By Louay Benaabdelaali

Morocco World News

Sale, February 28, 2013

Today I was walking around in Agdal neighborhood, in Morocco’s capital Rabat heading to the mosque before going to meet some friends in a cafe. When I got near Badr Mosque, I noticed a weird energy, a lot of tension in the atmosphere, many stressed people and few loaded trucks.

 It was very crowded with cars as they blocked the avenue from both sides. They were painting the pedestrians path, collecting rubbish, cleaning the small garden in front of the mosque, trimming the plants, removing dead leaves from the palms, fixing broken edges of the road etc.

Inside the mosque, they brought new carpets, new lights, new wires, new microphones. Everything was shiny and beautiful.

It didn't take me long to understand what is the reason behind all this energy which was with no doubt so uncommon, in normal days. Tomorrow is Friday. Tomorrow is not a normal day in Badr Mosque as king Mohammed VI will be performing Friday prayer there.

Scared to lose their jobs or face a punishment for their lack of responsibility, they invested an incredible energy to fix everything in no time.

It is possible then that roads will be fixed in normal days. But it's not done. It is possible to trim plants and make palms look nice in normal days. But it's not done. It is possible to do a lot of things. However, unfortunately for the common citizen, they have to wait for special days to get things done, to fix what is broken, and to heal their wounds, long hurt with fake promises and self-centered people.

 Change in Morocco is a slow tandem bicycle. We should boost each other up and help each other in order to ride it faster. Yet, such attitudes of self-interest people put breaks to change. These irresponsible people seek only to reach higher social positions and personal interests by stepping on the dreams of the common citizens. It is our duty to eradicate such irrational minds. Let's talk about it, write about it, blog about it, etc.

Let's change these attitudes. Together we can be better. That is my hope.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

Oujda, Morocco, March 19, 2013

I still remember that unforgettable day when I was having a good time with my peers in the neighborhoods of my small town Tidrin, which is located in Tinghir in the Southeast of Morocco. It was exactly 3:30 in the afternoon of a summer day. Because I had rid myself of that cruel teacher that used to punish me every single day for trivial reasons, my friends and I indulged in passing our pastime playing a popular game, which is football, and forgetting all that had to do with school, with its commitments, and its burdens.

Finished with that fun football match, my friends and I headed towards a small river near our town running with our bear feet and with our partly-torn plastic sandals in hand. Once we got there, we could not help diving into the warm waters of the river with a view to ridding ourselves of the sweat caused by our football match. Owing to the fact that I felt free because of the summer holidays, I suggested to my friends not to go back to our homes until we eat some grapes that were available in the fields at that moment. When I was eating the grapes, I heard a voice calling my name, but the problem is that the voice did not come from the world I belonged to at that time. It was from the tough, real world where there is less fun and more responsibilities. “Get up. It is 7:00, time to go to school,” My dear mother shouted.

I could not believe that it had been a mere dream. That left a bad impression in my soul. However, I realized there were no vacations and that the time for ripe grapes had not yet come. It was a cold winter day in which I could not leave my bed and I pulled closer my blanket, which was so warm.

I washed my face with some cold water and shivering hands. That shivering, of course, did not come only from the cold weather but also because of my fear of that violent teacher. My mother offered a humble breakfast that consisted of some olive-oil, tea, and some pieces of bread from the day before. Anyway, I could not manage to swallow even a mouthful because I remembered that I did not do the homework that the teacher asked us to do and that there was no way I would not receive several blows upon my small, soft hands. At any rate, I bid my mother good-bye and left my house.

On our way to school, I asked my friends if they had done that homework and the answer was “yes.” I asked them to give me their exercise copy-books to copy the answers, but because of their innocence they refused and said that the teacher asked us not to cheat. Then, I knew that they were going to enjoy seeing me being beaten down in front of the blackboard of that black classroom. We got in to the courtyard of the school and were asked by our teachers to get into our classes, asking one of the hardworking students to monitor us and write the names of the ones who make noise. Our teacher, just as the rest of the teachers, would stay in the staff-room for a long while to indulge in some chats, drink some tea, and smoke a cigarette to lower his depression and tension.

Finished with that long illegal rest, the teacher came in. We would stand every time he entered the class to show respect to someone who did not show us the least respect. He headed towards his desk which he would not leave till the session was over. That hardworking student handed him the list of those who were making noise. He called their names and asked them menacingly to step forward to the board. Unfortunately, I was one of them. He started beating us till we almost exhausted our tears and till our hands were like a rainbow with some red, green, and blue spots on them. Subsequently, we went back to our places. I thought that was all for that session before he asked those who did not do their homework to step up to the board again. Unluckily, I was again one of them.

Before beating us again, I started shedding tears for my hands were still aching such I felt my heart move from my chest to my hands. I thought even of fleeing, but I knew that it would just make things worse than they were. Because of my fear, I could not help stretching my hands for the teacher to punish them again. When I was shedding tears one more time, I saw that one of my friends was also crying and had even urinated in his clothes.

We got back to our places having a bad impression about teaching and teachers in general. As the teacher was explaining the lesson, and in a bid to make up for that bad day and save my reputation among my colleagues, I raised my hand, which was swollen by that time, to answer a question the teacher had asked. I had the right answer in mind, but because of fear, I forgot it and could not retrieve it at that moment. The teacher got closer to me. I thought that was an attempt to offer some help, but I was mistaken. He gave me a big slap to the extent that I thought I received a rocket to my face. Because of the strength of that slap and because everyone was looking at me, I blushed and thought that my face was bigger than anyone else’s in the classroom.

When the bell rang, I could not join my friends who were playing hide and seek in the courtyard. To punish me more and deprive me of my right of enjoying the recreation period, the teacher called me with an angry voice and asked me to go to one of the stores that was near the school in order to purchase a pack of cigarettes for him. On my way to that store, I thought of what had happened to me, asking myself whether or not I deserved it. I thought of informing my family about it, but I knew their reaction would not be better than that of my teacher. I was praying for God to avenge me because I knew I had nothing to do concerning that. I wished a big flood would come and demolish that school forever.

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By Omar Bihmidine

Morocco World News

Sidi Ifni, Morocco, March 29, 2013

According to a study of Facebook profiles, Facebook users unconsciously reveal signs of their mental problems through their dark updates. Mental health experts associate the dark postings on Facebook with feelings of despair, helplessness, and above all depression

So strong is the effect that Facebook has on today's youth that it is now common practice that experts and educated parents give this advice: “Face your problems, don’t Facebook them.”

Thirty-percent of the 200 students covered by a study at the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin-Madison reported feelings of worthlessness, insomnia, sleeping too much and lack of concentration.

Depression, the study finds, is particularly common among college students simply because they spend a countless number of hours on social media.

Through Facebookers' status updates, health experts can identify the nature of mental problems that young users suffer from.

Dr. Megan A. Moreno, a principal investigator in the Facebook study, explained, “You can identify adolescents and young adults on Facebook who are showing signs of being at risk, who would benefit from a clinical visit for screening.”

For instance, “then ill go kill myself, with these pills, this knife, this life has already done half the job,” was the last Facebook update of 15-year-old Amanda Cummings before she committed suicide on December 17.

As many Facebook users are trying to alienate themselves from reality via the virtual world, they are usually tempted to post alarming statuses. In this manner, they succeeded in bringing many commentators who, too, find themselves in the news.

"When I pour out my sadness online, some readers responded only with the Facebook ‘like’ symbol: a thumbs up. You feel the same way?’ said Ms. Miller, puzzled. Or you like that I’m sad? You’re sadistic?" Daylina Miller, a recent graduate of the University of South Florida, said in an interview.

