Nador - We do what we publicly denounce. We criticize what we believe. We defend what we doubt. And we teach what we hate. The humane principles and values we have been taught seem illusory in contemporary life.

Philosophy admits that the human being is a very complex creature. The intricacy of this tiny creature goes far beyond the simplistic personal traits they possess. Marxist creed deems that the human history is a history of correcting human mistakes, which, henceforth, implies that people are born to make errors and devote their lives to correcting them, all the while making new ones.

The complexity of our character is a benchmark that identifies our overall personal beliefs and behaviors. Teachers look untrained, doctors impolite, drivers disrespectful, politicians hypocritical, employees unpunctual, beggars mischievous, students irresponsible…etc.

In a stark confrontation between claims and deeds, we do not practice what we endorse in public as the principles upon which our existence and mission are founded. We all damn the late arrival of someone we have an appointment with or a civil servant being late to his office, while we ourselves often arrive late to our homes, schools, or workplaces.

We ask people for the truth, but we lie almost as often as we inhale. We say our little white lies are excusable, and that they harm nobody. We teach our kids that liars go to hell, but we tell unwanted callers that we are asleep.

We sleep in train compartments at night, depriving passengers of seats, yet we curse and denounce the lack of seats if we are standing in a crammed line.

We become more severe, authoritative, and corrupt as we acquire more education and receive advanced academic certificates. We tend to forget the first steps in our career and the ones who stood by our side for success. We demean people who ask us for help.

We teach students and children respect and politeness, but our behavior becomes harsher the first day we get a position of authority and an air-conditioned office. We watch in private what we condemn in front of our family and friends. We become less generous as we acquire greater fortune.

We commit crimes and sins, then we raise our right hand and swear before the public that we were not involved in them, and cry for our lost innocence. We accuse people of things we are not certain of and dread being accused of things we have indeed done.

Yet, we all believe we will be forgiven and sent to heaven, for the mercy of Allah is greatest.

The paradox in our character is inexplicable. How do we think? Who controls our deeds? Why do we think in white and behave in black? Shouldn’t we be more reasonable if we pretend to be able to distinguish the good from the bad?

Freud states that we are composed of three forces: two, the id and super-ego, are in constant conflict while the third, the ego, reconciles them to maintain the cohesion of personality. However, Freud did not account for the weird enmity between the mind and our actions, at least for us Moroccans.

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Taroudant - A recent study sponsored by Atlanta Assurances on Moroccans’ perception of happiness revealed that Moroccans are happy when they have “peace of mind.”

Ipsos, a global market research company, surveyed about 2,100 individuals aged 25 to 64 to find out what makes Moroccans happy — what are their joyful moments? According to the survey, Moroccans are happy when they have “peace of mind.”

"Many would have thought that money would be the secret to Moroccans’ happiness,” said Nabil Abouzaid, CEO of Ipsos Morocco, at a press conference held on Tuesday in order to unveil the results of the survey on happiness. However, “the survey revealed that happiness for Moroccans lies in their peace of mind," he said.

"This confirms that happiness among Moroccans, like all universal definitions, remains strongly linked to soul-searching,” the survey found.

The survey results reported that peace of mind (36%), health (26%), stability (15%), and then money (14%) are the top criteria for happiness among Moroccans.

Health (96%), worship (80%) and family (70%) are the main sources of happiness among Moroccans.

The survey found that the more advanced in age Moroccans were, the more they focused on religion, and that the family is much more important to those in lower socio-economic classes.

The study also revealed that children's success in school is a source of delight for parents, while the blessing of parents is most cherished and sought after among the younger.

El Boukili Ahmed, a university professor and researcher in Islamic studies, said that the study highlights the close connection between Moroccan culture and religion.

"In the imagination of Moroccans, the Hajj remains the most profound expression of spirituality," he said.

While many economists suggest that a person’s welfare is based only upon material wealth, and thus only the growth of gross domestic product (GDP) can measure a nation’s happiness, this survey shows that true happiness depends upon more complicated social, religious, and psychological factors.

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New York - Moroccan American Iman Oubou was crowned last Sunday Miss New York 2015. Iman will represent the state of New York in the Miss United States, which will be held next July in Washington D.C.

With the crowning achievement, New York has two beauty queens, each of them representing a different production organization: Thatiana Diaz who was crowned Miss New York USA 2015 last Janaury and Iman Oubou who won the title of Miss New York United States 2015.

The winner of Miss USA participates in Miss Universe and Miss Unites States will participate in Miss World.

"Just to clarify: I am Miss New York United States NOT Miss New York USA - they are two different systems and people seem to confuse both," she told Morocco World News.

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Rabat - Eleven volunteers from around Morocco will showcase their work with women's associations and cooperatives on Saturday in Rabat. Their work will be presented by the U.S. Embassy-ENACTUS Young Social Entrepreneurs Program.

