 29-year-old singer was referring to the generosity and hospitality of Moroccan people. She said that listening to all the Mosques simultaneously calling for prayers astonished her. Grout added that all these factors led her to undertake an in-depth study of Islam………….
Read it here: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289993/jennifer-grout-conversion-islam-morocco/======================================

Tifinagh: The Amazigh Alphabet

Tifinagh unites all the Amazigh dialects spoken across North Africa.

By Yahia Hatim - Dec 29, 2019

On January 12, 2020, Amazigh (Berber) people across Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, and parts of Egypt will celebrate Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year 2970. Traditional festivities include dancing in the streets, serving traditional food, and playing traditional music. Among the key symbols of the Amazigh people is Tifinagh, the Amazigh alphabet. Tifinagh is the alphabet used by the Amazigh people in North Africa to write in Tamazight (Berber language) and record their traditions and customs. Anthropological studies have shown that the indigenous people of North Africa created Tifinagh over two millennia ago. The oldest document found written in Tifinagh dates back to the first century BCE.

Archeologists have found Tifinagh letters in numerous artifacts dating back to a number of different historical periods, showing the evolution of the alphabet through time. Many researchers track the origins of Tifinagh to a variety of the Phoenician language that was spoken in the lands surrounding the Mediterranean. Despite Tifinagh being mainly used in North Africa, the Tuareg people in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, southern Algeria, and Libya also played an important role in preserving the alphabet thanks to their nomadic and reclusive lifestyle, most particularly after the spread of Arabic in North Africa. Archeologists found evidence of the use of Tifinagh principally in religious texts and in love letters. Ancient documents written in Tifinagh, however, remain scarce due to the oral traditions within the Amazigh and Tuareg cultures……………..
Follow it here: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289917/tifinagh-amazigh-alphabet/======================================

France to Loan Morocco €150 million to Encourage Youth Employment  

Morocco will spend the loan on economic integration projects in three of its 12 regions, including Souss-Massa, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.

By Hamza Guessous - Dec 20, 2019 Rabat

Morocco has signed a loan agreement of €150 million with France to fund Morocco’s employment policy for the economic integration of youth.
Morocco’s Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani signed the agreements with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe as part of the 14th France-Morocco High-Level Meeting on Thursday, December 19. The loan will fund economic integration projects in three pilot regions of Morocco’s 12 regions: the Souss-Massa around Agadir, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra around the capital region, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima where Riffians have been complaining of social and economic marginalization for years…………
Check it here: https://world.einnews.com/article_detail/505396302/W6_n5OoBpCOrtlqP?n=2&code=I5p3xRh7196OtpCd&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morocco+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+Morocco+%29+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+%29+Search+Results&utm_content=article======================================

Imsfrane: An Exhilarating Climb Over Stereotypes About Moroccan Women

When it comes to certain physical activities like hiking, Moroccan girls and women are still afraid to do them because of stereotypes and prejudice in Moroccan society.

By Wafa Fouali is an English language teacher in El Kelaa de Sraghna who loves to exercise. Dec 21, 2019 Rabat

Hiking Morocco’s peaks, however, became an important part of exercising my own independence as a Moroccan woman. My journey to hiking mountains faced an added obstacle because I was born two months premature and have lowered immunity. Since I could not play as other kids do, I became dependent on my brother Hicham. Unwilling to play, jump, or do any sports activities, I naturally abhorred physical education during my schooling. After graduation, I gained self-confidence through engaging in community services, but exercise also became important to me. I started to go running regularly and loved it.

I discovered my passion in climbing mountains and challenged myself to reach some of the most famous summits in Morocco. I climbed Moussa mountain in the north of Morocco last summer and hiked all over Khenifra and Beni Mellal in central Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. For three years, I have dreamt of climbing a mountain in Azilal, central Morocco, known as Imsfrane to locals and the “cathedral” to foreigners. Earlier this month, I proved to myself I could be truly independent when I finally climbed it. I went with friends and took charge of the planning and organizing accommodation in the village. The trip seemed doomed from before it began. I was in panic over the fact that the weather is freezing there, but I was also determined. We took the bus from El Kelaa des Sraghna, and my beautiful female friends were eager to begin this exciting experience………
More here: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289420/imsfrane-climb-stereotypes-moroccan-women/======================================

Moroccan Minister: Violence Against Women Slows National Development

The HCP, public database institution in Morocco, said that unemployed and least educated women are the most affected by domestic violence.