Given the fact that reality is sometimes unbearable to face, the youth of today turn to the virtual world where they can say what they cannot say face to face. Also, many youth find solace in expressing themselves behind the screen more openly than reality. Here, the Internet may serve as a schizophrenic test for those who prefer escapism to facing reality, as well as for those who are obsessed with nurturing their egos on this social network.

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Morocco World News had the chance to meet with Anas Oulmidi, current president of “Lueur d’espoir,” a Moroccan NGO which is adopting a new approach to healthcare. It is now among the leading NGOs in the field with a growing staff and ambition. We have to say that we were pleasantly surprised to see that such energy exists in our country.

Let’s hear about this success story.

MWN: In a few words, could you explain to us the action and vision of “Lueur d’espoir”

Anas Oulmidi: Our NGO operates in the social and medical field. Beyond our actions in favor of populations in need, the underlying objective is to promote within the youth the culture of volunteering. Hence, we are always trying to put young people at the center of our operations and push them to act and think.

The founding principle of our structure is to “faire and laisser faire”. It is very important for us to have this kind of perception. Let me illustrate with an example: in the holy month of Ramadan, we organize collective feasts ( to break the fast) for women who have children in hospitals (we cover nearly all city’s hospitals-Marrakech). We distribute nearly 150 meals every day of the month. Today, “Lueur d’espoir” has a very successful track record and can easily raise funds to finance this project. However, we’d rather take a different approach and want everyone to be involved; everyday, we ask people to give in kind donation (milk, dates, fruits etc.) and are always surprised by their generosity. Sometimes, we have to ask them to stop giving. We are trying to involve everyone and open all the doors for anyone willing to help.

MWN: What aFacebook pagere your main projects and programs?

Anas Oulmidi :We work on many projects and it’s impossible for me now to talk about all that we do. We have however some projects that constitute the pillars of our NGO. We organize nearly 60 “health assistance caravans” intending to help in-need patients. We also work a lot on awareness building when it comes to some public health issues such as diabetes, sexually transmissible diseases and recently we are trying to promote organ donation. As I said before, we also have a social mission. We regularly organize visits and actions in favor of orphanages etc. More details are on our . 

MWN: Any objectives for this year?

Anas Oulmidi: This year we have an ambitious program. Before getting into details, I would like to explain briefly the operating mode of our association. We are organized around three poles: Medical, Social and Cultural. Each pole will have to work on one or two big projects every year.

For our Medical-healthcare assistance pole, we organize around ten big Caravans. In order to improve the quality of our services, we put in place a mobile hospital equipped with all the medical materials that we need (echography etc). The objective is to enable the access to this kind of facilities to people living in rural remote areas.

Besides, we have created palliative care hospices for patients suffering from cancer, this kind of treatment is necessary for this type of patients to relieve the pain. Unfortunately, our country doesn’t have such centers. We are working on a study with the public hospital of the city of Marrakech to build the first palliative care hospice in Africa. We also collaborate in this project with the centers of Mareille and Beyrouth.

For our social pole, we noticed that there are many patients who obliged to sleep outside while waiting for an appointment or results of medical analyses. We decided therefore to put in place a reception house “Dar Chiffa” that will host patients for short durations.

For the cultural pole, we currently working on launching a social work competition to promote the culture of volunteering, it will take place in October and will be called Morocco Volunteer Work Award.  

MWN: What are the main challenges that you are facing on the ground?

Anas Oulmidi: When we are working with the objective of helping people, all the challenges become tiny in our eyes. We do however face some hurdles when dealing with administrative matters. We find it hard to follow all the excruciating procedures that are imposed in order to conduct our actions. It is somehow breaking our ambitions and it is a bit sad. I will also add, just to illustrate, that transportation authorization are the most necessary and the toughest to get.

We have also faced some issues regarding our communication as we have to use non-traditional tools in rural and remote areas. Time is passing by and we are learning to make things more efficient.

MWN: You are an NGO delivering costly yet free services. I will assume that you rely on donations to fuel your programs. Is it easy to raise funds in Morocco for an NGO?

Anas Oulmidi: Actually, “Lueur d’espoir” barely has a relationship with the corporate world. We tend to prefer donation from individuals. According to our perception, social work will be more efficient if done discreetly and we all know that companies tend to over communicate on their social actions. We try however to strike a balance as some of our projects need to be known because they can inspire other organizations (examples: night walks to help homeless people, promotion of organ donation etc.). For other programs, we believe that it is counterproductive to communicate a lot, for instance when we help sick people or orphans.

In a nutshell, each type of projects has its type of donors.

MWN: Have you developed partnerships with private hospitals or other foreign NGO? how do you see the future of “Lueur D’espoir”? Taking this concept abroad may be?

Anas Oulmidi: “Lueur d’espoir” was created 8 years ago in Marrakech, today it is present across many cities in Morocco (Agadir, Beni-Mellal, Safi, Casablanca, Oujda etc.). We are also very active in Paris. One objective is to locate in countries and cities where there are a considerable number of Moroccan students willing to help their country. We will soon launch activities in Cairo and Ukraine.   

MWN: If we follow the official speech, RAMED will make the whole idea of “Lueur d’espoir” obsolete as everyone will have access to a good quality health care service. What do you think?

Anas Oulmidi: Ramed is a very important scheme and as I always say, the happiest day would be when Lueur d’Espoir would have no reason to exist except to organize some cultural events. Unfortunately, today this thought seems utopic. Ramed is indeed helping many people in need among them many of Lueur d’espoir’s beneficiaries. However, in my sense Ramed is incomplete. The eligibility criteria are not well thought, for example a person who has 3 goats is not within the scope and cannot apply for Ramed. I shall remind you that a simple MRI might cost around 400 USD and it is nowadays a common thing which is systematically done. What will happen to the poor guy if he sells his three goats to get an MRI?

I don’t want to get too much in details, but we need to redesign how these cards are attributed, sometimes we see people driving a Mercedes with Ramed cards!

Nevertheless, it is a good initiative that needs to be promoted and we have to enlarge the scope of beneficiaries

MWN: It has been 8 years that your NGO exists; I believe that you have accumulated a considerable experience and knowledge around healthcare issues in Morocco. Is there anything that you’re doing well and that the state should take from you to improve its public healthcare systems?

Anas Oulmidi: I think that we are simply developing a better understanding of what healthcare means. As the WHO defines it, healthcare is a complete set of physical, mental and social well being. It is by axing our actions on these three aspects that we are able to deliver efficiently our services.  

MWN: Well Anas, on behalf of Morocco World News, I would like to thank you for your time and wish you all the best for your next endeavors.

Anas Oulmidi: Thank you

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By Youssef El Kaidi

Morocco World News

Fez, April 18, 2013

After six days of presentations and workshops on communication skills, leadership skills, conflict resolution, project management, team building, and civic and political engagement, the Association of Moroccan Alumni (AMA), Youth-Led Projects Initiative Program, organized by the AMA,  came to its end on Tuesday, April 16^th, 2013.

This leadership training initiative, which was sponsored by the US Embassy in Rabat, the city council of Tiznit and the delegation of National Education in Tiznit  had as an objective to impact the lives of young people and contribute to positive change as a priority in their work and future vision. Despite their little resources and the multiple challenges of bringing together 43 participants from twelve different parts of the country (Taza, Tahla, Fez, Fnideq, Tetouan, Kenitra, Casablanca, Benslimane, Agadir, Tinghir, Ait Melloul and Tiznit), thanks to the experience of AMA former president Mr. Ahmed Atlagh, AMA organizers succeeded in making the necessary legal and administrative provisions and arrangements to guarantee a successful program.