The volunteers are recent college graduates and current university students from Morocco who spent eight months sharing their skills to support women’s cooperatives in their regions: Tiznit, Marrakesh, Azrou, Ain Chegag, Oujda, Chefchaouen and Ouarzazate.

Providing mentoring for the volunteers were: two U.S. Peace Corps volunteers, Dan Driscoll, also founder of The Anou and Rahama Wright, also founder SheaYelee, as well as ENACTUS’ Country Coordinator, Adnane Addioui and Program Manager, Touria Benlafqih.

The program is organized by the U.S. Embassy Morocco’s Public Affairs Office in collaboration with ENACTUS. The eleven volunteers were selected to help support women's NGOs in remote areas and assist them with developing their civic work.

During the program’s past eight months, the volunteers attended training workshops, led by experts in the field of social entrepreneurship. They focused on engaging Moroccan youth in women’s work, marketing, project development, and general aspects of social entrepreneurship.

During the training, volunteers learned how to measure community needs. They met with David Greene, acting charge, Majid El Ghaib, ENACTUS Chairman, Michele Baron, Economic Section representative and Ministry of Handcraft members including Boubker Mazoz, "Chef de Cabinet." The volunteers also engaged in a Skype presentation with the U.S. Embassy’s Dr. Ira Kaufman on the topic of "Successful Social Entrepreneurship in the Digital Age."

Volunteers felt great inspiration and were highly motivated to succeed during their service. The aim of the program is not only to share information with women's NGOs, but to also introduce tools and skills to help empower their organizations. The program also focuses on building trust and creating stable relationships between all of the participants.

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By Amine Mechaal

Rabat - Abdelmounaim Benakki, 16-year-old high school student, was the only Moroccan delegate to represent Morocco in the “Change the World Model United Nations Conference,” which was held from March 19^th to 25^th at the United Nations headquarters in New York city.

Change the World Model United Nations Conference (CWMUNC) is an annual series of international conferences organized in different countries around the world, such as Russia – UAE, and Italy. It brings together thousands of delegates from all over the world who debate different international political issues, like the real United Nations delegates.

CWMUNC is a Model UN conference in which, through the Future Leaders Program, students can simulate the activity of the G20, the Board of the World Bank, and the Board of the International Monetary Fund. Each year, the CWMUNC addresses one of the most pressing topics on the international agenda.

Past topics have included global warming and climate change, water shortages and sanitation, peace and security, human rights, poverty and hunger, social and economic development, and globalization. During the conference, students from different countries work together in order to develop concrete solutions to the matters under discussion, as if they were in a real world forum, studying and discussing key geopolitical issues.

“I heard some of my friends talking about the Model United Nations conferences in general. I took a quick look on the Internet to know more about it and then I found the CWMUNC, which was very interesting. I applied for it and I received an e-mail from the organizing committee telling me that I was accepted,” Abdelmounaim told Morocco World News. “I was very surprised to be the first and only Moroccan to participate in such conference.”

This year’s conference was held in New York City from March 19^th to 25^th, and witnessed the participation of more that 2000 high school and university students coming from different countries around the world.

“This experience was the best thing that I have ever experienced in my whole life. Going to New York and participating in such conference at the headquarters of the United Nations is not something that happens to you everyday,”  Abdelmounaim said. “It was a dream at the beginning, but then I realized that impossible is nothing.”

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Tunis - The World Social Forum of 2015 was held in Tunisia from March 24^th through March 28^th. The theme of the event differed greatly from the event held in 2013, which was considered to be of a “revolutionary” theme. This year, the World Social Forum focused on the idea of “no to terrorism.”

Abderrahmane Hedhili stated in a press conference, held in Tunis last week, “March 18^th, (the date of the Bardo Museum attack) was a turning point for us. After this tragedy, we have sought ways to maintain the mobilization of foreign organizations and to reassure participants. We’ve directed the activities towards fighting against terrorism.” Hedhili is the President of the Tunisian Forum of Economic and Social Rights (TFESR).

4,500 non-Tunisian associations participated in the World Social Forum (WSF) in 2015, in contrast to 6,000 in 2013. Among the activities, more than 1,200 were devoted to culture.

To denounce the attack at the Bardo Museum, Tunisians and foreigners mobilized to organize a series of cultural events. At the 31^st Annual Book Fair in Tunis, held from March 27th to April 5th, the "old intellectuals" flocked to the book tents in Kram Place to discuss various issues, including terrorism. Youth presence was most notable at the Manar campus.

"Usually we organize one march. This time, the anti-globalization participants organized two marches in support of Tunisian and Palestinian people. The attack was pushing associations to participate more effectively in the Forum because their work is one of the responses to terrorism." Hedhili stated. Foreign organizations responded to the March 18th attack by travelling to Tunisia. "This is a response to terrorists who want to make us afraid," added Hedhili.

