Rabat - The first edition of Impact Camp, which took place July 19-25, 2015 at Al Akhawayn University, served as an opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to design entrepreneurial solutions addressing societal issues and to learn from successful entrepreneurs themselves.

In addition to the practical workshops offered by Impact Camp, attendees had the chance to attend talks and panels that showcased successful entrepreneurs and stakeholders of the Moroccan and international entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The program is designed and organized by Eiréné4Impact in partnership with ESSEC Business School.

Impact Campers learned and shared ideas, tools and practices of high impact entrepreneurship and learned about national and international success stories such as Prakti Design, Woman Sense Tower, Social Impulse, Siel Bleu, and Phenix.

Two of the projects developed by attendees won the Impact Camp Award based on their innovation, impact and financial sustainability: «Casa Bla Zbel», which aims to transform Casablanca into a clean and eco-friendly city and «Echec & Mat», which aims for civic awareness and education in public elementary education.

Eiréné4Impact will make this program an annual event, hoping to continue to inspire future entrepreneurs.

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Rabat - Kenza Mandour, a 19-year-old Moroccan social activist from Casablanca, has devoted herself to lessening the heartache experienced by children with cancer. Because many of them experience hair loss during the course of their cancer treatment, she particularly wants them to learn that hair is merely decoration.

In an exclusive interview with Morocco World News, the young humanitarian described her life and the beginning of her unique journey, which started at the age of eight when she attended summer camp. “I practically started working for community services at the age of 14. I disliked my monotonous daily routine, so I decided to work for social services and devote my time to visiting young cancer patients,” Mandour explained.

This was a life-changing event for the budding activist. Her work in social services quickly became an integral part of her life. She believes that community services filled a gap in her life, giving her a feeling of family. “The message I hope to share through my activities is one of a Morocco with no more needy people,” she said. “We are all brothers and sisters; we ought to fight together, help each other and never forget the pain that other people experience.”

Mandour went on to describe the difficulties she experienced during one part of her journey. “I will never forget the time that I decided to cut my hair in order to stand in solidarity with cancer patients. There were so many obstacles to implementing the activity. We originally intended to do it at the hospital in front of the patients in order to interact with them and let them know that we are on their side, but the hospital would not give us permission.”

The worst part for Mandour, however, was the “deeply offensive reaction of a social activist at the hospital who diminished the importance of the activity. She alleged that I was looking for fame. The kids do not need my sympathy, she said; they need only money.”

Money, continued Mandour, is actually one of the main obstacles encountered by her activist group. “Shwiya Men We9tek” (or, in English, “A Bit of Your Time”) is an association founded on February 2015, by a group of young people who share a passion for aiding others and working sincerely in the social services arena. They met by chance, but all hold common principles and a strong desire to work for the benefit of the country. “I used to move from one association to another until I found serious people with common beliefs and aims. Our first activity bore the theme “My Health Is Not My Hair.”

I cut my hair to stand in solidarity with cancer patients in order to lessen the pain of their illness and to express the idea that hair is merely an accessory. Our point is that a woman’s beauty does not depend upon her hair, but rather arises from her personality and her soul.”

Currently, Kenza studies logistics at the Institut Spécialisé D'aéronautique et de La Logistique Aéroportuaire in Casablanca. She has many dreams that she hopes to achieve. “Nowadays, I am trying to increase the number of people who agree to donate their organs after death. The issue of organ donation is crucial, but most Moroccans ignore it,” she concluded.

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Rabat - A new report released by the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) states that 28 percent of young people in the Arab world are unemployed.

 According to the report, which collected figures from the International Labor Organization (ILOT), the rate of unemployment in young people in the Arab countries is the highest in the world, representing more than double the global rate of unemployment which is set at 12 percent.

The report, entitled “Youth Unemployment in Arab Countries,” showed that unemployment in Arab countries is mainly among females and the newly graduated.

Those with an education represent up to 40 percent of the unemployed in the region.

Similarly, the female population represents 43.4 percent of the unemployed in the Arab countries, which is more than three times the world rate set at 12.7 percent.

The “Youth Unemployment in Arab Countries” also reported that in addition to other factors, the wide gap between the requirements of the job market and the outcomes of the education systems accentuates unemployment.

The report identified the recent decline in economic growth in Arab countries as well as the global growth which remains “insufficient" as challenges facing youth employment in the Arab countries.

As for measures taken to face these challenges, the report said that Arab governments have invested enormous efforts in the past two decades to decrease unemployment rates by implementing programs and new measures in order to achieve economic stability and job offers.

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Rabat - King Mohamed VI has once warned Moroccans against voting for incompetent or corrupt candidates to run their cities, then complaining about it later.

Interestingly, since the campaign launched, social values have been circulating reminding the population of the brilliant religion, cultural and scientific heritage they have to be proud of. I would not have disagreed had it not been for the media’s recurring invitation to celebrate the definition of ‘knowledge’ that some notorious scholar gave centuries ago. It stipulates that ‘true knowledge’ involves a set of practices; namely, silence, listening, learning by heart, and further dissemination of such. It is interesting that citizens are not invited to think of ‘knowledge’ as a process that may also include exploration, investigation, thought, comparison and contrast, evaluation, analysis, criticism, reflection, formulation and free expression of opinion, deconstruction and reconstruction of meanings, contextualization, etc.

We are in a time in which citizens should be encouraged in addition to listening, to analyze, compare, assess, criticize so as to contribute to make sense and verify knowledge; and to think of consequences before making decisions. However, the current political campaign implies an invitation to hear and repeat without thinking, criticizing or having a personal opinion.

As the campaign advances on schedule, mutual accusations of violating the electoral code and ethics become more intense among the parties competing for leadership. In fact, given the large number of contenders it seems practically impossible for any one party to win by absolute majority.  Therefore, the leading parties have opted for strategies to disqualify their competitors from the election, by discrediting them producing evidence of breaking the electoral law, consequently having their candidates withdraw their candidacy. The problem, however, is that these behaviors increase tension and distrust within the population regarding politicians, political parties and the entire democratic process.