Throughout the six-day time span of the program, the 43 youth participants were trained in a variety of leadership areas with the hope of encouraging them to create, manage and lead their own projects back in their schools and communities. AMA strongly believes in the power of grassroots and synergic work in making change and contributing to sustainable development. Accordingly, its training projects target young impressionable minds from different social and cultural backgrounds.

“At the beginning I thought the training would be boring, but as I got to experience its activities I found it very interesting. I learned a lot and made a lot of friendships. It was fun and I really hope to do this again,” says Nissrine Makhfi from Taza in a statement to Morocco World News.

Ayoub Agouram from Casablanca tells MWN: “First of all, I want to thank AMA for this great opportunity. I want to say that if you want to learn you must enjoy and have fun and that’s what we did. We enjoyed and we learnt. I’m sure that we will, inchallah, meet again in the future with a lot of experiences and projects to share, and will, inchallah, celebrate our success together!”

Latifa Taamart from Tiznit also expressed her appreciation for the training: “I would like to first thank all the AMA members for such a great training. What we learned here will help us to build a new country, a new Morocco with new breath. Our projects will be realized in the future inchallah. Thank you AMA members for your friendship and thank you for every moment that we spent here.”

In a statement to MWN, the president of AMA, Ms. Samira Idelcadi, insisted on the importance of recognizing such initiatives. “It’s recognition that makes us push ahead. We don’t ask for a return in exchange for what we do for our country, but sometimes it hurts to see our efforts go unnoticed. Our youth are so creative and can create miracles if we support them and recognize their work.” Concerning the future projects of AMA, Ms Idelcadi said: “We have a lot of ideas in AMA. We will sit and decide on the next step. We will suggest these ideas and projects to our partners and see how we can concretize them.”

As the closing ceremony at the conference and training Center in Tiznit came to an end, participants made their final tearful goodbyes to new friends and trainers.

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By Sara Gassim

Morocco World News

Marrakesh, April 23, 2013

Since I was a little kid, I have learned the most shocking truth yet which is essential in one’s life. This is regarding decisions. There are the bad ones and the good ones and in either case you have to live with them.

Society has a scale which you have to live up to, so every choice has to be calculated or you will lose that precious status. Studying hard, getting good grades, getting into prestigious schools, these are the good decisions from the point of view of society and of families. Your point of view does not really count or matter. So dreaming to become a singer, a dancer or an actor is not up for discussion, or even majoring in philosophy because there is no way you can build a career out of that. Basically, society kills your dreams before they can see the light of the day.

Practically, society has written a guide book on how to succeed in life. The supreme rule you have to be kind so people like you, but not too kind so people won’t fool you. Graduate with honors because any other way won’t make your parents proud and second place is not for winners.

The recipe for success needs the following ingredients: the six digit salary, the big house, the shiny car and most importantly the trophy wife with a combination of good looks and brains, but she cannot be too smart or the man will feel threatened by her. She has to be beautiful and educated so she can speak gracefully in front of people but not too much education because what is she going to do with it in the kitchen as good cooking skills are always favorable and essential. And all of this will grant you society’s approval and admiration.

I always wonder why is that, if a man proposed to a woman then he is a serious, a gentleman and worthy of respect, but if a woman took the initiative, she is desperate, misbehaving and maybe even crazy and unstable.

I asked my father, “is there anything wrong with a person who decides not to tie the knot?” He answered that either she is not beautiful or has psychological issues and if he is a man, he must not be able to afford to marry. So from my father’s point of view, I am ugly and mentally ill. I cannot imagine myself getting married just because I turned thirty. I would love to think that someday when my time comes, I am going to meet the man I am destined to marry. I also think that a person can only succeed in doing something he is truly passionate about, and the rest does not matter.

The hard task is convincing your family and friends that your decisions are yours and only yours. Even if they do not approve, at least they must be happy if they care for you. Every parent wants what is best for their child. It may seem like an impossible mission to make them satisfied except though you choices, but at the end they will figure out that as long as their child is pleased and content, somehow that is going to be good enough.

A normal person follows society’s instructions, but if you ask me being normal is just boring. So if you do not want to get married, have kids and build the career that people expect, I say: “ It is ok, because at the end of the day looking in the mirror and still being able to recognize yourself is what truly matters. Do not do what everyone else is doing just because it is suitable, safe and predictable. I say go for the unknown, get loose, live a little or a lot, make your own decisions.

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By Aissam El Hani

Morocco World News

Targuist, Morocco, April 29, 2013

Targuist is a small town situated in northern Morocco. It is part of the region of Al Hoceima, and it hosts a population of more than 11,560 according to the 2004 census. Until recently, this town, which once contained the administration of the legend of the Rif, Abdelkarim El Khatabi, was unknown to most Moroccans. In fact, its history was denied by Moroccan historians even though it played a major role during the time of resistance against the Spanish occupation.

It belongs geographically to a region that is known for its drugs production, which is, in turn, smuggled to Europe. Additionally, a substantial number of people used to pass through Traguist to immigrate illegally to Spain.

Thanks to YouTube, Targuist became well-known in Morocco and even at the international level. Everyone came to know it not as a touristic or historic town, but rather as the town of the video sniper. The latter filmed policemen and public reinforcement authorities taking bribes from illegal peddlers and published them on YouTube, which subsequently invited large media attention from different parts of the world. Moroccan authorities arrested the individuals who appeared on his video.

Students from the High School of Targuist came up with an idea that changed a lot of people mind’s about Targuist, especially decision makers, artists and activist organizations. They launched a journal entitled “ Al Jihawia”, the first journal that is based in Targuist and distributed at the national level. Students write about their school, their teachers, their town, as well as issues pertaining to religion and sports.

Mohamed El Wafa, the Minister of Education has appreciated this student-led initiative. “I have heard about this project and without a doubt, I back it for many reasons. The educational system should not merely focus on classroom teaching. What is more important is the extracurricular activities that train students to create links with the outside world,” says Mr. El wafa.

Many others have praised this initiative, including famous Moroccan actors Yassin Ahjam and Kamal Kadimi, and former ministers Rachid Talbi Alami, Nozha Skali, and Yasmina Bado. Perhaps the most encouraging words came from Abelarani Dahdoh, the famous caricaturist of Moroccan newspaper Almasae: ‘’The distance of 1000 miles begins with the first step and with time, we reduce the distance and overcome constraints. Oftentimes school is just the starting point. There is a future for every student who has worked on this project.”

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By Youssef Sourgo

Morocco World News

Casablanca, May 6, 2013

As long as there are people who are in need and others who can give, charitable giving, volunteerism and community service will remain practices that play a vital role in any society.

In all its forms, philanthropy accelerates the pace of development by means of engaging all members of civil society in the process. Helping the impoverished, educating the illiterate, lending a hand to people with physical difficulties or mental health issues are all instances of philanthropic initiatives.

In Morocco, a nation on the path of development, philanthropy is highly crucial. Numerous are those Moroccans who have realized this, and numerous are those who have astounded us with their achievements in humanistic ventures.

The initiative “1001 Wheelchairs for 1001 Smiles” still echoes as an outstanding example of a successful Moroccan philanthropic project. This initiative set the social incorporation of children with physical difficulties as its central aim. The benefiters were Moroccan children who were in need of wheelchairs but could not afford them. Owing to the determination of its initiator and the benignity of all the Moroccans who contributed to it, the initiative “1001 Wheelchairs for 1001 Smiles” succeeded in drawing the promised 1001 smiles on the innocent faces of so many Moroccan children. But who is the person behind this outstanding philanthropic project?