2,000 young people from 121 countries attended the forum in different roles, as volunteers and participants. "Terrorism affects us all. In both the forum and the march, I decided to participate in order to show our Tunisian friends that they are not alone in facing the terrorist threat. I also wanted to tell the world that we, the youth, are in solidarity," said Drissa Traoré, a Tunisian-Malian student at the Institute of Journalism and Communication in Tunis.

Tens of thousands of participants at the World Social Forum, mostly young people who are active in NGOs, participated in the two international marches.

Fethi Belaid/AFP/Getty Images

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Tunis - On April 3, five students at the Bazina Preparatory School in Bizerte, northern Tunisia, attempted A few days before, young terrorists attacked the Bardo Museum in Tunis.

Morocco World News recently met with Lilia Ben Hmida, director of programs at the Tunisian Association for Management and Social Stability (TAMS), to discuss what causes young people to turn towards suicide or terrorism and what can be done for prevention. Ben Hmida said, "A lot of free time kills the spirit, leads young people either to kill themselves or kill others."

MWN: What activities can maintain social stability, especially for young people?

LBH: There are, in my opinion, four main aspects to maintain mental stability among youth. Our association, which started in 2006 and aims to contribute to the economic and social integration of people living in disadvantaged areas and in adverse conditions, works on women entrepreneurship, strengthening capacities of new associations, the granting of services such as vocational training, and business management to ensure our beneficiaries the opportunity to learn how to trade and manage a mini project. We also have projects in the fight against violence towards women and in the field of sustainable tourism, which is now facing the threat of terrorism.

MWN: How can such associations help in reducing the impact of terrorism on tourism?

LBH: We cannot resolve this problem if all parties do not come together around a table. If we work hand in hand, I think we can achieve our goals. Several countries, such as Morocco and France, experienced terrorist incident[s], but the impact was quickly overcome when politicians, travel influencers, and media reported the action taken by these countries that intended to eradicate terrorism. For their part, associations must work in the other direction: on the input.

Their work is to help young people who need to be educated in citizenship in order to avoid any slippage towards terrorism.

MWN: What explains this "slippage" to terrorism?

LBH [thinking a while]: One of the reasons for terrorism, in my opinion, is the so-called "nothing to do" that emanates from disadvantaged social conditions, because these young people do not have enough money to afford training [or] occupy their free time with music, theater, etc. This is not the only reason, but by providing effective answers to this problem, we can reduce its impact in Tunisia.

When young people are in a desperate situation, they become ready to do anything for a few dinars. I believe that helping young people integrate into the economy would be a big step.

MWN: What are the steps that helped you in integrating young people into economic life? 

LBH: We started our program with literacy classes. We organized professional workshops in which women and youth learned sewing, painting and pastry, in collaboration with public institutions.

Then we gave them the opportunity to continue leadership training, communication and management. We also worked on mini-projects of enterprises and financial literacy, and we tried to guide youth in funding research for establishing new projects. If someone has a stable income, he or she will be less inclined to violence.

MWN: What are the measures you intend to take to contribute to the eradication of violence?

LBH: We must raise awareness about what is citizenship. A “total” citizen never becomes a terrorist. We have to work on several components and provide an opportunity for these young people who want to integrate the economic resources and access to the financial and administrative ways to find a job. We should encourage people to have an occupation that is generating income.

MWN: How can we reconcile social stability with political stability? 

LBH: We have had many governments since 2011. This discontinuity did not encourage social stability, but I have hope in the new government, which organized marches and demonstrations to ‘say no to terrorism’ and to all forms of violence. Social dialogue is much needed today. After the quartet national dialogue, which led to a certain political stability and the national economic dialogue, now there should be a national social dialogue to avoid such problems. We must not give up, and terrorism should not scare us. We must continue to work.

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Rabat - Although the silence of authorities is deafening in the wake of the Friday tragedy that claimed the lives of 31 people, including 20 promising young athletes between the age of 10 and 14, many Moroccans took to social media platforms in order to express full solidarity to the families of the victims and to call for accountability.

On Friday, April 10^th, a bus carrying nearly 50 people and a tanker truck collided near the city of Tantan, southern Morocco.

Many people onboard the bus were killed after the two vehicles burst into  flames immediately after the fatal crash. Among the victims are twenty children who had just finished their participation at a national school games competition held in the cities of Rabat, Temara and Benslimane earlier this week.