By Safaa Kasraoui - Safaa Kasraoui is a journalist at Morocco World News. Dec 29, 2019 Rabat

Morocco’s Minister of Solidarity, Equality, and Family Jamila Moussali is not happy about the persisting victimization of Moroccan women. Speaking about the effects of violence against women as part of the 17th national campaign to fight against gendered violence in Morocco, Moussali inisted that sustained victimization of women has both an “economic and social cost” that hinders development in Morocco. Speaking during the closing conference of the campaign on December 26, the minister acknowledged the increase of violence against women, emphasizing that society cannot “expect a woman victim of violence to be a productive and stable citizen.”…………..
Check it here: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/290045/morocco-violence-against-women/======================================

OCP to Build 4th Wastewater Purification Facility in Safi

The project aims to reuse wastewater for industrial purposes after purification.

By Hamza Guessous - Dec 27, 2019 Rabat

The OCP Group signed a partnership agreement with the province of Safi, the municipality of Safi, the Autonomous Water Distribution Authority and Electricity (RADEES), and the Oum Er Rbia Water Basin Agency (ABHOER) on the purification and recovery of wastewater from the city of Safi.
Under the agreement, RADEES is committed to building a pre-treatment station and a pumping system at a cost of MAD 100 million, while the OCP group will set up a purification station (STEP) for a provisional budget of MAD 480 million, said OCP in a statement. Once functional, the STEP will enable the city of Safi to start the purification of wastewater and its industrial reuse. The city is set to be equipped with an infrastructure aimed at treating wastewater, not currently valorized. The move constitutes a significant ecological gain for the city, added the statement…………..
Follow it here: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289852/ocp-wastewater-purification-morocco/======================================

Women-Only Cafe Opens in Northern Morocco

The first of its kind in the country, the cafe’s walls are adorned in flowers on a pink backdrop.

Safaa Kasraoui is a journalist at Morocco World News. Dec 27, 2019 Rabat

Flower Cafe, Morocco’s first women-only cafe, has officially opened its doors to female customers in Tetouan, northern Morocco. Active on Instagram, the cafe shared beautiful moments with its customers.  Photos posted on social media show that the cafe has already attracted dozens of women who enjoy the cafe’s feminine atmosphere….
More here: https://world.einnews.com/article_detail/505901402/r-W9AFUpGSfxHwGC?n=2&code=I5p3xRh7196OtpCd&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morocco+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+Morocco+%29+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+%29+Search+Results&utm_content=article======================================

Morocco’s Blue Pearl Becomes Magnet for Asian Tourists

CHAOUEN, Morocco

The striking blue-washed city of Chaouen in Morocco was not always that color, but the shift has made it a tourist magnet for Asians who travel far to admire its cobalt walls. Even from afar the city, perched on the western side of the Rif mountains, is a sea of blue builings. Many facades are adorned with pots of flowers and the smell of peppermint tea, besara (a traditional bean porridge) and hashish waft through the streets. The walls of the ancient city, known for its traditional architecture and cobbled streets, are like a bazaar where hundreds of tourists haggle with locals over leather slippers, djellaba (loose-fitting tunics), bags, straw hats, carpets and wooden ornaments……
Continuous here: http://world.einnews.com/article/505875492/e4JTDCITK4UjSbeW
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Will Travel For Zen: A Yoga Retreat In Mystical Morocco

Katherine Parker-Magyar Contributor Dec 20, 2019 From cities to jungles, I write about culture, travel and adventure.

It was two a.m. Western Sahara Time, the third night of my international yoga retreat. I was on the rooftop terrace of a riad in downtown Marrakech, watching a cat slink between the geometric turrets of the high walls overlooking the city, convinced I was suffering a panic attack. I use that term lightly, as I've never had a panic attack before, and wasn't sure I qualified at the exact moment, but it was undoubtedly the closest I'd ever come to the brink of internal chaos. How did I get here? 