Her name is Doha Benchekchou, a young woman who has chosen the path of the “hope-granter”. She is today recognized for having painted heartwarming smiles on the faces of numerous Moroccan children with physical handicaps. Doha prefers to call them “handi-capable,” in recognition of their tremendous potential, a potential that society sometimes fails to recognize. “The message I want to disseminate through this project is to tell beneficiaries that one might be with special needs, but that does not mean one can’t achieve and be successful. What we need is strong wills, ambition and courage,” she said.

Doha Benchekchou studied management and marketing, but her heart became increasingly inclined towards philanthropic ventures and humanistic endeavors. Her determination and willpower made that all of her social ventures yielded outstanding results, and the initiative “1001 Wheelchairs for 1001 Smiles” remains her greatest achievements. “During a visit to a Moroccan orphanage, I saw so many children with physical difficulties who did not have wheelchairs,” shared Doha Benchekchou with the magazine Citadine, as she explained what motivated her to initiate the ‘1001 Wheelchairs’ project. “I then decided to devote my time to helping children who are as much part of this society as anybody else,” added a determined Benchekchou.

At the very start, her philanthropic project appeared daunting and challenging, but her determination and enthusiasm enabled her to achieve success in less time than what had initially been anticipated. Doha said, “It is our duty as a soceity, regardless of our ranks or affinities, to make a contribution to the betterment of our community. It is our collective and civic responsibility to conduct collaborative and participatory actions.”

Her initiative did not only shed light on the needs of Moroccans with physical handicaps, but also demonstrated the willingness of many Moroccans to take part in the social development of their country, as they generously contributed to her project. Doha Benchekchou still aspires to give more to her country by helping those who are in need of her. Morocco, in turn, is in urgent need of more Doha Benchekchous.

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Have you ever wondered what your life would be without internet? Of course you have. You probably think about all the outdoor activities you accept to attend on Facebook but never actually do. You think: What if there was no internet? I would enjoy my life more, write novels, go out for picnics, travel and meditate. And after all these thoughts go through your mind you go back to, well, the internet.

Two days ago, an article on my Facebook news-feed caught my eye: “I’m still here: back online after a year without the internet.” The writer started his article with the following sentence: “I was wrong.” After reading this first sentence, I thought that his article will to answer my questions.

A year ago, 26-year-old Paul Miller was a technology writer. Because of his job, he continuously found himself dependent on internet. Connected since he was twelve, Miller felt his quick and stressful life style negatively affected him more and more every day. He sensed continuous overwhelming and had enough of it. He wanted to find out for himself how the internet had changed him over the years by studying it "at a distance". “The Verge”, the technology news and media network that he worked for offered to sponsor his adventure. Yes, that’s right, he was planning on living in New York a full year offline. The young man would record his life during that time and share his experiences with others on regular basis. At the end of the year, a documentary would be put together to narrate his experience and his thoughts about it.

He was encouraged to "stop and smell the flowers by a new friend that he made at the beginning of his internet-free adventure. And that is what he intended to do. He described the first months of 2012 as full of surprising events: real life meetings, frisbee, bike rides, and Greek literature. Furthermore, he read a lot, wrote half of his novel, and delivered an essay to The Verge every week. He lost weight and his therapist was proud of his mental state’s progress. New ideas and experiences filled his life. Paul had never felt better.

In addition, his relationships with his family members strengthened. He visited his brother’s family instead of using Skype to communicate with them. He saw his new born nephew for the first time. His sister also enjoyed his attention towards he. She felt that he cared about her, whereas previously she was frustrated by how he always half-listened and half-cared because he was always half-connected. Does this sound familiar to you?

Paul Miller felt that he recovered himself—his true self. He made a lot of new good choices every day. The hypothesis he made was true: he felt a lot better without the internet.

But as the months went by, Paul says he “had learned how to make a new style of wrong choices off the internet”. The learning and creativity turned into passive consumption and social retreat. In other words, instead of reading and writing, he started playing video games for hours on his couch. He also met people and did sports a lot less than before. Moreover, as the only way of communicating with him was to call him, a discharged phone was enough to get his parents worried.  With internet, it was a lot easier to assure people about his life and health. The young man missed some of his Facebook and long-distance friends as well. “I fell out of sync with the flow of life,” Paul regrets.

In the documentary relating to his unique experience, he reached to some of the people he regarded with high esteem for advice about life. Polygon's Justin McElroy made the biggest impact on him. Justin said that his turning point was when he stopped keeping track of his life. He stopped thinking that he was the most important thing in his life. Paul decided then that he needed to make his life about helping others in order to be happy.

I read his long article and watched his documentary at 3 am after a restless day. This motivation came from my desire to discover his journey into the offline world. After all, few people abandoned or reduced their technology use after getting used to it. Like most of you, I am stuck with the internet and might never get the chance to experience my life without it. Therefore, I was impatient to learn Paul’s findings, as I might never be able to reach them myself.

After having spent a year offline, Miller concluded that his experience had failed. He wanted to impact other people’s lives by his findings. His conclusion was that he was “wrong” to blame the internet for his problems because after all, “The internet is where people are”. His problems had deeper reason—internal rather than external reasons.

Paul worries that as a new online year begins, he might lead the same life and commit the same mistakes. But at least, Paul says, he would know that it's not the Internet's fault.

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By Youssef El Kaidi

Morocco World News

Fez, May 11, 2013

Nothing is so repulsive for me like doing paper work in Morocco. Sorry, I’m not exaggerating but it does really give me pains and turns me mad oftentimes. Any official or functionary in whatever public administration is supposed to serve the citizens according to the regulatory laws; first, because that’s his/her job which should be done appropriately and devotedly; and second, because it’s a moral duty.

However, some officials break the institutional and moral law and adopt very authoritarian practices against their fellow citizens to the extent that Moroccan administration has become the hotbed of such imbalances and impurities. The latter do not serve the democratic process of our country, nor seek the values of good governance and rational management in light of the expanded regionalism recently advocated by King Mohammed VI.

Many people, like me, complain about Moroccan administration for its sophisticated legal procedures that sometimes keep you turning in a vicious circle and finally crash your interests. Some people lost their jobs because of the intricate procedures; others missed important dates and opportunities because of procrastination and stalling; many foreign investors have reportedly withdrawn their money from Morocco and sought investment elsewhere for the same reasons. What adds insult to injury in this matter is the behavior of some corrupt officials who take pleasure in humiliating people and retarding their interests.

I have been eyewitness in many cases where human dignity was subjected and law was broken. I have also been the subject of this treatment in different times and places; in fact, they are so many to cite here all. It’s so rare in a public administration to find a smiling official who greets his/her compatriots and serves them politely. Verbal violence and rude language have become very common in our administrations to the extent that the feeling of anxiety and unease haunts you just at the thought of going to do some paper work. Another common practice is bribery that is still rampant, despite the restraining laws in this respect.

If there are social and economic reasons that may push some people to conduct bribery ways to expedite their interests and obtain the services provided by public utilities – they are supposed to be open in face of all citizen on equal footing- the study of this phenomenon proves that there are other reasons including:

First, the administrative bureaucracy that retards the interests of the citizens, especially with regard to the complexities of rules and administrative procedures. Second, the absence of commitment to the rule of law by some public utilities workers. Third, the ineffectiveness of the regulatory agencies which do not control the violations of the law. Fourth, the almost total absence of the culture of evaluation of some administrative bodies in order to improve their performance, overcome their shortcomings, correct their imperfections and rationalize their expenditures.

Until the eradication of these reasons and many others, bureaucracy and the accompanying practices of some public utilities workers are not just braking the wheel of development but also killing people slowly. It’s an unfathomable contradiction to speak of the ‘exception’ of Morocco in terms of democracy and human rights, while these practices are still deeply rooted in our administrations and public utilities.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

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Morocco World News

Fez, May 13, 2013

Many negative phenomena have recently surfaced in our schools where students are actually supposed to acquire the necessary skills and prepare for their future. Student-student, student-teacher and teacher-student violence, for example, has mounted to alarming degrees in our schools and victims continue to fall to the detriment of our education and society.