Among the discrediting arguments some parties have been using against their opponents, include reports released by diplomatic missions, foreign agencies and political organizations about specific national organizations and institutions. They also include press releases about the difficulties democracy is allegedly suffering in the country.  The paradox, however, is the contradiction in the attitudes of these parties, which have usually criticized these reports as unfounded, biased, serving vested interests, being anti-democratic, supportive of dictatorships, abusers of human rights and liberticidal countries. Unfortunately, the consequence of these double standards and the political double talk of these parties, is the further withdrawal of citizens from politics, thus creating opportunities for extremist groups to thrive and take over.

Change can come only through politics. Nevertheless, the phrase has lost much of its political meaning for many citizens, especially when said by prominent figures who have been using it invariably for decades. With the advent of new political figures in the election campaign, the phrase is regaining some of its mobilizing magic. Recently noted with the increasing popularity of the female leader of the Federation of the Democratic Left, and her partners who are promising true and long-due changes. The first change people are talking about is the ‘authenticity’ they hear in her words, which is not different from theirs. "She speaks like us, we can understand her", say some constituents.

On the other hand, when one is confronted with pictures of caravans of truckloads of people being taken to the rally site of a party claiming ‘change’, images of practices of the darkest political era in the country remind us that nothing has ‘changed’. Humans are still being used against their will and driven as if they were slaves or animals. It is worse when the party carrying out the inhumane mass transportation of citizens happens to be the leading majority party who claims an Islamist ideology. The same who have promised the recovery of dignity and respect for the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized.  That is when citizens painfully realize that the promise of ‘change’ was not as authentic as it was sold to them and as they bought it; it averred to be fake.

 In addition, the caravans transporting supporters to the rally of the Head of Government is in open violation of traffic law. In fact, it is strictly illegal to carry these numbers of people in such vehicles on roads. The party of the Head of Government is therefore breaking the same laws it enforces on others. And they do it during an election campaign in which they hope to convince everyone that they abide by the law and they hold citizens in esteem.

Another party, previously a Parliament Majority Leader, displayed a picture of a high-school adolescent boasting to be a partisan candidate running to represent one of the largest cities in the country. This act calls for populism, lack of voters respect, unethical moves and immoral gimmicks to twist aspirations of the population. What is more, presenting this candidacy to illustrate the inclusion of all, within the party’s decision-making process, including adolescents, is a good example of how core principles and innovative approaches can be neutralized.

Moreover, some political parties that have either never held office or have ‘forgotten’, seem to have specialized in nurturing pessimism. For them, nothing has been achieved since independence or since, they left office. Through this kind of discourse and pictures of dire misery, poverty and needs, especially among those vulnerable such as the elderly, children, and rural populations in remote mountainous areas; they cultivate attitudes of defeat and lack of trust in the political institution. By denying any change in infrastructure, in services and in democratic practices, they seem to reinforce the idea that no political solution is possible with the current regime, or without it giving up all of its prerogatives to them.

This category of parties includes both from the far right and extreme left, who are calling for the boycott of elections and the entire democratic process. If somebody openly mentions any undeniable progress in the nation since independence, for example, the number of schools, universities, dispensaries, teachers, nurses and physicians, thousands of kilometers of freeways, it becomes enough reason to be labeled as  traitor and sold out to the enemy. Opponents of these extreme parties who suggest to them internal investigations, reviews of inherited ideologies and a reassessment of political priorities, become the target of all their political action and their violence.

They refuse the idea that elections are the beginning of a solution to the country’s current problems. Anyone who adheres to the democratic process, who accepts its rules and procedures and enters the election campaign is part of the problem, according to them.

The relevance of the earlier definition of ‘knowledge’ thus becomes clear as it applies to more than one category of professional practitioners of politics in Morocco.

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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Rabat - On Friday August 28, Moroccan kickboxing champion, Badr Hari, visited the Kenitra central prison to celebrate his last victory over Ismael Londt.

Accompanied by Moroccan artists Latifa Raafat, Abdelali El Ghaoui, Adil Miloudi and Zineb El Adaoui, Badr Hari expressed his sympathy towards the inmates.

He began his speech by saying, “I experienced the same thing, I know exactly how you feel but nobody is perfect and to err is human.”

He continued to express the difficulties he has faced in jail and his strong faith and belief in hope. “Once I was released from prison I strongly believed that there was another beginning and it’s time to show people that I am not that prisoner anymore.”

He went on to add that he never expected to address the prisoners. “We don’t know what may have happened in the future. Yesterday, I was a prisoner like you and today, I am addressing you.  The point is, never loose hope and tenaciously defend your dream. Never allow others to demoralize you,”  he strongly concluded.

Badr Hari, also known as the ‘Golden Boy’, made a strong comeback with a knockout punch against his opponent Ismael Londt out on August 22.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yy9gHHK9mc

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By Mohamed Lakdali

Fez - The election campaign has really caught my attention recently. Not a single day goes by without my being bombarded with a variety of labels and leaflets, each time by a different group representing a particular party. But the funny part is that the people who work for these parties don’t even explain their future plans or programs; they just hand you a label and leave. What does this mean? Don’t we deserve an explanation? I really think we do.

Election campaigns have proven to be the only occasion when we have the chance to meet politicians. How nice and cool they look! You might ask yourself whether they are really bold enough to be standing here again and giving artificially enthusiastic speeches that simply pull the wool over people’s eyes. Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Actually, many other questions come to mind, but I just let go of them. I am simply one among millions of Moroccan youth who face the same situation and have the same feelings towards politics and politicians.

One of the shrewdest politicians, Charles de Gaulle, said that “politics is the art of fooling people.” This is exactly what is happening to us as Moroccan citizens. These politicians who have imposed themselves upon us think that the masses won’t figure out what the bare reality is and that politicians can keep stupefying the electorate as if they were morons. However, I would like to state that from now on these politicians will no longer wheedle votes out of Moroccans with their smirky smiles, because the people have simply lost trust in politics and their leaders.

In an opinion poll conducted by MWN, 50 Moroccan youth from different cities were asked about their opinions of politics and whether they would vote or not. Almost all of them answered in the negative, stating that they don’t care about politics. Realizing that voting is a right and a national duty, they expressed their apathy not only towards elections but towards the whole political process. According to them, this does not mean they are bad citizens, but it is their way of showing the people in charge that they have utterly lost trust in their politicians.