?? #?????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ????? ? ????? ? ?????? ??????? #?????? #Twittoma #TanTan #AccidentTanTan

— ???? ???????? ?NSR? (@HananeFadili) April 10, 2015

Prayers and thoughts go out to all those who lost their lives today in the tragic bus accident in #tantan - #Morocco

— Boutaïna Azzabi (@Boutaina) April 10, 2015

Nine were injured, two of them are in serious condition. They were taken to the Hassan II Hospital in nearby Tantan for medical attention. Others with severe injuries will be transported by Helicopter to hospitals in Casablanca and other cities. Also among the victims are also local officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as well as Moroccan champion Lahcen Isengar, a former long distance runner who defended the colors of Morocco in international arenas during the 1980s/90s.

Moroccan social media users have also criticized what they described as the government's lack of compassion over the victims' deaths and their failure to respond and communicate actively with the public opinion in the aftermath of the ordeal. They called for wrongdoers to be held accountable, especially as early reports indicate that the head-on collision was caused by a tanker truck that was filled with smuggled hydrocarbons.

According to media reports, the victims' families are holding protests in the city of Alyoun demanding the truth and answers about the faith of their loved ones.

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By Amine Mechaal

Rabat - With a horse-head helmet and a sign reading: “Five yuan ($0.80) per ride. Good Samaritans, please ride on me,” a 38-year-old Chinese father tries to raise money for his sick son in the streets of China.

Since last Wednesday, Chinese social media has been shedding light on Chen Yuntao after he offered rides-for-money to passengers on a street in Hefei, the capital city of Anhui Province – China. The reason he begs for money is to pay off the medical bills and the hospital fees of his nine-year-old son who suffers from Leukaemia.

Chen lives and works in the village of Bozhou where he is a construction worker and earns a total of 2,000 yuan ($320) per month, which is not sufficient to cover every day expenses or to pay for his son’s medications and hospital fees.

According to a local newspaper, the Jianghuai Morning Post, Chen’s son was diagnosed with Leukaemia in December of 2011. Since then, Chen has been struggling with the increasing debt that he owes to the banks and to his relatives.

"We’ve spent more than 200,000 yuan ($32,300) in order to save my son. Now I owe debts of 160,000 yuan ($25,843)," Chen told the Jianghuai Morning Post. “(We) can reimburse 90 percent of the fees from (medical insurance for) serious illnesses, but I still need about 50,000 yuan ($8,076),” Chen explained.

The healthcare costs in Chinese hospitals are very expensive. Although there have been continuous reforms in the health care field, many citizens still find it hard to have access to health insurance and medical facilities in China.

Pictures' credit: CCTV channel

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Rabat - A Moroccan little girl posted a video to YouTube in which she expressed her feelings in the wake of the Tan Tan tragedy last week that claimed the lives of 34 people, including little children between the age of eight and fourteen.

She asked King Mohammed VI to fulfill a wish she shares with a number of her peers which is to live a life free of fear.

The girl said that children her age now fear being swept away by floods whenever it starts to rain, or to be killed in road accidents while on a school field trip.

She added that King Mohammed VI is the only person capable of fulfilling her wish.

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By Youssef Igrouane

Meknes - The Kingdom is going through a crisis in the health field, and I cannot find the words to express the extent of the trauma I feel from such a big loss for Moroccans.

I was going on an excursion to an amazing and calm place in the core of the Middle Atlas; an inspired area where human beings acknowledge their egos spontaneously. It is also soothing place where people forget life’s troubles and immerse themselves in the splendor of nature and simplicity.

Ben Smim is a rural commune on the secondary road that connects Azrou’s northern entrance with the Ifrane National Park. Most of its inhabitants live off their land and raise cattle. On their faces there is a hidden hospitality and generosity, even though they are poor.

Very few people know of this impressive town because it has been sinking into a hideous oblivion, and it still is. Before Morocco obtained its independence, Ben Smim was regarded as a renowned landmark and feature of the region by virtue of its historic camps and water sources.

In this magnificent town, there is an abandoned and gigantic hospital that covers over 40 acres. The French constructed this enormous building in 1948. By virtue of its sophisticated medical equipment, the hospital received people from Morocco and foreign countries who suffered from tuberculosis. It had 400 beds, theater halls in the basement, and a gymnasium.

[caption id="attachment_156753" align="aligncenter" width="800"] The Ben Samim hospital covers over 40 acres[/caption]

According to an inhabitant from Ben Smim, the Moroccan Health Ministry began running the hospital in 1965. Since then, the management was precipitously dropping.

Nowadays, stagnation and confusion are overshadowing Ben Smim’s value. “There have been many excuses about its closure – some claim that it’s due to the meetings that were convened by some dissidents who were planning for a coup d’état to assassinate Hassan II, and others claim that it’s because of mismanagement by the Moroccan Health Ministry.”

Ali Outelaha, a friend of mine who was with me on the excursion, was also shocked, and said, “It is a shame that a huge building like that is shut down and neglected; neither the state nor the region’s inhabitants are benefiting from it."