Another phenomenon which is arguably the mother of all negative phenomena in our schools is drug abuse among students. Teachers repeatedly complain that more students come to school and attend classes drugged in violation of the domestic law of educational institutions.

In fact, there is a scarcity of updated statistical information on the issue of drugs in Moroccan schools: few researches were conducted on the prevalence of drug abuse among students in Morocco. Thus, the phenomenon might be more prevalent in a place than in another. What is certain, however, is that there is a predominance of drug use among boys who have a variety of psychoactive substances to choose from: nargileh, tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, psychotropics (benzodiazepines used without medical prescription), and crack cocaine.

The effects of these poisonous substances on students’ achievement and personal relationships are dramatic. Missing school, staying away from home, having below-average marks, having ineffective communication and misunderstanding with parents and teachers, asking for more pocket money, anxiety, nervousness and behavioral disorders are some of the effects that should alert both the parents and the school authorities.

The elimination of drug consumption among students is not something easy and cannot be the responsibility of the government alone. It’s a problem that requires everyone to be involved: civil society, school authorities, parents, NGOs etc. Struck by the degree of the problem, the government has prioritized the fight against drug dealers - especially hallucinogenic drugs traffickers – who supply drugs to our students.

In a guideline sent in March to the various prefectures and security services in the kingdom, the minister of interior insisted on the increase of the pace of tracking drug dealers around schools. The official also stressed the need to provide security presence near schools around the clock.

These preventive measures taken by the ministry of interior are not enough if they are not accompanied by complete mobilization and awareness-raising campaigns through public media, and social networks. Teaching pupils the dangers of drug consumption, building bridges with parents, creating support groups within schools, creating drug-free zones around schools with harsher penalties for drug dealers, enforcing the law of age limit for the purchase of tobacco and alcohol- which exists since January 2009 but not respected- are some of the measures that could yield positive results and save our youth.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

By Omar Bihmidine

Morocco World News

Sidi Ifni, Morocco, May 16, 2013

Given the fact that Morocco's Ministry of Health still turns a blind eye to the importance of psychological health in Morocco, many Moroccans continue to suffer from many psychological health problems. A number of psychologists have warned of the destructive impact that this neglect has on Moroccans' lives, as reported by Moroccan TV channel Medi 1 TV.

While the majority of Moroccans are not well aware of the dangers of letting their unsteady psychological moods go unexamined professionally, the Health Ministry adds insult to injury by not raising Moroccans' awareness about the issue. It should come as no surprise, then, that the number of victims who fall prey to psychological problems is on the rise.

In an interview with Medi1 TV, a Moroccan father said that, “the environment in which people are brought up determines the nature of their psychological health.” "Parents and society must play a role to prevent the spread of this health problem,” he added.

With regards to the reasons lying behind this debilitating health phenomenon, a Moroccan woman argued that, “the hardships of all forms under which most Moroccans are currently living seriously affect their mental and psychological health.”

"Loss of dignity is, among other things, behind this serious problem, “ a young Moroccan also told the channel.

Some other Moroccans argue that psychology specialists and mental health doctors are extremely rare, particularly since the majority of Moroccans deem the act of seeking help for their psychological health a shame.

Whereas some educated Moroccans take the initiative to seek doctors’ help, attributing not doing so and feelings of embarrassment to culture, others go on to place the blame on the Health Ministry for ignoring and neglecting this integral part of people's health.

It is worth noting that among the serious effects of ignoring psychological health problems is that the victims begin to lead unsteady, miserable and depressing lives to the extent that committing suicide is considered by many as the last resort or solution.

Resorting to and consulting private doctors, some other Moroccans argue, is beyond the financial means of the poor masses.

Specialists on the issue also have their say. In an interview with Morocco World News, Radi Hafidi, a Moroccan philosophy teacher, said that, “psychological illness is a serious disease that must be cured if one is determined to live a dignified, comfortable life.”

"The heart of the matter is that people with psychological health problems are losing much of their life without being aware of it, " Hafidi added.

By Youssef Sourgo

Morocco World News

Casablanca, June 4, 2013

A Moroccan, aged 31, was murdered by his best friend for an MP3 player in the rural commune of Zaouiat Ben Hamida, in Essaouira province, the Moroccan daily Aujourd’hui le Maroc reported on Tuesday. 

The corpse of Hamid J., the victim, was discovered by his mother, who passed out instantly at the sight of her son drowning in his own blood and stripped off his clothes inside a traditional mill.

Accordingly, members of the Royal Gendarmerie in Essaouira rushed instantly to the scene, where they collected all evidence before carrying out a thorough investigation to find Hamid’s murderer.

After interrogating all of his relatives and friends, detectives from the Royal Gendarmerie noticed the absence of his 26-year old best friend, Mohamed M. T., who was then found hiding in a deserted building, his clothes tarnished with blood.

After interrogating him, Mohammed admitted having killed his friend Hamid for an Mp3 player because he had refused to lend it to him. He added that they were both drunk, and that they slept together before vehemently quarreling about Hamid’s mp3.

“I killed him with just a few knife stabs,” he said.

By Youssef Sourgo

Morocco World News

Casablanca, June 13, 2013

Human Rights Watch (HRW), the international non-governmental organization for human rights advocacy, lamented children’s working conditions in Morocco in a report it has recently issued, entitled “A solitary Servitude: Children’s domestic labor in Morocco.”

The report shed light on the “lamentable” working conditions of children in the kingdom, characterized by low wages, long working hours, physical and verbal abuse, as well as non-compliance with the Moroccan law that prohibits the employment of children under the age of 15.

The report also lamented the working conditions of housemaids in Morocco. Aged only 8 years old, those young housemaids reportedly “endure physical abuse and work long hours for meager wages.”

In this regard, HRW noted that “working children – most of whom are girls – work more than 12 hours a day and 7 days a week for wages as low as $ 11 per month.”

545 DHs per month, which is the wage of those working young girls, is less than a quarter of the minimum monthly wage set for this sector, which is fixed at DH 2333.

“If the Labour Code sets 44 hours of work as an average for most workers, this does not cover working children,” HRW deplored.

By Omar Bihmidine

Morocco World News

Sidi Ifni, June 13, 2013

With the advent of technology, life has been made easier for many people, including teachers and students. Use of technology has become an integral part of quality-based education all over the world. Yet, this does not necessarily mean that it will serve us well all the time.  Technology, like most tools that represent societal “progress”, has both advantages and drawbacks.

It all depends on how we use it. Think of distance learning. If it were not for this blessing called technology, no one would benefit from this kind of learning. At the same time, think of 'distance cheating'. If it were not for advanced technology, such sophisticated cheating would be impossible, and it would not be plaguing our schools the way it does today.

We often hear that Moroccans are technologically inclined. Some of them are even known as technological geniuses, that rare breed of IT masters. A good example of this is the presence of Moroccan hackers on the notorious Israeli pirating website (among others). Did you  hear about the Moroccans who stole money from foreign bank accounts? Have you heard of the Moroccans living abroad? They show their genius on a daily basis working in the fields of information technology, research, and science for powerhouses like NASA.  

Despite all of this positive progress, our education system is simply not moving forward.  We have not heard that technology which contributes considerably to the world's education has improved our education system. This technology and IT training have improved global society perhaps, but my question is: has it improved our education system?