When asked about the main reasons for their indifference toward politics, they ascribed their apathy to many factors, the most important of which is that the policy of politicians has repeatedly been only about winning the battle and disappearing. Walid Charai, a BA student, said, “I do not trust politics anymore, because all political speeches are devoid of credibility.” Similarly, Mouhcine Alaoui, an MA student in Casablanca, stated that he has “personally lost faith in politics and that all politicians work only for their own benefit and not for the benefit of common people.” In the same vein, a person who preferred to remain anonymous wondered why the number of ministers exceeds the number of ministries. “I think that all of this is a kind of wasting of public money,” he concluded, adding that “in developed countries political parties do not exceed a limited number, while here in Morocco there are more than 33 political parties. Draw your own conclusions about why we need 33 political parties for a population of 33 million.”

Throughout my interviews with Moroccan youth, I sensed a kind of soreness and melancholy in their voices and in the way they were talking about this topic. The bottom line is that the youth have lost faith in politics; they will not participate or even vote because the situation has become unbearable.

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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By Otman Boukhzar

Fez - To encourage Moroccans to partake in the coming elections in large numbers, the Moroccan King Mohammed VI devoted a large part of his speech on 20 August to the issue of elections.

In an unprecedented move, the king addressed Moroccans openly and put the responsibility of choosing honest candidates on the shoulders of Moroccan citizens alone. The king also warned Moroccan people against boycotting the elections, lest they leave the road empty for corrupt candidates to succeed. But the legitimate question that poses itself here is this: Is urging Moroccans to vote all Morocco needs for a real change?

While it is only a matter of a few days before Moroccans go to the polls in order to choose those who are supposed to represent them in both the municipal and regional councils, we see fierce competition between all participating parties. They all chant mottoes of change; they all make grand promises of bright futures and present ambitious programs that will never materialize in reality; and they all accuse each other of corruption. This situation disturbs the minds of Moroccans and makes them unable to distinguish between honest and dishonest politicians. As a result, there is a divide between those who still see a hope in voting and those who insist on boycotting, since for them voting will change nothing.

Though it is true that dealing with the issue of elections in such a frank and serious tone marks a drastic shift in the discourse of the Moroccan king, unfortunately it does not provide a clear vision of how to deal with elected officials who embezzle public funds or turn out to be corrupt politicians. Put another way, there are no guarantees that the state will take responsibility for fighting and punishing corrupt officials. Instead, the speech puts unnecessary burdens solely on the poor and powerless citizens to shoulder the responsibility for any bad consequences that might result from their choices.

By calling on people to vote, they will certainly do that out of respect, but not because they are convinced that Morocco would become a better place by so doing. This is so because most of them are cognizant of the fact that by voting they will only end up choosing the same corrupt faces and, therefore, the same story of stolen and failed projects of change will be retold.

This has made most Moroccans pessimistic about the upcoming elections. Many Moroccans are boycotting the elections simply because they strongly believe that it will not bring about any change and that most, if not all, political parties campaigning for the election are corrupt to the core, interested only in gaining power and serving their vested interests.

 Instead of putting all the responsibility on Moroccans to choose competent and diligent candidates and to assume the responsibility for any failure, it would be preferable to strengthen the rule of law and bring to court all the names mired in the mud of corruption. It is true that voting is a crucial duty of each and every Moroccan citizen, but it is also true that it is the state’s duty to hold accountable those corrupted officials who have robbed the wealth of Morocco for the past two decades or so. T

he baffling question here is why those corrupted officials are still being nominated for elections while their normal place is prison. If those corrupted officials who have accumulated huge wealth and smuggled billions of dirhams abroad are not held accountable, Morocco will never move forward nor will it be a democratic country. And voting would always be of no value at all.

 Urging the powerless Moroccan people to vote so that they will not complain in the future is not a realistic approach. Some of them seize the opportunity created by the elections to work with any party ready to offer them money, and others sell their votes because of their extreme poverty.  They do not care about who will succeed because they have lost any hope of real change.

 Having said that, a more realistic approach would be to strengthen accountability and punish any politician who happens to get involved in illicit acts, make fake promises or rob one cent from the public funds. Only then would we come and ask Moroccans to vote and would their votes be of some use.

Most Moroccans have become acutely aware of the fact that so long as the same faces are running for the election, the corrupt officials are still wandering in the streets freely, and there is leniency and lack of seriousness when it comes to dealing with corruption files, nothing will change and the same scenario will repeat itself once again. It is high time we stopped selling people illusions of change, worked towards a real democratic state and purged Morocco from all corrupt politicians by reinforcing the rule of law.  Only then, would our votes be of value and have some weight in bringing about change.

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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By Younes Benbida

Rabat - UKIP Election Candidate blames the parents of the two young boys who drowned in the Mediterranean sea by accusing them of being “greedy”

The shocking news of the two young boys who were found on a beach in Turkey, after they drowned on their journey to seek refuge from Syria and it’s warzones, has blown up all over social media. Particularly the image of identified 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, faced-down on the sand. This has become a strong symbol of the Syrian refugees’ situation and their desperation to pursue a better and safer life. Although the majority of the public commenting about this issue on social media, such as Twitter, are expressing their outrage toward the lack of active aid that other governments are offering to Syrians, some people are expressing very ‘unpopular’ opinions on this issue.

Most noticeably, a high-profile figure in the UK: Peter Bucklitsch – a UKIP Parliamentary candidate has enraged thousands of people with his tweet which read:

“The little Syrian boy was well clothed & well fed. He died because his parents were greedy for the good life in Europe. Queue jumping costs.”

His post has earned him negative feedback. Some are calling it “disgusting and very ignorant” how he describes the parents as “greedy” because they want to live in Europe for the “good life”. People affirm that Bucklitsch being election candidate “should be fully aware of the dangerous and poor living standards in Syria” due to the civil war menacing the country. Furthermore, he allegedly “trivializes” the situation by comparing it to “queue jumping” as one would see in the queues for a ride at Thorpe Park. Media users have commented how this “reveals this man’s unsympathetic and crude views on the migrants of Syria who have very valid reasons to come seek the “good life” in Europe”.