“Since the region is well-known for camps, the state should reconsider in order to repair the building and make it as a camp center, at least,” Ali suggested.

Currently, investors are eyeing Ben Smim as a potential tourism haven. Many are planning to build inns, and are anticipating that it will be a paradise surrounded by water sources, oaks, and cedar trees.

People are not aware that the water of “Ain Ifrane” stems from Ben Smim’s sources and its factory.

It’s time for the state to refurbish the hospital and resuscitate Ben Smim, before it becomes a graveyard beyond recovery.

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Rabat - Dalal, a young Moroccan girl, diagnosed with bone cancer, shared her story on Facebook, to raise awareness about this illness in Moroccan society.

Dalal managed to combat her fears and concerns “to be judged and misunderstood,” by the society and decided to fight against her disease with a smiling photo profile posted on Facebook.

The young Moroccan girl said that the aim behind creating a Facebook page “Smile to Fight” is to shed more light on the world of Cancer and “all it takes to beat such a disease.”

“My goal is to make cancer part of my life, not sum up my life to cancer,” she said.

In an attempt to share the details of her story with cancer, Dalal said that she was confused when doctors told her for the first time that she has bone cancer.

Dalal, who has already undergone several chemotherapy sessions, said that even though “people may have learnt about cancer on TV, at school, or read about it on the internet,” they never took the time to know more about the details of the disease, “because people think they are too young to get it,” she said.

Because of blood shortage in Moroccan hospitals, she called on people to donate blood to save the lives of patients. “I am afraid to lose my life because of the shortage of blood that our country faces,” she said.

The story of Dalal, which went viral on social media, made a positive impact on internet users.

Many Facebook users commend her courage after she shared her own story and unveiled the problems that patients face in hospitals, chief of which is the shortage of blood.

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By Ouassima Boujrad

Rabat - The Moroccan Politics Club at Al Akhawayn University (AUI) paid an official visit to the Ministry of Communication in Rabat on Monday, 13 April  2015.

As its name indicates, the Moroccan Politics Clubs (MPC) is a student organization at AUI. It focuses on Moroccan politics and seeks to improve the concept of politics among the students of AUI through a variety of activities.

MPC was first founded during the fall term of 2011 under the name of "Res Publica" as a response to King Mohammed VI’s speech for the integration of youth in political affairs during the launch of the new constitution in 2011.

Through the Moroccan Politics Club, the students of AUI examines all social, economic, and political issues in Morocco. Members of the student organization learn how government processes work, and how political parties function through weekly group debates, conferences, and other related activities.

As the club states, the MPC does not have any political affiliation. Its goal is more objective; it seeks to promote AUI students' interests in public affairs and reconcile Moroccan youth with politics.

In light of the coming elections, the club is studying the accomplishments of the current government. As such, the MPC held a groundbreaking meeting with the Minister of Communications and the Spokesman of the Government, Mustapha El Khalfi. Topics of discussion included the government’s actions and achievements during the 2011 to 2015 period, and to what extent it is beneficial to Moroccan citizens. This was a unique event for all involved and lasted for more than three hours and included moments of serious discussion, light entertainment, as well as career guidance and advice. Indeed, the Minister and student organization had what was deemed a valuable and meaningful meeting.

The MPC students later expressed how they felt comfortable with the Minister as he completely welcomed them with high esteem and was willing to hold a discussion. The Moroccan Politics Club of AUI had a comprehensive discussion of the criminal code that is giving rise to hot debate in Morocco.

The Minister explained the process of formulating the criminal code, as well as its basic foundations. He also stated that there are three major elements to which the criminal code adheres: credibility, effectiveness, and independence. Mr. El Khalfi also stated that it requires a great deal of responsibility in order to ensure the system operates properly and efficiently.

Mr. El Khalfi further emphasized that the country is in a stage of reform, and that it is important to understand that achieving change is not as simple as it looks, but demands hard work and patience. In addition, “all reforms use society, the constitution, and Morocco’s international commitments as a reference and basis to finalize the changes to the government’s structure,” he emphasized.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the club was given the opportunity to take photos with the Minister, which he joyfully welcomed. The Minister expressed his admiration for how much the discussion accomplished. He said that such activities are important in Morocco, as they both enhance the understanding of the political domain and offer youth the opportunity to integrate the world of politics into their own knowledge, which Morocco has previously been labeled as deficient.

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By Hind Moumou

Rabat - The AIESEC Local Committee of Hassan will organize the Rabat Youth to Business Forum on May 9, in Rabat at Centre de Formation et d'Expertise pour l'Entreprise  (FSE).

The purpose of this international event, sponsored by AIESEC, is to bridge the gap between students, young leaders and companies and aims at providing a platform for students, as potential employees, as customers, or as active citizens, to share their inputs to leading Moroccan businesses and employers about topics that are important to themselves and their communities.