It is a real pity that many Moroccan youths misuse technology. They use it, not necessarily to research areas of knowledge, but to hack into someone’s Facebook account or to sell pirated DVDS. They use it, not necessarily to share knowledge and help produce it, but to comment on a photo and use Photoshop to change it. They use it to cheat, copy exam photos, and to invade other individuals’ privacy. They don’t utilize the immense wealth of information on the Internet, for example, to expand their knowledge of the world around them. They use it as a lazy short cut to alleged “success.”

They use it, not necessarily to create pages where students learn from one another, study, exchange knowledge, but to “like” of Baccalaureate leak exams, copy answers and send them to their friends and classmates who are taking the exams.

Instead of using this power for the purpose of learning and improving our ignominious educational levels, some Moroccan students have tarnished the image of our education system even more by cheating and helping others cheat. The crux of the matter is that the exceptional students who truly succeed are negatively affected by the increasing number of cheaters. There is solidarity in cheating, not in learning, when it comes to Moroccan youth.

Whether we like it or not, more cheating cases have been recorded, and the fact that Morocco's Minister of Education, Mohamed El Ouafa, himself admitted to the cases, simply gives us the impression that more cheating has gone unrecorded in other parts of Morocco.

Some might say that we must not generalize and say that cheating is everywhere in Moroccan schools. However, in my experience, it really is a frighteningly ubiquitous phenomenon. A large number of students are simply waiting for the opportunity to cheat. And if they are given this chance, they will not hesitate to cheat. This is a deep rooted problem relating to our education system, but also relating to our code of ethics in everyday life. A very small number of students adopt the principle not to cheat. Cheating, for poor students, is an escape. Cheating, for these students, is a new form of success. Cheating, for such students, is, strange as it may seem,the key to higher education. Cheating, be it traditional or distant, leads to undeserved success.

In the presence of a deplorable education system, students mistake undeserved success for deserved success. And the recruiting committee mistakes Baccalaureate diplomas for certificates of success. The Ministry of Education, for its part, mistakes an average percentage of success on Baccalaureate exams as a sign of progress in Morocco’s education system. They, also, are looking for easy and fast solutions to challenging problems.

Parents themselves go on to say that their children have succeeded without knowing that their success is a result of dishonesty.  Nearly everyone is tricked into believing that cheating is the exception, not the rule.  

If the majority of students honestly succeed, as many claim, then our education system must at least obtain an average ranking in the world's education ranking. But, in fact, it does not. Since the majority of students in some way or another cheat, our education reforms are continuously deemed a failure and the recruiting committee continues to be astounded by the staggeringly low level of diploma holders and qualified candidates.

Only monitors at universities, high schools and primary schools can really testify to the number of cheaters. UNESCO bases its reports on the field trips and visits it pays to these monitors, whereas our Ministry bases its reports of success on numbers and percentages.

Here, we may ask: Can only the students be held accountable for the massive spread of cheating? Of course not! The Ministry of Education has taught students this culture of cheating when it itself cheats them by not teaching them well. In other words, is it really so shocking that our students have resorted to cheating when our government has utterly failed to foster a successful learning environment with properly trained teachers and well-thought out curriculum?  

How can we expect students not to cheat if they are not properly taught how to learn? How can we expect students not to cheat if the Ministry recruits and sends untrained and unqualified teachers into classrooms? How can we expect students not to cheat when they know that success at Moroccan schools is the only key to higher education and a better life?  This is ultimately a systemic problem of dishonesty and corruption at all level of Moroccan society. How can we expect students to be honest, when our government is not?

Let us teach students appropriately and show them the importance of deserved success in education. We must investigate the motives that lead students to cheat instead of simply looking at the cheating cases. All of us, psychologists, sociologists, psychiatrists, educators, trainers, must attempt to fully comprehend this phenomenon. Without coming to grips with the cheating phenomenon, we cannot succeed in eradicating it.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

©Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

By Omar Bihmidine

Morocco World News

Sidi Ifni, June 18, 2013

One of the contradictions of Morocco is that whenever our officials suggest organizing a music festival where people sing and dance, sponsors hasten to leave their personal touch, provinces fund the event and the government lends its ears to the needs of the singers and the organizers behind the music festival.

However, when some Moroccan volunteers, including teachers, think of organizing an event that would benefit students and help them improve their communication skills in preparation for the job market, delegations and provinces usually turn a deaf ear and sponsors play truant.

Here, one may wonder about this imbalance and go on to ask why music events are given such importance, whereas cultural events where students learn and develop themselves receive little attention from us. Is it because music events are more important to Moroccans' lives than cultural events are?

Moroccan youth have attended enough music festivals, and it is high time they attended cultural events. No doubt, the scarcity of the latter is due to poor funding. And if a cultural event proves a success, it is usually because there are some altruistic Moroccans behind it.

In fact, there are a number of reasons behind the government’s withdrawal from funding and supporting events where students develop their communication skills. One of them is its irresponsible policy to leave the future of students unattended and to offer only blind alleys on their way to excellence. Proof is the scanty amount of golden opportunities that students can seize. Meanwhile, the number of music festivals organized annually is staggeringly high, particularly because funding is always at the organizers' disposal.

Another reason is the policy adopted by some high-ranking officials that students must dance and sing instead of learning and boosting their general culture. They must enjoy themselves at night rather than read by day; they must fall under the spell of music rather than fall under the book's spell; they must be entranced by the musicality and the charming elegance of singers rather than be enthralled by Western geniuses that have taken strides in human development.

No one is against singing. The point here is that our Moroccan youth and students need to strike a balance between their academic  and personal life. Funding musical events while ignoring cultural ones is undoubtedly unfair.

Morocco World News recently talked to Rachid Abaazi, president of Aznzar-n-Tafoukt Association for Culture and Art, about the highly-acclaimed cultural events his association organized from April 4 to June 4, 2013 in Sidi Ifni. Abaazi, a teacher of English and social activist, received a standing ovation from his colleagues for his remarkable contributions to helping students of Sidi Ifni boost their communications skills at three living languages: English, French and Spanish.

Given the fact that Moroccan students of today fail to master these languages and to be communicative enough during their school days, Abazzi worked hard to fill the void and invite two Spanish volunteers (Antonio Gerrero and Ivonne Torres), one English volunteer (Kaya Ver Der Menlen) from the Netherlands, and one Belgian volunteer (Olivier Chaltin). These volunteers taught the three languages to students for free for nearly two months.

Yet, according to Abazzi, the local authorities, including the Delegation of the Ministry of Education, neglected the event. The attempts Abazzi made to contact the sponsors and the state fund-raisers came to no fruition.

In an interview with MWN, Abazzi said, "I have brought four volunteers to teach students communication in three languages for free, but the volunteers needed lodging, food, Internet, trips, and return ticket payment. I cannot pay for all that. Isn't it more than enough that I did my job? The ball is in delegation's court."

Failing to get any support to complete this noble mission, Abazzi did not give up hope. His association asked students to get membership cards for 100 Dhs so that he could solve the problem. "Now that students pay 100 dhs for their classes, the volunteers felt more at ease. Still, this is not enough. Why wouldn’t the delegation and province fund this communication project just as it does with musical events and trivial celebration gatherings? Our students are in dire need to improve their skills at communications, "Abazzi told MWN.

In the presence of our deplorable education system, many associations like Abazzi's take the initiative to help poor students and offer them free-of-charge classes, especially in poor areas. However, just as the government supports and advertises events of music and dancing, it must also think about education, the most powerful tool of change in the world, and have mercy on the students who are in danger of facing unemployment because of their handicapped communication skills.