As a Syrian boy said in a video that has circulated around the world on the same issue: “We don’t want to come here but we have to because of the war in Syria. Stop the war in Syria and we won’t come!”

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Casablanca - It is gratifying to note that the agenda of Arab countries covers a wide range of interesting items relating to change and positive transformation, but when it comes to Syria when the kids were fighting in Deraa or drowning in Turkey's sea, this is sadly not the case.

It wrenches my soul and heart to closely watch news from Syria every single day -- Syrian refugees, women and children in one of the largest refugee exoduses in recent history -- without doing anything. As a teenager with no power, I cannot do anything for them but cry, while the wealthy monarchies in the Persian Gulf, who never receive Syrian refugees, and the most powerful Arab countries in the world remain largely unshaken by the events and have done much less than the nations of Europe to provide shelter to the Syrians. This has, at last, begun to happen. Indeed, I am pointing a damning finger at Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuweit, Bahrein and the United Arab Emirates, which have offered zero resettlement places to Syrian refugees. I find it difficult to believe that an Arab government exists that does not support Muslims, but apparently the Arabian Peninsula does not give a damn.

What is happening in Syria now is more than just a battle between those for or against President Assad, but a dissension, and it has nothing to with Islam, ISIS, or fighting for authority. It all begun with innocent children who painted slogans on a school wall said to be anti-government graffiti. People were arrested and reportedly tortured, simply because they were calling for the release of the children, democracy and greater freedom for the people in the country. The rise of the jihadist groups, including Islamic State, has added a further dimension since 2011. All the world was watching and thought the issue was worrying, but wouldn't get much worse, and when it got worse, that it was not bad enough for them to do anything about it.

I remember believing that Syria was the lone island of democracy, peace, and morality in the sea of chaos that is the Middle East. Syria had a president. That meant that he was chosen by the people, right? That had to mean that he was looking out for his citizens, promising them protection, and democracy, didn't it? His power had checks on it, didn't it? Oh, how mistaken the Syrian people and I were.

Recent months have felt like history repeating itself. A heartbreaking number of people have been imprisoned or abducted in Syria. College dorms have been ransacked, people have been tracked, and in the end, thousands were missing. On July 16th, dozens of members of the army defected, and special forces were brought in to kill them all. Hama barely avoided a massacre, stopped by the presence of U.S. ambassador Robert Ford. As the holy month of Ramadan begun, the brief three-week period of peace in Hama ended, replaced by snipers on rooftops, shooting as Syrians left mosques. The Syrian secret police are agents of the state in civilian clothes whose job it is to hang around in public areas and listen to see if anyone is speaking out against the government.  Any good news from Bachar Assad for his people? Definitely, NO.

Somehow, my holidays this summer weren't as good as I expected, and didn't take my mind off the danger of the Syrian people. I presented my speech, about Palestine and Syria a few weeks ago and ended up crying in the bathroom. I take out my phone every single day to check the news and the latest death tolls. With every glance at the news, I keep wondering, Is that a baby bleeding there? Is that a woman crying madly for her children in that picture or video? Didn't that fighter have an arm and now he no longer has one?

On the other hand, all Arab countries are watching what is happening in Syria. Every single Arab country is aware of this tragedy, and no one has offered serious aid to the refugees, except for Morocco and Jordan, who saw eye to eye on the Syrian issue and their aid is not enough. The region that I blame has the capacity  to quickly build housing for the refugees. The big construction companies that have built the gleaming towers of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh should be contracted to create shelters for the influx. There is no reason all this knowhow can't be put to humanitarian use. Morocco, Jordan, and Europe can do more for the Syrians, but Saudi Arabia must shoulder much more of the burden. It feels as if they just need a reminder: '' Hey, that's how you have to do it to help your brothers in Islam.'' Shame on them all.

My eyes have been opened to this situation for a while, and I hope the same happens to you now. Syrians are a determined and brave people, but I am not sure if they can defeat this harsh regime. Today, no matter where I am or what I am doing, my heart is and will be with Syria. That doesn't make me any less ambitious: that doesn't make me any less determined: it just means I am looking towards something philanthropic. At least I am not like some Arab countries. At least I am a Moroccan with a Syrian heart.

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Rabat - Following a YouTube video gone viral in which 10-year-old Syrian refugee Haider appeals to King Mohammed VI to grant him a visa to enter Morocco and join his father, the young boy will get his petition and reportedly receive his visa.

According to a post on the official Twitter account of Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Salaheddine Mezouar, Haider will be reunited with his family.

The Tweet posted on Sept Monday, was sent in response to a question an individual by the name of Issam Eddine Abail asked the Minister if he was aware of little Haider’s case. The tweet posted in French reads: “yes SM (Salaheddine Mezouar) has given instructions to facilitate his visa and he will join his own [family] on Wednesday, God willing [inchallah].”

@issamed oui SM a donné des instructions pr faciliter son visa il sera parmi les siens mercredi inchallah

— Salaheddine Mezouar (@Salahmezouar) September 7, 2015

The Syrian child has tried to join his father Bashar Jalabi (38) in Morocco since last June. Jalabi is married to a Moroccan woman and they live in Morocco. Haider has been held in Istanbul, Turkey ever since, for not having a Moroccan residency permit.

The story has made the news all over the world. According to Yabiladi News, Dutch-Moroccan journalist Boutaina Azzabi and Haider’s supporters have created a Twitter hashtag #MoroccoLetHaiderEnter, which has had great impact among social media users.

Also, Azzabi has been personally taking care of Haider since mid-July when his father had to return to Morocco.  She had previously told Middle East Eye, “I spend all my time with him because I don’t want him to feel lonely. He has no relatives in Turkey now, and I have been supporting him financially”.

Haider has had his visa petition denied 3 times by Moroccan authorities.

The child’s public appeal to the King and continued lobbying from his supporters have moved the hand of Moroccan officials to grant his permit. The Syrian refugee will soon join his father in the Kingdom.

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Casablanca - Recently, a desperate mother resorted to social media to get help after her child was kicked out of school:

My child is giving me a hard time and makes trouble at school, and I don’t know what to do about it!! The principal said he hits kids and they isolated him in class. He sits alone. Every time they tell me, “Take your child,” so I had to take him in the middle of the year. They always say, “Take him, take him”; I got tired and took him!...They said, “He’s a troublemaker. We can’t take care of him alone; we have other students to take care of.”