The central theme of the one-day event will be: “Innovation and Technology: The Keys To Revolutionize Career Paths."

“Youth to Business is one of the biggest initiations by AIESEC as it is one of the only events that connects the youth and business leaders and provides the youth with tangible examples on how start and develop their career paths,” stated Rabat Youth to Business’ organizing committee president Rim ElBelkacmi.

Othmane Bouda, One of the participating speakers said: “We want to take part in this forum as it will allow us to interact with the young entrepreneurial minds and see the business world from their own perspective. This would enable us to target their needs and therefore utilize our acquired knowledge and expertise to help them reach their goals.”

Rabat Youth to Business Forum is committed to inspire, engage, and act to address regional issues with a global context by engaging the young generation as well as business and political leaders of our society.

This year’s forum will host notable speakers, including: Chafik Sabiry, chairman of the Board at HP CDG IT services Morocco. Yassin Boughaba, IT engineer and founder of BuzzTaVille. Lakhdissi Mouhsine,IT specialist, entrepreneur and co-founder and manager at NEOXIA. Lahssini Ismail, expert in entrepreneurship and development of small enterprises. Touria Benlafqih, entrepreneur and program Director at Enactus Morocco. Othmane Bouda, software engineer and vice president of communication at JCI Rabat. Arnaud Pinier, Independent consultant and co-founder of Smala & co. Ilyass Azzioui, engineer and project manager at Alliances. Oussama Abdelah Benhmid, founder and general manager of Lab4Net.

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Rabat - The local committee of AIESEC in Rabat has launched, in collaboration with Mohammed V University in Rabat, the Innovation Challenge, a competition for youth that allows them to participate a simulation of the real work environment. The competition will take place on May 15 through 17.

To meet the real needs of the Moroccan community, the Innovation Challenge seeks to build, develop, and support a new generation of young entrepreneurs providing innovative and creative solutions and values in the field of computer science and new technologies.

According to the organizers, the program aims to help students develop the required soft skills in order to become "International Moroccan Profiles,” enabling both employers and organizations to connect with a global network of talents.

The event will be divided into three phases: online pre-selection, a coaching day, and finally the competition, where participants have to demonstrate their leadership potential.

With twelve finalist teams, the goal is to create a working prototype of the project idea with a business plan and a plan for marketing and commercial action, without forgetting the visual identity of the future company.

"Our international platform enables young people to explore and develop their leadership potential for them to have a positive impact on society,” said the organizers.

The Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales (AIESEC, the International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences) is an international non-governmental not-for-profit organization that provides young people with leadership development opportunities through experiential learning, volunteer experiences, and professional internships.

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By Ouassima Boujrad

Ifrane – Oussama Elkhairi AKA PerixStep is a rising artist at Al Akhawayn University Ifran.

The 18-year-old Moroccan dancer known as PerixStep is full of sensation on and off the stage. Perixstep is praised for his stunning performances among the AUI community and spends the rest of his time as a passionate student at Al Akhawayn University.

Al Akhawayn University Ifran is small but houses a diverse community. It is a place with a new story to tell every day, a new life to live, and a new connection to make. Not only is there excellence in education, but there is also beauty in student life hobbies and extra-curricular activities. The university is known for supporting young dreamers in their educational life, personal passions, and future career goals.

Inspired by Marquese Scott, Oussama started his dancing career by performing a set of animated, robotic and jazz dance movements under genres of music like dubstep. “PerixStep,” his stage name, is also the name given to the kind of dances he performs. Born and raised in Rabat, Oussama has reached his dream of becoming a celebrity among the AUI community, the place where he first discovered and improved his dancing skills.

A huge buzz surrounding his latest performance in the 2015 AUI Talent Show has made him one of the most demanded celebrities in the AUI. The AUI Talent Show is a yearly show that showcases the hobbies and hidden talents of AUI students and gives them the opportunity to publicly express themselves through singing, dancing, rapping or playing a musical instrument. It is one of the important events in AUI that shows how talented its students, such as Oussama, are.

Oussama El Khairi happily accepted our invitation for an interview with him.

MWN: Now that your dancing abilities are so advanced, everyone wants to know how and where they began.

Oussama: My dancing career began when I joined Al Akhawayn University in 2013. Soon after enrolling in school, I met some dancers that showed me different dancing techniques. , One of them was Azhar Sistorms, who is also an AUI student and one of the most well known young Hip-Hop dancers in Morocco. I say that she is one of the best female dancers I've ever met. Although I had been dancing before joining AUI, I did not have much knowledge about the structure and the techniques that make up a memorable dance performance. After some dance rehearsals, I considered what the students taught me and re-performed their techniques with my own style; the style that I feel more comfortable with. Well, I don’t follow the given “guidelines” exactly as I learned them, but I guess that is what makes me unique and different from everybody else when it comes to dancing. I try to put creativity into my dances to make them uniquely mine.