Physically, I'd boarded a TAP Air plane bound for Portugal en route to Marrakech Menara Airport. Emotionally, it began months ago, when I learned about the ethos behind Souljourn Yoga and met its charismatic founder, Jordan Ashley, who was 25 when she envisioned her NGO. She'd give her first TED Talk on the subject a few short years later. She now oversees yoga retreats dedicated to improving girls' education around the globe, the North African iteration of which, dear reader, I was currently an enrollee. A reluctant yogi and unlikely candidate for anything wellness-related, I was nevertheless enticed by the novelty of exploring Morocco and the community service element of the retreat. I hadn't given much thought to the unwanted self-reflection that accompanies a twice-daily yoga practice in a foreign country surrounded by total strangers. ………
More here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherineparkermagyar/2019/12/20/will-travel-for-zen-a-yoga-retreat-in-mystical-morocco/#401c42c45b40
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Morocco’s Development Model: A Quiet Revolution Towards the Future

The new committee for a Moroccan development model includes six Moroccans from the diaspora who could revolutionize the process.

By Abdellah Boussouf - Dec 20, 2019

We can only be optimistic about the announcement of the members on Morocco’s new development model committee, released on December 12, 2019. Moroccan Ambassador to France Chakib Benmoussa will lead the committee after being appointed on November 19. After King Mohammed VI outlined the need for a new development model in his 2019 Throne Day speech and again in the King and People’s Revolution speech on August 20, Moroccans noticed a significant increase in public debate among civil society, political parties, intellectuals, and the Moroccan diaspora, even before the announcement of the list and the appointment of the president.

This movement is an essential indication of the importance of the involvement of everyone in building Morocco’s future, where territorial justice and social development is concerned. The reason for our optimism is that the list followed the directives of the royal speeches to include a new generation, a new mentality, and a Moroccan-Moroccan model, while defining the committee’s work.

It is difficult to form a committee of 35 competent Moroccans who will voluntarily work on a new development model. They have to answer the aspirations of the younger generations and use the knowledge gained from experience.  The committee will dissolve after presenting the new development model to King Mohammed VI before June 2020. The 2019 speech on Throne Day was the reason behind the launch of the committee. The 2019 speech of the King and People’s Revolution considered the new development model as an excellent gateway towards the future. ……………….
Check it here: https://world.einnews.com/article_detail/505416951/oBo_hh2lhd2iol11?n=2&code=I5p3xRh7196OtpCd&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morocco+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+Morocco+%29+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+%29+Search+Results&utm_content=article
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Morocco to Open 5 New Museums in 2020, Including Music History

Located in Rabat, Meknes, Tetouan, and Marrakech, the new museums will cover photography, music history, and various local histories.

By Yahia Hatim - Dec 20, 2019 Rabat

The president of Morocco’s National Museum Foundation (FNM), Mehdi Qotbi, revealed that the organization will open at least five new museums in 2020, in a press conference on Tuesday, December 17. Qotbi announced the opening of the first national photography museum in Rabat. He also revealed the future opening in Meknes of Dar Jamai Museum, dedicated to the history of music in Morocco, and Borj Belkari Museum, dedicated to the history of the imperial city. The foundation’s chairman also presented the Bab Okla Museum in Tetouan and the Jemaa El Fna Museum in Marrakech for intangible heritage. Qotbi also disclosed that they will seek an audit soon to prove the “good governance” of the foundation. FNM will ask for bids to do an audit soon, according to the chairman.

During the press conference, Qotbi applauded the success of Rabat’s first biennial exhibition that took place between September 24 and December 18. “We are glad that this biennial has welcomed around 140,000 visitors,” said Qotbi. Rabat’s Biennial was an international exhibition dedicated entirely to female artists. It was set in different cultural sites across Rabat. Around 63 artists from 27 countries and different disciplines exhibited their works at the event. The theme of the first biennial was “An Instant Before the World.” FNM, created in 2011, is an independent non-profit institution that manages Morocco’s public museums. It currently manages 13 museums in eight different cities……….
More here: https://world.einnews.com/article_detail/505413074/2kWkeVr4gqPfAzfG?n=2&code=I5p3xRh7196OtpCd&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morocco+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+Morocco+%29+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+%29+Search+Results&utm_content=article======================================

Restoration of Rabat’s Medina Done ‘the Moroccan Way’

Rabat residents of the old medina are dissatisfied with the restoration of their homes: “Though it is good to restore and fix, sentimental value is priceless.”