Many educators see suspension as necessary -- a strong message about conduct that crosses the line especially when a child or teacher has been physically hurt. Parents, too, whose kids might have been subject to peers’ offenses suggest that students who cause a disruption in class, no matter what age, need to be removed.

The first question one might ask is how a first grader can be kicked out of school. Should children in the early grades ever be suspended?

It is painful to see how kids nowadays are unfairly expected to behave like elderly people everywhere. Life has become so tense and adults so extremely nervous that they can no longer cope with children, regardless of the love, hugs, and kisses they show or give them when in a good mood. Parents expect kids to sit quietly, speak wisely and behave properly at home, at least till they leave for school. At school, teachers are so overwhelmed that they expect kids to be quiet, silent unless asked a question, and very respectful. After school or on weekends, if they can ever go out, most kids find themselves cramped by buildings and surrounded by cars coming from all directions. Jumping and kicking balls around and in between the cars, they hear more praise and prayers from drivers and adult passengers.

Everyone expects children to disconnect from their bodies. I call it Age Expectations Bullying. The case of the child mentioned above is a rather immediate consequence of the absence of special education in Moroccan schools or at least of appropriate layouts in schools and classrooms. If there is no physical education, movement, or art in the curriculum and no equipment or safe playgrounds to play in, I wonder where these kids can use their energy or play. I am an adult and I can’t sit quietly in one place for a long time. Some can work at desks, but some feel better when they sprawl on the floor or on a couch. Otherwise, they feel bored or their minds drift, especially kids in large public school classes with no fun or games. And in the absence of a neighborhood gardens or parks plan, where can these kids, who might already be living in small flats, play after school?

Even in the studio where he is being interviewed, Adam cannot sit quietly. In his little hoarse voice, which one can hardly hear clearly, he makes an innocent “admission:”

I make trouble. I throw stones and pieces of pencil erasers at my classmates. They kicked me out of school because I don’t let them study. I make noise and my teacher suspends me. The principal, too, removes my shoes and hits me (an old Moroccan punishment technique in which the child is made to lie on the ground while two students hold his feet straight using two pieces of wood or an old classroom table and the principal hits the disobedient student right on the feet).

This kid has been kicked out for being a kid. At this early age, I wonder what efforts were made to help him adjust to class. Isn’t suspension at odds with teaching the social and behavioral skills many young students lack? The goal should be teaching appropriate behavior, not sending children home. And what alternative does he have if there is no home schooling in Morocco? I do not think learning math or science is more important than trying to understand a child and get him to adjust first.

Adults sometimes forget that if a kid thinks s/he is naughty and devilish, s/he will act accordingly. The mother said he was isolated at school and was made to sit alone. Careful! Isolating him in this case does not mean separating him from other kids or referring him to a special class. Such kids are usually made to sit at a table alone in a corner or at the back of the classroom after they have been severely reproached and hit. Worse, when asked if she saw a doctor, Adam’s mother disclosed, “I went to see a doctor. I did many things. I took him to all the saints. They all said he is normal and he is just energetic. It will get better with time.” Saints? Why should a child be subjected to all this at an early age? And what effect could such mysterious visits and negative comments have on him?

This kid is simply gifted. He has a lot of energy others might lack. Even as he spoke to the camera, he explained his case as he knows it. He is certainly not shy with strangers!

At the end, the mother revealed that she hopes her child can get help. “I hope associations would help me educate my kid. I don’t have the resources to do that in any other place, and schools are too expensive.”

Sadly, this child is not giving everyone a hard time; he is having a hard time. It is not that kids are no longer fearful nowadays but that they are kids. They do not mind risking their life and future to feel free and do what they like most.

It takes a lot of patience and energy to educate kids and not just lash out at them or suspend them for their spontaneous behavior and resistance to requests. We are all stressed, but no one said this parenting thing or teaching would always be easy!

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Casablanca - Launched in 2010 by a group of young basketball lovers, TIBU, whose initials stand for "Teamwork, Innovation, Binding, and Uprightness," aims to bring the passion of this sport to the Kingdom of Morocco.

TIBU Maroc’s president, Mohamed Amine Zariat, hopes to inspire the Moroccan youth with basketball by conveying values such team spirit, solidarity, fair play, and dealing with challenges. Aside from that, TIBU is a non-profit organization.

The basketball association provides sporting, educational, cultural and social activities for young boys and girls. It includes two other foundations: TIBU Basketball Academy and TIBU HandiBasket.

The TIBU Basketball Academy is the first of its kind in Morocco.Their mission is to train young basketball players as well as to qualify the technical staff to an international level.

TIBU HandiBasket is a special club for physically disabled children (from the ages of 8-16) that are given the opportunity to play basketball with one another without restrictions. With this initiative, TIBU demonstrates that sports are for everyone and anyone regardless of gender or impairment.

Equally important to note, TIBU Maroc works closely with the following institutions: ESIG-École Supérieure Internationale de Gestion, MDJS-La Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports, Locus English, Ville de Casablanca, Casablanca Events, as well as with the U.S embassy in Morocco.

In addition, courses in English as well as leadership skills are both incorporated within the program. TIBU Maroc also offers exchange programs in France, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, and Serbia, and thus mastering of the English language is a requirement.

In a recent press conference, TIBU Maroc president Mohamed Amine Zariat explained that English is a must-have skill: “Why is English so important? Well, we want to become TIBU Worldwide, and in order to become known worldwide, English is essential, as it is an international language. We want our players to speak English. That’s why our coaches instruct them in English. And if ever players of our team would travel abroad to participate in international competitions, English would not be a burden.” Nevertheless, he also highlighted that French and Arabic still needed for the improvement of some children, in order to obtain the best of the Moroccan job market.

In the past few years, TIBU Maroc has already organized several successful events such as the National TIBU School Tour, TIBU Basketball Camp, and many more. What started rather small is growing into a long-lasting benefit for the Moroccan youth. What’s more, TIBU Maroc is convinced that basketball would make a positive contribution to Moroccan society and the physical and personal development of its young people.