MWN: When did you decide to share your talent with the public? 

Oussama: I was constantly attending the different dancing classes offered by some clubs in the University, where I got to know some professional dancers. It was actually Azhar who convinced me to participate in the AUI’s talent show managed by the SAO (Student Activities Office). It was crazy. That was when the Al Akhawayn community discovered my talent. After that, I began to get invited to perform in different events at multiple clubs.

MWN: You already mentioned that Marquese Scott was the reason you started dancing for the first time. Is he still your ultimate inspiration?

Oussama: Marquese is a legend because he took the dancing industry to a new, higher level and I really respect him, but I don’t think that he’s my ultimate inspiration. My dance crew, House of Touch, (international online dance crew) and I try to inspire each other as much as we can. We have different styles and come from all over the world, yet we all have the same goal and function as a family. So, House of Touch is my ultimate inspiration, if I may say so. Shout out to them by the way! (laughs.)

MWN: How do you feel when you perform? You look deeply concentrated on the stage.

Oussama: When I’m on stage, I just focus on the music and whichever beat is coming up next. That sounds insane, but you feel like you are dancing alone in a place you have never been to before. When performing, nothing else matters besides that moment when you are dancing. That is how it feels like.

MWN: What are your intentions while performing such dances?

Oussama: I always tend to tell a story. My movements are a series of events that form a story. My greatest performances are the ones where I am strongly connected with the chosen music. In these dances, the combination of body movements, facial expressions and music all form the artful story. If I’m dancing on a song that I don't connect with, then the dance will not tell a story. It's all about the way in which I project my feelings to the audience.

MWN: Do you have any vision for the future? Would you ever consider participating in a dancing competition?

Oussama: Well, I am not interested in competing in a talent show or a battle competition if that’s what you mean, at least for now. Concerning my future plans, I am currently working on my first collection of dancing videos that I’ll upload to YouTube soon.

MWN: What does it feel like to be a dancer?

Oussama: To be honest, I really feel blessed and proud to be a dancer, and I’m extremely grateful for the people who helped me show up out of nowhere.

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By Youssef IGrouane

Meknes - Sanaa Boukhlis is a 32-year-old Moroccan journalist at Maghreb Al Yaoum, as well as a wife and a mother. Boukhlis has been awarded the Humanitarian Journalism Award in Dubai at the 14^th annual Arab Media Forum, the first Moroccan journalist to be so awarded.

Sanaa Boukhlis is a humble person who has a passion for words and investigating the truth. She believes that nothing is impossible and that people can achieve success after learning from their mistakes and stumbles.

Ms. Boukhlis obtained a Baccalaureate in Science, and then followed her higher studies in Biology at Faculty of Science in Casablanca for two years. Shortly thereafter, she began yet another academic path—journalism. This abrupt shift in gears developed after a family friend convinced her that she had journalistic potential.

“In fact, I liked the idea, which surprised me at the beginning, before embarking on a new trajectory and studying at the higher institute of Media and Journalism in Casablanca (IFJ) and earning my BA in Media and Journalism. By God’s help I succeeded, even while maintaining a job even in the second year of my studies,” Sanaa Boukhlis told Morocco World News.

“My childhood dream was to pursue journalism; I had been aspiring to be a researcher. I had liked laboratories and the secret of combining things, but the dream turned into love of examining to the love of investigating the news and the truth,” Sanaa Boukhlis added.

Sanaa sees journalism as a noble profession and says it plays a major role in guiding people to credible information. She also admits that, unfortunately, journalism is experiencing a decline and has recently lost its previous level of importance.

“I’ve confronted countless obstacles in my career due to many people who were against some behaviors and disagree with my principles. The domain has become crowded with many intruders who diminish its quality. This idea oppresses the true journalist,” she stated.

Ms. Boukhlis grew up in a Moroccan family where she learned that if she is right, she must defend herself. Sanaa was the only girl among three boys and relates the most to her grandfather, may he rest in peace, who was a tenacious nationalist and fought sincerely for his homeland.

During their time together she was the most impressed by his unique mentality. He narrated the many heroic stories of free Moroccans and national movements. Sanaa was very emotionally close with her father, who she referred to as a warm friend before a father. Boukhlis also thanks her mother for teaching her patience and wisdom. “Actually, I’m most thankful to those persons who bred Sanaa Boukhlis,” Sanaa admitted.

“After 10 years in written press, nowadays I’m experiencing the visual field and I wish to be successful enough. My dream is developing the media and journalism domain and contributing to raising the flag of my homeland up,” Sanaa Boukhlis concluded.

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By Youssef Igrouane

Meknes - Meryem Bouzaachane, a 24-year-old Moroccan journalist at Al Akhbar newspaper, has won the youth journalist award in Dubai as part of the 14th annual Arab Media Forum.