By Caley Koch - Originally from Washington DC, Caley is an aspiring writer and editor who is currently attending DePaul University in Chicago for her Bachelor’s degree in creative writing. Dec 29, 2019 Rabat

“Walk with me and I’ll show you where I grew up as a little boy,” a resident who wished to remain anonymous said to me as he led me through the streets of the old medina (walled city) in Rabat. He pointed to a construction worker carefully restoring the cement on an archway above us. The resident told me that this kind of architecture is delicate and needs frequent restoration. “That is the true Moroccan way.” It seems like the definition of “restoration” is different between the residents of Rabat and the ones who have taken the liberty to restore their homes themselves.
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, is cooperating with the Moroccan Ministry of Heritage in the restoration and preservation of the city of Rabat, named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2011. …………..
Check it here: https://world.einnews.com/article_detail/505396302/W6_n5OoBpCOrtlqP?n=2&code=I5p3xRh7196OtpCd&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morocco+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+Morocco+%29+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+%29+Search+Results&utm_content=article======================================

Hollywood Superstar Meryl Streep Enjoys Winter Break in Marrakech

The Oscar winning actress appeared in a photo with a big smile in a Moroccan museum.

Safaa Kasraoui is a journalist at Morocco World News. Dec 29, 2019 Rabat

Posing in a photo in Dar El Bacha Museum in Marrakech on Saturday, December  28, American Hollywood legend Meryl Streep apparead to enjoy her winter break in the Moroccan city, with a beaming smile that suggested love (of the city) and joy.  The photo, in which the Oscar-winning superstar appeared as charming as ever, was shared by Mehdi Qotbi, President of the National Museums Foundation (FNM). In a caption, Qotbi described the moment as “beautiful,” He then went on to enthuse about meeting and taking a picture with the “fabulous” Streep………….
More here: https://world.einnews.com/article_detail/505396302/W6_n5OoBpCOrtlqP?n=2&code=I5p3xRh7196OtpCd&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morocco+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+Morocco+%29+Or+%28+Peace+Corps+%29+Search+Results&utm_content=article======================================

With love from Morocco

Dec 18th, 2019 - Nationwide

Exactly three years ago in the month of November 2016, I was in Morocco; in the cities of Casablanca, Marrakesh and Ouarzazate (better known as the home of one of the largest solar complexes in the world and known for the locations of some of the biblical themed movies); for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP22). Even though, I travelled extensively within the three cities during that period; I did not bother to write an article about my travel experiences in Morocco. The reason was quite simple. I was baffled by the fact that a country with not as much resources as Nigeria had practically done so well for herself considering the major challenge the country has.

If I had written the article then, I would have compared both countries and what I witnessed was no contest. Three years later, I find myself in Morocco again. Casablanca and Marrakesh again. Morocco’s Marrakesh is for laidback individuals. In 2016, the streets of Marrakesh, Medina etc were sparkling clean. It is still the same in 2019. The trip by road from the Aeroport Mohammed V in Casablanca to Marrakesh and vice versa is one you should at least undertake. I have done it thrice and would do it again (once in 2016 and twice in 2019.) A train ride from Marrakesh to Casablanca is also advisable. This journey by road connects you with the sand dunes and desert mountains synonymous with Morocco.

This topography is different. I know you have seen mountains but trust me, the desert mountains of Morocco are unique. The more of the desert you see as your vehicle zooms past the desert mountains of Morocco, the sooner you begin to ruminate on how Morocco deals with the high intensity of the sun and its manifold challenges. They just have to be innovative about it.

Marrakesh can easily become one of your favourite cities; for there is a blend of the ancient and the modern. Going by the numerous videos and pictures I have seen of Morocco and Marrakech of the early 19th Century; it appears that they have kept their culture intact. I noticed this in 2016 and noticed it again in 2019 in pictures found at Hotel Du Golf in Palmeraie Resorts, Marrakesh; where my hosts provided for me for the duration of my stay…………
Read the article here: http://world.einnews.com/article/505233553/crCbFbS7fqcAEF6T
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Morocco to Spend MAD 383 Billion on 2020-2050 National Water Plan

The plan aims to improve the supply of drinking water in Morocco.