For more detailed information about each establishment and how to participate or volunteer, please refer to TIBU’s Facebook pages below:

TIBU Maroc. TIBU Basketball Academy. TIBU HandiBasket.

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Miami - Following the controversial arrest of 14-year old Muslim Ahmed Mohamed in Texas, his family as well as the teenager have given several video interviews expressing their feelings about the boy’s detention and the story has gone viral.

Ahmed’s family, reportedly his sisters, created a Twitter account for their brother under the name @IStandWithAhmed causing the trending hashtag #IStandWithAhmed to be used by thousands worldwide.

Ahmed has since received “waves” of support including former US Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who tweeted, “Assumptions and fear don’t keep us safe – they hold us back. Ahmed, stay curious and keep building.”

Assumptions and fear don't keep us safe—they hold us back. Ahmed, stay curious and keep building. https://t.co/ywrlHUw3g1

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 16, 2015

Among the many encouraging messages for the Muslim student, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg congratulated his “skill and ambition to build something cool”, disagreeing with his arrest saying, “[it] should lead to applause, not arrest.” The social media mogul also invited him, “Ahmed, if you ever want to come by Facebook, I’d love to meet you. Keep building.”

According to Dallas News, Ahmed’s sister Ayisha shared “We’re trending No. 1! It’s a blessing and a curse,” about her brother’s overnight social media ‘fame’, “I don’t think he’ll ever be able to live normally again.”

Thank you fellow supporters. We can ban together to stop this racial inequality and prevent this from happening again pic.twitter.com/fBlmckoafU

— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015

Meanwhile, Ahmed has expressed his gratitude through his ‘now globally famous’ Twitter account as well, addressing users, “Thank you fellow supporters. We can ban together and stop this racial inequality and prevent this from happening again.”

Several sources including Ahmed’s father, a Muslim from Sudan, have raised the issue of possible Islamophobia as the reason for his abrupt arrest on Monday.

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Taroudant - A recent Hair Loss Incidence Study conducted by YouGov in the United Arab Emirates found that over half of Emirati men who suffer from hair loss would rather trade a year of their lives to regain their hair.

The study, which was conducted in the United Arab Emirates on behalf of Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo, discovered that 67 percent of men and women in UAE suffer from hair loss.

Most of the polled population express willingness to trade some years of their life for regaining their lost hair or prevent baldness.

In response to the question “How much time of your life you would be willing to shorten to regain lost hair or to ensure that you will not go bald?”, most of the poll’s participants claimed that hair loss is an unending problem that they would shorten their lives to avoid.

“13 percent of the 590 male respondents said they were willing to shorten their lives by three years or more, while an additional 42 percent were willing to trade 1 year or less of their lives for a head full of hair,” the study found.

 “Hair loss can alter the way a man looks, and makes him look older. Men in the UAE put strong emphasis on their physical appearance, and hair loss therefore causes great problems for most men in UAE,” underlines Dr. Hanieh Erdmann, a German Board Certified Dermatologist and Hair Restoration Surgeon located in Dubai.

 The study reveals that hair loss impacts the social lives of men in the UAE, especially if the problem happens at an early age.

 “Self-doubt, difficulties in socializing, and embarrassment are just some of the consequences of hair loss”, Erdmann said, adding that the study found “hair loss in men is associated with psychological phobias.”

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By Ayoub Derraza

Rabat - Summer jobs do not require a special uniform, or standing in a queue for a work permit. All you need is to choose a popular commodity and the appropriate place to sell it. Every summer, products which become necessary for the season appear on sidewalks and near beaches.

This phenomenon attracts people from various professions. “This trade does not thrive only in the summer, specifically from June to September,” explains Ayoub, who sells sunglasses and protective hats he bought from one of rabat’s popular markets, on sidewalks. The 22-year-old always tries to satisfy his customers by bringing new models of glasses. “Most of my customers are ladies and teenagers,” Ayoub adds. It seems that unemployment forces many youths to create new kinds of trade, even if it cannot extend past the end of a specific season.

Summer months are, for the majority of those hawkers, an unrefined opportunity to do this profitable business. Houssine, 29 years old, sells sunglasses on one of streets in Rabat’s Bab Elhad neighborhood. He says, while arranging his goods on sidewalks and as anguish fills his face, “this trade does not prosper except in summer when tourists begin to visit our beaches.” Houssine describes these months as the “peak season, “ which is why he adjusts product prices – by adding higher profit margins – in order to benefit well from this period.

As long as the temperature remains high, selling ice cream retains its profits – especially in July and August. However, this profession is full of troubles and suffering. Ayad, who was born in 1968, says, “I do not work except during the three months of summer.  I tolerate the exorbitant transportation expenses which reduce the profit margin. On the best day, I earn MAD 70.” Once the peak months finish, Ayad returns to the daily battle with poverty.

Because our beaches become full of vacation-goers, many hawkers wander between them – carrying on their backs various kinds of sandwiches in bags. Afternoons especially give witness to many of those sellers, as the beaches become extremely full. Abdurrahman, 43 years old, says that he is “suffering from lack of sales and [his customers] are pestered by those who want to monopolize the beaches. Mostly, I respond with silence.”

Just steps away from Abdu, Sanae combs the beach with her bag full of sandwiches. After a long hesitation, the 23-year-old agreed to tell about her suffering from some tourists and hawkers, “most of them do not hesitate to harass me. Some even try to abuse me physically. Life is too hard.” The student of Arabic studies adds, “Every summer, I find myself obligated to do something in order to cover the expenses of my studies. What else can I do?” With those shocking words, Sanae tries to speak about her suffering which has torn her in opposite directions: the high cost of studying and an unmerciful society.

Seasonal trade is not necessarily linked to sunglasses, summer products, caps, and protective sunblocks. Rental chairs also represent also a profitable business. “This domain does not always provide us enough to live by as the benefit is only in summer months,” says Tareq, 33 years old and a father of two. He adds, “Some exploit our trust and just steal chairs.” In order to provide a lasting income, Tareq invests what he saves during this period. “We live just like ants. We save what we earn during these months to spend in the coming ones.”