In an exclusive interview with Morocco World News, youth journalist award winner Meryem Bouzaachane described her life journey and the troubles and triumphs she experienced along the way.

Bouzaachane prides herself on using journalism to defend people who have no way to express themselves. After obtaining her baccalaureate degree with distinction, Bouzaachane became one of the founding members of Rachid Nini’s Al Akhbar newspaper.

“Journalism was a dream for me; since my childhood I wished to be a journalist neither for fame nor for money, but to be a spoken pen defending the rights of the indigent and speechless people. I desired many times to be their voice and transmit their messages,” Bouzaachane told Morocco World News. “I always receive people at the office of the newspaper and take their statements and their complaints and turn them into articles in order to crack their problems,” she continued.

Bouzaachane went on to describe how her journey was an unexpected one. “Once, I failed the enrollment test for the Higher Institute of Media and Communications (ISIC). I was going to study engineering, but in the summer I was truly impressed by a series narrating a tale of a journalist in the Iraq war. And I said ‘I should be like that journalist,’ and I no longer wanted to be an engineer.”

Bouzaachane continued, “I made many efforts to persuade my father in order to go to Casablanca and study in a private institute of journalism there. Ultimately, thanks to God, my childhood dream came true,” Bouzaachane said.

Bouzaachane encountered many obstacles. First, she faced the difficulty of finding information for articles and the bureaucracy that all journalists face. Additionally, some ministers decline to make statements and interviews for fear of political backlash. Moreover, she also faced safety issues common to her field, with the possibility of being sent to prison for an article that reveals too much always looming over her head and limiting her ability to publish the truth.

Currently, Bouzaachane hopes to keep on the investigative path her life has taken her down. She hopes to enhance her journalistic potential through the training she’s received at home and abroad and benefit from her diverse educational background. “I always dreamed of obtaining awards in order to show the value of journalism in Morocco and show people that their voice is heard,” Bouzaachane concluded.

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Rabat - Children under five are being negatively affected by too much time spent in front of the television and other electronic screens, says Dr. Madeleine Portwood, one of the UK's top educational psychologists and spokesperson for the British Psychology Society on Child. Development.

According to Dr. Portwood, too much time spent in front of the television limits a child's ability to engage in imaginative play as well as limits their opportunities to develop social and physical skills. Further, by not developing these skills, children are more likely to engage in bad behavior.

Dr. Portwood will be speaking at a Dubai conference titled Help Children Reach Their Potential: Accelerating Child Development in the Early Years on 13 June. She will be discussing her Child Development Programme (CDP) in which she gives children the opportunity to appropriately develop their social and physical skills in spheres outside of the television and electronic games.

The CDP assists children in under five in developing critical motor skills as well as communication skills. Already, this programme has been evaluated by the UK's Department of Education and has shown success for children in just six months

"Young children develop differently but if we can optimise chances and learning, then all children can benefit. A child may have potential that isn't being realised, so it is important to provide opportunities that will enable that to develop," says Dr. Portwood.

She also says that children are having trouble comprehending their surroundings in such a visual world. They are unable to make a choice when they have too much to choose from, which results in tantrums. Though this is normal behavior for this age group, the CDP helps teach children negotiating skills, turn-taking skills, and learning to accept compromises.

At her conference, Dr. Portwood will share with health care specialists as well as teachers how best to track the development of children under five years old. The CDP will help parents and teachers measure the amount each child is developing.

Photo Credit: FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

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Rabat - “Where words fail, art speaks.” Art has been used to understand the world and the people in it through many forms. 

#DrawDisability is a global campaign launched online in 2014 on December 3^rd, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), in partnership with the Global Observatory for Inclusion (GLOBI) and the United Nations Global Education First Initiative Youth Advocacy Group (GEFI-YAG).

The campaign encourages children to draw how they view Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in their communities. Using art, the campaign aims to examine what aspects, struggles, and challenges of the life of a PWD these children highlight, which will create a larger discussion within the community, and with the help of the hashtag #DrawDisability, hopefully around the world as well.

In Rabat, Morocco, the international NGO Echo Change partnered with the campaign and launched a #DrawDisability activity on May 16^th in which forty students aged 6-11 participated. The project was split into two sessions: the first, a brainstorming session at Al Amana school, and the second, a drawing session at the Hassan Tower.

The drawings will be showcased later this month in Incheon, South Korea, at the World Education Forum, as well as in the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP-CRPD) in June 2015 New York, USA.

[caption id="attachment_159358" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Photo Credit: Echo Change - Rabat, Morocco[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_159359" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Photo credit: Echo Change - Rabat, Morocco[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_159360" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Photo credit: Echo Change - Rabat, Morocco[/caption]

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