"I contacted the delegate of the Ministry of Education in Sidi Ifni, but in vain. My association contacted the province, too. We contacted the municipality of Sidi Ifni. But we were offered only empty promises.  If it were not for our willingness, perseverance and patience, we would not have succeeded in this project. Fortunately, the success of the project has received a standing ovation from many families in Sidi Ifni, "Abazzi told MWN.

This communication project, which has benefited 120 students in Sidi Ifni center, has drawn the city dweller's attention to the fact that more projects must be undertaken if they care about the future of students, tomorrow's men and women of change.

The mastering of foreign languages, the high-ranking officials and decision-makers at the Ministry of Education must be bear in mind, is an indispensable gateway to a bright future for today's students.

"Thanks to the project which was organized at Moulay Driss High School, most poor students have learned to express themselves in English, French and Spanish freely and easily. Here, I am calling on responsible officials and the country's decision makers to intervene and contribute to the voluntary work we are doing here," Abazzi added.

Nobody can deny that voluntary work pays off. We all know that voluntary work must not be aimed at rewards and gifts. It must at the very least be accompanied with funding and claps from everyone. Voluntary work must not go unrewarded in terms of support, encouragement, motivation, and inspiration from others. Reward, here, means admitting that we are men and women of change for one another.

"Certificates of encouragement and standing by us during our humane projects are all that we need. We are not seeking gains behind our mission. We are simply seeking financial support to help others for free," Abazzi stressed.

Edited by Allison Kraemer

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

Do not deceive yourselves by chasing the ghosts inside the kingdom of despair and pessimism, and do not waste your time and energy playing imaginative games and running behind the void.

Life is a dream, and our dreams are what determine the kind of life we will live and the kind of future we will build.

Paulo Coelho, the famous Brazilian writer, wrote in The Pilgrimage that “we must never stop dreaming. Dreams provide nourishment for the soul, just as a meal does for the body. Many times in our lives we see our dreams shattered and our desires frustrated, but we have to continue dreaming. If we don't our soul dies". What a tragedy to live a soulless life and a meaningless existence. Dreams are the power that motivates us to face the challenges and to fly in the open horizons of success, prosperity and fame.

Without them, the world is but a prison where our talents, skills and potentials are shackled, and a cage where our wings break and where we live as prisoner of the self and of the others.

Without dreams, our life is but a cemetery where we are burying ourselves without knowing, and a tomb we dig with our hands and minds knowingly or unknowingly. I often feel sad when I see our students who have spent more than ten years inside schools without having clear dreams in mind, and who have not yet decided what they want to be and what they are living for.

This is a bitter reality; most of our pupils find it hard to talk in public about their dreams. The answer we usually get when asking them, "what do you want to be in the future?” is, "I don't know".

We are not taught to talk about our dreams and because of this some people think that it is a bad thing to dream, or that dreaming is consistent with being weak, and feminine. ‘Only girls dream’, some people say.

On the contrary, the worst disease that ruins ourselves and our energies is the fact that we do not dream and we do not dream the big dreams.

It is a shame not to know your goals and dreams in life. It is a crime against yourself and your community not to know where the trains of study and life are taking you to and in what direction and destination are you heading to.

When we avoid talking about our dreams, we stop watering the flowers and the roots of our life. The grass of hope gets dry, the leaves of hope and aspirations fall one after one, and the flowers of values and humanity withers.

“When we renounce our dreams and find peace, we go through a short period of tranquility. But the dead dreams begin to rot within and infect our entire being. We become cruel to those around us, and then we begin to direct this cruelty against ourselves. That’s when illnesses and psychoses arise’, Paulo Coelho says.

Thus, dreaming, and only dreaming is the best way to cure our hearts and mind, to change our vision of the world, to avoid mental and psychic illnesses and to live free, independent and happy.

Parents and teachers should teach their kids to dream and to talk about their dreams and think about them. Without dreams we are dead, rotting and meaningless.

’You may say I am a dream,

But I am not the only one,

I hope one day you’ll join us

And the world will be as one”

Edited by Allison Kraemer

By Omar Bihmidine

Morocco World News

Sidi Ifni, Morocco, June 24, 2013

Hafid Rguibi is a member of the Moroccan Center for Research in Human Rights and Media Studies. As a teacher of philosophy in Sidi Ifni, Mr. Rguibi has contributed considerably to the field of human rights studies through taking part and organizing events at both local and national levels.

Recently, Morocco World New interviewed Hafid Rguibi about the right to have access to information, one of the hotly debated issues the current government is tackling nowadays. The debate of the right to access information has recently gained paramount importance all over the world and has pushed many countries to re-consider their rankings in terms of granting its citizen this right.

MWN: What do you think about the draft law project prepared by the Moroccan government to regulate the right to have access to information?

Hafid Rguibi: The draft law 13-31, which the government recently brought to the parliament for discussion, has come to implement Chapter 27 of the constitution. Here, the law aims at recognizing citizen's inalienable rights to access and obtain information from the public administrations, state institutions and everyone in charge of important information. This law must be codified in tandem with some of the international terms featured in article 10 of the Anti-Corruption International Convention, 2003.

Among the reasons leading to this rampant secrecy in our administration are: expanding exceptions, extending deadlines, light penalties, and spreading some generalizing, meaningless phrases. In this regard, adopting some public policies that go against the principles of openness, transparency and accountability have also confiscated the right of citizens to obtain the necessary information. This is all for the purpose of fighting corruption as much as we can. It is worth mentioning that procuring this right will serve all citizens, particularly seekers of information.

MWN: How can we then attain transparency via the dissemination and flow of information?

Hafid Rguibi: First of all, the matter needs strict implementation of the law. Only then will we be able to see "the right to have access to information" being enjoyed by citizens. We also need to limit the exceptions, which must be justified in the most legitimate and accurate way possible. Here, a balance must be struck between the common good and private interest. Most importantly, we must implement the law properly and entrench in people's minds the trait of transparency in imparting, disseminating and sharing information. This right is considered to play a crucial role in preserving freedom of media and freedom of expression. The latter helps enhance democracy and achieve societal developments in all forms.

MWN: Are there any international criteria and standards that this law must possess in order to be implemented properly?

Hafid Rguibi: For sure, there are standards and criteria that must be adopted to pass the law that regulates citizens' right to have access to information. Some of the standards are adopted from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights. UNESCO set a model law for this mission. It is also recommended to learn from the experiences of more developed countries that have already taken this stride.

Under the name of RTI Rating, Access Info and the Center of Law and Democracy are seeking to evaluate the quality of "the right to access information" laws. These organizations investigate different countries and consult experts on this field. This rating system relies on a methodology that includes 61 indicators and covers seven fields. So far, the ranking has covered 93 countries that already passed this law of procuring information. In this regard, Serbia ranks first with 150/135 points, then followed by India with 150/130 points. The only three Arab countries covered by the rating so far are: Yemen (105 points), Tunisia (89 points) and Jordan (56 points). Yemen ranks 19th out of 91 countries, Tunisia ranks 41^st, and Jordan 88th.

MWN: How about Morocco?

Hafid Rguibi: Morocco is in the process of preparing the law. The parliament discussed the law project, which was prepared by the government. This clearly means that the issue is in the hands of the Moroccan parliament. The mind-blogging choice here is: Either the Moroccan government makes amendments and passes a law that will allow citizens to benefit from the information they need, or Morocco will still retain its lagging ranking. By the way, Morocco will undoubtedly join the leading countries the moment Moroccans are granted the right to have access to information. We sincerely hope this. It will be a clear sign that Morocco is on the path towards democracy.