Commenting on the phenomenon, the sociologist Ali Shaabani says, “Even if the seasonal jobs are only marginal and do not provide stable income, they abound in the summers. Since people are attracted to these products, it is a seductive business venture for many. However, only if you have a product that receives a large turnout will you make a sizeable profit.” The sociologist adds, “The absence of surveillance contributes to the spread of this trade; however, its practitioners do not respect safety conditions in the absence of deterrence mechanisms.” Regarding customers’ growing demand for sandwiches, Ali mentions the effect of restaurants on food consumption trends of Moroccan families. “The family meal setting is preferable – especially in this season – to snacks”.

On the other hand, vacationers’ opinions vary between the supporters who see this commerce as an attempt to fight unemployment and those who are afraid of the products. Siham, 26 years old, says, “Sandwich sellers provide many things which we cannot bring with us because we spend the whole day at the beach.” Anouar, another beachgoer, mentions, “I do not risk buying those products, because they do not respect safety conditions, especially sandwiches. Even their prices are too expensive,” the 19 year old adds.

Summer raises several problematic issues such as the emergence of seasonal professions. Several age groups try to fight unemployment, albeit for a short period. However, many questions exist specifically regarding safety conditions. Among these are how to abate the trend and what alternatives exist to the crowds of jobless people practicing these professions unwillingly – questions that are still without response.

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“The goal of leadership is to excel, reach full potential, inspire and push other people up. Do not summarize it into a pursuit of positions and titles”

Rabat - On Saturday September 19^th, 2015 Lamia Bazir was invited to speak at the Leadership Annual Conference organized by the Leadership Development Institute at Al Akhawayn University in Morocco.

Her academic, social, and professional experience is a source of inspiration for many young Moroccan women and men who gathered to listen to her talk and interchange ideas with her on the theme of “Women in Leadership”. Lamia gave an analysis of both the opportunities and challenges faced by women in their attempt to lead. Then, she talked about her own experience even if she is still at the beginning of her career, and finally shared learnings and advice with the audience.

Lamia started by articulating her own definition of leadership that goes beyond the occupation of positions of power in the economic, social, or political fields, but that really entails a capacity to inspire, mobilize, and lead others for positive action. However, she insisted on the need to still take into account figures -based on the traditional definition- to see how many women actually succeed in making it to top positions.

Together with the audience, she analyzed -through figures and graphs- how only very few women figure on the top of any professions in the world. Despite important progress, women still face challenges and a glass ceiling. Lamia carried on her intervention by scrutinizing the causes to this complex and global phenomenon that she categorized into two types: limitations linked to structure and agency.

Lamia explained that the structure itself can create obstacles to women’s empowerment and advancement. This can manifest itself in terms of a legislation that explicitly does not provide equal rights for women and consequently excludes them from certain services, power circles, and even professions. She also referred to unequal access to education as another key structural impediment that might prevent women from building the capacity and skills that would increase their options in life and enable them to advance.

Lamia Bazir explained that even if in some countries where both legislation and access to education have been improved for women, the job industry itself is not adapted to women’s needs and lifestyles and is often fashioned as if all women were single men. She demonstrated how work requirements, hours, and modalities are not always taking into account women’s life cycles –such as maternity- and have to gain in flexibility in order to enable effectiveness, persistence, and productivity for female workers.

For Lamia Bazir, to reduce women’ guilt and sacrifices between professional and family life, family has to be depicted as an integral component to female's participation in the labor force rather than in tension or opposition to it.

She referred to Anne-Marie Slaughter’s article to explain that unless there are systemic changes “women cannot have it all”^[1] Furthermore, she mentioned that women’s representation is key to break this cycle. “There is a need for more women in board of directors and executive committees to make sure that women's participation and needs are incorporated in decision-making and translated into practice,” she said.

On the other hand, Lamia shed light on the soft limitations for women, embodied in what she calls “social and cultural inhibitors” that disable women to reach their full potential. This includes the gender stereotypes that create pressure and expectations limiting women’s choices and confining their behavior.

“This translates in some attitudes of women towards their education, training and careers that do not encourage leadership and advancement,” she noted.

Lamia gave many examples of social expectations that differ between men and women in terms of the facility to negotiate salaries, fetch opportunities, assert publicly, and take credit. Consequently, Lamia recommended the “integration of leadership modules in school curricula to encourage women to develop both the skills and the will to pursue leadership and executive vocations.”

 She also referred to role models as crucial. ”Women in leadership positions have to be showcased and celebrated for their value added in Morocco, the Arab world, and all over the world,” she said.

Finally, Lamia spoke of her personal experience as young Moroccan female who undertook a successful trajectory in Morocco, France, and the USA. She explained that the reason she has been successful is that she developed personal knowledge and strength.

She emphasized how the development of leadership skills is insufficient without a strong personal project. “In fact, both women and men are always subjected to external pressure and inner doubts that would lead them to lower ambition and lose leadership assets; unless they have built the capacity to resist- thanks to a strong faith in their assets and aspirations,” she stressed.

Therefore, she advised students attending the conference to work on themselves, know who they are, their mission and role in life and to identify their flaws and limitations.

“This is the only way to develop the strength that would help them resist both structural and cultural pressures,” she added.

Lamia explained how women and men should do this work while they are students. “Do it now!” she said. “Now that you have a structure, integration, and a support system … because once you get out in the wild, it might be harder as you will be facing so many pressures, and won’t be prepared and equipped to face them.”

Lamia also insisted that leadership development is not a shallow process. According to her “the goal of leadership is to excel, reach full potential, inspire and push other people up. Do not summarize it into a pursuit of positions or titles that might make you unhappy, unsatisfied or defeatist… rather listen to yourself, know and cultivate your potential,” She concluded.

*Lamia Bazir is a 25 years old Moroccan woman and a rising young leader. She was a representative at the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in New York. She earned diplomas from Columbia University, Sciences Po Paris, and Al Akhawayn University. Her experience includes political analysis for the Arab League, consultancy with Transparency International, and field research in Niger. Most recently, Lamia won the United Nations’ Award for Volunteering. Lamia is particularly known for her engagement for youth empowerment and her social venture “Empowering Women in the Atlas.”

[1] Slaughter, A. (2012). “Why Women Still Can't Have It Al”l. The Atlantic.

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Taroudant - A young man allegedly committed suicide on Friday morning by hanging himself with a rope in the forest of Bouarak in Taourirt, in the north of Morocco.