By Hamza Guessous  Dec 26, 2019 Rabat

Morocco’s Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani chaired a meeting of the ministerial committee on Wednesday, December 25, in Rabat, to improve the 2020-2050 National Water Plan, before submitting it to the National Water Council. State-owned news agency Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) reported that during the meeting, Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics, and Water Abdelkader Amara explained the plan includes the construction of dams, the connection of water basins, desalination projects, integrating all rural villages into drinking water supply systems, providing water for the development of sustainable agriculture, preserving ecosystems, and fighting pollution.
The government will allocate MAD 383 billion to implement the 30-year-plan, reported MAP…………..
More here: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289772/morocco-drinking-water-plan/
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680,000 Moroccans Are Graduates of Private Vocational Training Centers

Vocational training is one of the pillars of Morocco’s new development model, aiming to curb unemployment and social disparities.

By Yahia Hatim - Dec 25, 2019 Rabat

In the last 20 years, 680,000 people have graduated from private vocational training centers, representing 32% of the global number of vocational training graduates in Morocco. Minister of Education Said Amzazi announced the numbers during a seminar in Marrakech on Tuesday, December 24.
The seminar focused on “the perspectives of development in the private vocational training sector.” The private sector “undeniably contributes” to the training and production of a skilled workforce, well-adapted to the job market, according to the minister.

“Since the promulgation of law 13-00 about the status of [private vocational training], around 680,000 vocational training graduates have followed their courses in private establishments for vocational training, in several fields representing the diverse sectors of national economy,” said Amzazi.
Law 13-00, implemented in May 2000, regulates vocational training in the private sector. Vocational training has been one of the main focuses of the Moroccan government’s strategy to improve Moroccans’ socio-economic conditions. In his 2019 Revolution Day speech, on August 20, King Mohammed VI recommended vocational training as a way to reduce the unemployment rate and social disparities. 
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289729/680000-moroccans-graduates-private-vocational-training/
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Moroccan Artist Bridges Moroccan and Icelandic Cultures in New Exhibit

"The journey to the self is a multidimensional multiphase adventure…. It's your gift. Protect it relentlessly by believing in it and in its power to make a difference in this world." - Amel Barich

By Caley Koch - Originally from Washington DC, Caley is an aspiring writer and editor who is currently attending DePaul University in Chicago for her Bachelor’s degree in creative writing. Dec 28, 2019 Rabat

The island of Iceland is getting a taste of Moroccan art after its mystical nature inspired Moroccan geologist Amel Barich to take up a paintbrush for her first solo painting project. Barich showcased her first solo art exhibit, called “Journey through the Visual and Emotional Memory,” in Iceland earlier this December. The exhibition is an “autobiographical window through my impressions from my life journeys,” says Barich. She adds that the exhibition “invites for travel and escape through realistic paintings, and for introspection and self-reflection through abstract ones.”
The exhibit will stay open to the public until the end of 2019.
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289848/moroccan-artist-iceland-paintings-exhibit/
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Live like a local in ... Morocco

16 Dec, 2019  By: George Fenwick George Fenwick is an entertainment writer for The New Zealand Herald. george.fenwick@nzherald.co.nz

Morocco is a beautiful, intense country, brimming with sights, smells and experiences that fight for your attention. You could be getting lost in the bustling medinas of Fez or Marrakech (which I say less as a recommendation and more as a warning - you really don't want to get too lost), or breathing in the sweeping, empty magnificence of the Sahara Desert. Whichever path you take, Morocco is a feast for the senses.

Familiarise yourself with Tagines - a traditional Moroccan dish named after the terracotta pot in which its cooked.
You can eat a number of variations of the dish, with delicious meatballs, lamb, or seasoned vegetables available. In Marrakech, we booked a table at Cafe Atay for sunset and feasted on beautiful tagines as the sun set over the city, with the stunning Atlas mountains looming in the distance.
In Fez, we had meatball tagines at the Restaurant Zohra - so delicious we returned a second night. They offered sweet mint tea as a palette cleanser at the end.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12293083
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Competency-Based Approach in Training Nurses and Midwives in Morocco Demystify to Better Use

Doctoral Studies Center of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University of Rabat, Rabat, Morocco

Correspondence: Said Abouzaj Doctoral Studies Center of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University of Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
Tel +212666803246     Email saidabouzaj@hotmail.com