Edited by Allison Kraemer

By Mouhcine Abdechchafi

Morocco World News

Tinghir, Morocco, June 27, 2013

It is true that every single geographical area in Morocco is unique when it comes to celebrating the wedding ceremony. All over the regions of the country, the wedding ceremony is celebrated in a manner that is altogether distinct as each region has its own ways of doing so. Within the region of the southeast of Morocco, this ceremony is celebrated in a completely different way from other regions. However, Tinghir, which makes part of the southeastern region of Morocco, celebrates the wedding ceremony in a different way from other areas of the same region.

In Tinghir the wedding ceremony used to be celebrated for eight consecutive days. But, nowadays the number of almost any wedding party is reduced to three days. Just some fifteen years ago, as I still remember though still younger by then, the wedding ceremony would last for eight days to the extent that there were guests from other tribes that were relatively far from Tinghir. Yet, because of economic problems and because people no longer like to spend much time on such things, they now celebrat it in just three  days.

Engagement ceremony

In the past, when a man was ready to get married his parents usually used to look for a suitable girl for him. Nowadays, things have positively changed as men can at last opt for the girl they wish instead of another one being imposed on them by their parents.

When the man eventually finds the girl he wants to pass the rest of his life with, he has got just to inform his parents to accompany him to see if she and her family agree. In that day, the man and his parents pay a visit to the girl’s family bringing with them some presents in terms of sticks of sugar and henna. After an introductory conversation between the two families, the man’s parents try to be straightforward. If the girl refuses, the man and his parents just leave her house.

 Though the girl refuses, the man and his parents, as a tradition, do not take back the gifts they had brought as a sign that nothing had changed.

If the girl accepts to be engaged to that man, her parents ask her to prepare a cup of tea and bring it to the guests so that they can manage to have a swift, last glance at her face and complexion.

When the two parties reach an agreement, they directly go to the notary’s to make things legal so the newlyweds can ask each other out whenever they please even before marriage.

Wedding ceremony

In the first day of the wedding which is termed “As’hmi,” and earlier in the morning the butcher comes to slaughter a cow or a bull. In the first day, there should be no sign that there is a wedding ceremony in the tribe till the evening when only the neighbors and relatives of the family are invited to dinner.

When guests arrive, after a brief recitation of the holly Quran, they assign a certain person among them to take charge of preparing tea for them. Every now and then during that night, guests are served some small pieces of bread and some barbecues made of the cow or the bull’s liver mixed with some grease.

This type of barbecues is referred to as “Toutliwin.” Having finished with those barbecues, guests finally would be served the main dish of that day which is Couscous with some edible innards of the cow or bull.

When the guests are finished with their meal, they directly go outdoors to play some “Ahidous” (Amazigh music).” In the beginning, they start playing alone and sing a certain song through which they ask the mother of the bride or the groom to call upon some women and girls to come and play with them. The men and women divide into two relatively big lines: a line comprised of women and another of men. Then, they begin to sing songs called “Izlan.”

In the second day of the wedding which is called “Tikfaf” meaning “presents,” inhabitants of the tribe are invited to lunch. As a tradition, preachers are served first as they come to lunch at an early time: between 9:30 and 11 O’clock. They first recite as much Quran as they can manage and this small recitation is called “S’lekt.”

When the preachers are finished with their meal, other men of the tribe come in crowds to lunch in their turn. Before having the main dish, men as usual assign somebody to prepare tea for them. Habitually, the assigned person refuses in the very beginning as sort of modesty but eventually gives in.

In the same day, women also come to lunch at 3:00 O’clock, that is, after men have left. Before having lunch and after drinking some cups of tea, women indulge in playing “Ahidous” but this time without men. Usually, some women volunteer to dance before others when they are asked by either other women or by the bride or groom’s mother. Finally, after playing “Ahidous”, they eat their lunch and leave.

In the night of the same day, men and women come back to have dinner. This time they have their dinner at the same time but not in the same room because the inhabitants of this area are conservatives. But, prior to having dinner at a time in the evening, cars come in successions bringing presents in terms of cases of flour, boxes containing sticks of sugar, rams, blankets, and even music bands, etc. At that time, horns of the cars permeates the entire tribe. Finally, all the guests get in and have dinner before they go outside and play “Ahidous” once again with women. The “Ahidous” often lasts till a late in the night.

In the third and last day of the wedding which is called “Tanaka”, only relatives and guests from the neighboring tribes are invited to lunch and dinner. The traditions that precede and follow each meal are all the time the same.

In the night of that last day, some few members of the groom’s family use their cars to bring the bride to her house. When that group of people, who are called “Issnayen” are near the house of the bride, they start tooting as sign for them to get prepared to bid farewell to their daughter. When the groom’s family gets to the bride’s house, they would be warmly received by her family members and all the other members of her tribe as young boys start to yell and women start to ululate.

The newlyweds’ family and tribe members combine together and play “Ahidous” waiting for the bride and groom to have some photos with their relatives. Then, as many cars picking up the bride’s family and tribe members follow the car picking up the bride in a succession and start launching their cars’ horns on their way till they get to the groom’s house. They start playing “Ahidous” once again while some volunteers from the groom and bride’s families or close friends unload some stuff the bride is often entailed to bring to her new house like blankets, beds, mattresses, carpets, big mirrors, quilts, etc.

When the bed is ready, the bride and groom get into their room and have some privacy. At that moment which is termed “Guit N’tmghra” the groom is required to rid his bride of her virginity forever. Finally, celebrations continue to a late time in the night and some cases till the down.

By Tarik Elbarakah

Morocco World News

Agadir, June 28, 2013

When I was covering the 10^th edition of Timitar (signs in Tamazight) festival taking place in the beautiful city of Agadir (southern Morocco), I came across shocking examples that the LOCAL GUY, be it a journalist, artist…you name it, is always taken for granted and that French is truly the official language of Morocco.

As any journalist willing to cover such an big event with artists coming from all over the globe, I had to contact the person in charge with the press and see whether it is possible to get an accreditation that would allow me to participate in the events, enter the backstage and meet the performers.

I dialed the number of the press secretary several times but faced with the same reply over and over again: NETWORK BUSY! I waited long enough to attempt one more time and this time someone really answered.

It was a soft female voice coming through the phone with an articulate French that actually drove me to check the name again to see if the lady I’m about to talk to is French, not a Moroccan. But a quick look at the family name got me to realize that yes she is a Moroccan but a Moroccan from an exclusive breed.

Anyway, I introduced myself politely as a journalist, not a full-fledged journalist though, since I’m still a journalism undergraduate. I asked to be granted an access to the pre-shows, the press conferences and the concerts. It took me about 10 seconds to say all that.

The lady in charge of PR and the press seemed to be in a hurry. “I’m busy, try to reach someone else”, she said with her big French after I asked a simple question with our first constitutional language: Arabic.

You would say that’s understandable behavior, it is the year’s event of the city for Godsake! She is not in the mood to hear your  nonsense. Yes true, but the manner in which she responded from her ivory tower-after I said I’m a local journalist-proved to me that Moroccans don’t respect each other and that we are pseudo-citizens in the eyes of those so-called high circles elite!

0.14 seconds, it was the duration of the entire phone call. 10 of them were mine so do the math! That’’s the time given to the LOCAL GUY, that’s how much important we are in our own country. I have been accustomed to such practices from people who have the illusion of knowledge but who are in fact just a bunch of ignoramuses.

After checking the official website of the festival to see this year’s program I was amazed of the fact that it is all written in French. The festival’s name is signs but I didn’t detect any sign of any other language but Her Majesty: the French language. Correct me if I’m mistaken but I believe the constitution of this country states that Arabic and Tamazight are both and equally the official languages of Morocco not French.

Are they too busy to include a language option at the upper right corner or at the bottom of the page? No, in fact they aren’t. They are just careless or (pardon my French) don’t give a damn about it.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy.

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