Abstract: Nowadays, the initial training of nurses and midwives in Morocco represents a turning point. Faced with the multiple actors involved in this training and the proliferation of training institutions, the quality of the offered training should decide the attractiveness of these institutions. The quality of training depends on the training approaches adopted by the institutions. In fact, an approach that promotes skills development and building and is learner-centred would add more value to the institution at the expense of traditional content and transmission-centred approaches. The purpose of this article is to present the competency-based approach in a simple way and to demystify the concept of competence in order to encourage its use in training nurses and midwives within the training institutions of the Ministry of Health that, so far, continue to operate according to the objective approach. After an attempt to demystify the definition of the concept of competence, the article highlights the characteristics of the teaching according to the competency-based approach and proposes some tools of teaching, learning and skills assessment…
https://www.dovepress.com/competency-based-approach-in-training-nurses-and-midwives-in-morocco-d-peer-reviewed-article-AMEP
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Argan co-operative of rural women, Morocco

The CS in a nutshell:
For several decades, Morocco has been working on an enabling environment for professional organizations, which include development programmes supporting their establishment, including cooperatives. In 2004, a rural women’s cooperative was created which aimed at improving the livelihoods of rural women through the valorisation and commercialization of argan oil. The Afoulki cooperative, started with 30 members, now has more than 60 active members and is the main source of revenue for many rural women in the Region of Souss Massa (in Agadir). Considered as innovations in this region, cooperatives were supported financially and technically by national institutions and international organizations. The Afoulki cooperative has been actively contributing to the sustainable development of Souss Massa………………
http://www.simra-h2020.eu/index.php/simra-case-studies/argan-co-operative-of-rural-women-morocco/
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A Chicagoan’s Tryst with Morocco and How I fell in Love With It

By Eraina Davis, December 19, 2019

Most travelers love to travel to Africa to enjoy the beauty of the continent. What comes to mind usually when people speak about traveling to Africa is the African Safari. Africa has a lot more to offer than just the Safari, you can watch the Great Migration, you can visit South Africa, Zanzibar, Kenya and above all you should make it a point to visit Morocco. Morocco is in the North of Africa and lies across Spain. Only the Strait of Gibraltar separates Morocco from Europe. I was introduced to Moroccan culture at New Global Morocco Nights of Chicago and I was told that travelers often keep coming back for Morocco vacations as they never seem to have enough of the country. The most common reasons why I keep returning to Morocco are:

  1. The rich history- Morocco has so many flavors. It borders on the exotic, and in so many ways, it is truly timeless. Even the names of some of its key cities are deeply evocative- Marrakesh, Rabat, Fes, Meknes- each word creates a picture in the mind. Each of these cities is an imperial city. While in Morocco, visit the old Medina, the Kasbah of the Oudaias and the Royal Mausoleum, among many other places. 
  2. The Sahara- one of the most compelling reasons for Morocco vacations is the world’s largest desert, the Sahara. Miles and miles of sand can lend itself to contemplation and peace, but also adventure and adrenaline. Indeed, there is night trekking, quad biking and sand surfing to satisfy your need for speed. 
  3. Nature- Morocco is blessed with shorelines on the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts. This means that you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to pitching your beach umbrella during Morocco vacations. Depending on what you want to do there, choose a beach that works at your pace. Families with kids could head to those along………………

Check it here: http://www.chicagonow.com/the-good-life/2019/12/7-reasons-to-travel-to-morocco/======================================

Morocco's Anti-Atlas Mountains seen in colorful new NASA image

By Christopher Carbone | Fox News

NASA released a gorgeous image of the Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco on Thursday that uses infrared bands to depict different rocks and show complex folding. The mountains formed as a result of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates colliding about 80 million years ago, according to NASA. "The limestone, sandstone, claystone and gypsum layers that formed the ocean bed were folded and crumpled to create the Anti-Atlas Mountains," the space agency said in a statement that accompanied the image………….
More here: https://www.foxnews.com/science/moroccos-anti-atlas-mountains-nasa-image
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H1N1, Floods, Earthquakes: 2019’s Top Heartbreaking Moments in Morocco

Every new year brings some good and some bad. This list does not aim to remind readers of sad times but instead seeks to honor the people who survived and the people who lost their lives…..
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/12/289918/h1n1-floods-2019-moments-morocco/
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