Before taking his own life, Mustapha Tajj, 22, left a moving message for his family and friends on Facebook, saying “Goodbye, I decided to leave forever!” The statement was posted with a photo of a person jumping off a cliff.

Some of his friends thought that Tajj put an end to his life after experiencing frustration and depression because of the hardships he was going through.

From his recent posts on Facebook, which are full of expressions of pessimism, it appears that the young man was trying to find a meaning to his life and the harsh reality of the real world he was living in.

The way in which Tajj put an end to his life created a wave of shock among his friends and among social media users.

The comments on his last status attracted many mixed reactions. While some mourn the tragic way in which he decided to end his life, others said committing suicide contravenes the teachings of Islam.

Tajj was a university student at the department of History of Mohamed I University in Oujda.

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Meknes - The Leadership Development Institute (LDI) at Al Akhawayn University (AUI) hosted its third annual conference entitled “Steps Towards Leadership” on Saturday  in Ifrane.

The conference featured a number of prominent young Moroccans, including Abdelhakim Semmami, Adnane Addioui, Adnane Bennis, Fadoua Tahari, Hicham Zerhouni, Lamia Bazir, Khalid Baddou, Samir Bennis, and Sara Zouak,

Speakers addressed the topic of leadership, describing their own journeys as professionals and emerging leaders.

At the conference’s opening, Duncan Rinehart, assistant professor of management at AUI and Director of the leadership insitute, introduced the overall goal and the importance of the conference. “The event is designed to bring student together and address how we can develop leadership in Morocco through discussion and speakers’ presentations, and also to give our students the chance to arrange and organize the event, which in itself is a form of leadership.”

Samir Bennis, a political analyst and Editor-in-Chief at Morocco World News, described obstacles he had had to overcome on his journey he has experienced along the way, in his mission to achieve his short term and medium term goals.

“I went to New York unable to speak English, but I eagerly started learning English right away. Now I speak fluently and write the news and articles for an English speaking audience.  The determination to value hard work and leadership will prompt a change in Morocco to a better one.”

He also stressed that civil society must wake up from its hibernation to defend Morocco’s national interests. “Moroccans should be mobilized all year long to defend their national causes, especially the question of the Western Sahara.”

“Yes we all know that most Moroccan officials only care about their own interests and that of their families and couldn’t care less about the layman and women,” he said.

“But this should not cloud the picture for us and push us to be defeatist. Quite the contrary, in a country like Morocco where there is too much to be done, I firmly believe that our country and our communities need every bit of us. If every of one us present here and other Moroccan youth could exploit their potential to the fullest, we cannot imagine the impact this could have on our country at large and our immediate communities,” he added.

Lamia Bazir, currently working in the office of Head of Government, and a former AUI student described how she was thrilled to see current AUI students wholeheartedly express their positions and take the initiative to contribute to the development of the country.  She also described the challenges of leadership for women, drawing on her early experiences, and tackled the issue of why women are marginalized in positions of leadership. Correcting a common misperception of what is a “leader,” she said “Leadership is not about reaching the summit, but about unleashing your creativity, exploring who you are, and influencing people around you and beyond in the world at large.”

Representing MWN as the leading English news outlet in the region, Adnane Bennis, co-founder and Managing Editor of MWN, described impediments he had confronted in the United States and how he has managed to jump life’s hurdles. He described MWN as a bridge to the worldwide mass media and how the news outlet, which was launched in 2011, has become influential throughout the world. Adnane unveiled MWN’s upcoming project, “MWN Junior,” a new project to support the creativity and development of younger readers.

The conference featured an enthusiastic debate among the delegates at the presentation of Hicham Zerhouni, a 2015 New Leaders Council Fellow. He delivered a groundbreaking presentation on controversial issues in Morocco, including Morocco’s ailing educational system and the lack of participation of youth in politics and elections.  He emphasized the significance of voting against corrupt politicians to promote candidates with integrity and eradicate corruption.

Around seventy students participated in the event, many from AUI and other Moroccan universities, all with fluency in English. Kawtar Benhammou, a senior business student, strongly endorsed the event. “What I liked the most was the different inspiring stories of the speakers. The common theme is that we should lead by example, because people are inspired by what we do more than what we say.”

LDI aims to inspire its participants by offering leadership prospects and expanding the annual conference to attract more future leaders. Luana Morales, a Brazilian student and one of the event’s main organizers, said: “We seek to raise awareness in Morocco regarding leadership and open the floor for discussion to promote and achieve leadership in different fields.”

“We want to grow the conference in the future because Morocco has lots to offer and youth needs only opportunities to share their common ambitions in order to contribute to the development of their community,” she concluded.

Edited by Elisabeth Myers 

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Taroudant - Last week, a group of Muslims organized a Halal version of speed dating in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital.

The Halal, meaning permissible under Islamic law, dating aims at encouraging young people to meet, discuss and hopefully find a good partner for marriage under Sharia Laws.

Since Islam prohibits “Khalwa,” meeting with a member of the opposite sex other than a spouse or close relative in a private place, the organizers came up with a creative way to allow youth to meet in lawful meetings.

According to Reuters, the dating service was arranged in conformity with Islam requirements. “Women speed daters must be chaperoned by a wali, or guardian, until she gets married and who grants her the permission to do so,” Reuters reported.

Speed daters can shortlist up to three people, however marriage can only be negotiated with one possible partner at a time in the presence of the girl’s wali (responsible).

Halal Speed Dating co-founders Zuhri Yuhyi, 34, and Norhayati Ismail, 41, said, "Halal Speed Dating is the anti-Tinder. Instead of casual hookups, Halal Speed Dating is about dignified and chaperoned meet-ups with the intention of marriage. In fact, we do not condone the modern dating that is commonly practiced."

The organizers said that unlike online meetings, and dating apps, Halal Dating Service proved its success and people are getting more interested in the service.

The first meeting was organized in May, when about 80 people joined, and the second meeting was organized last week with 60 interested young Muslims.

The founders said that about 2,300 people have signed up to attend the coming session, most of them urban professionals between the ages of 25 to 35.

Unlike other Muslim countries where young people enjoy more freedom, public displays of affection and intimacy before marriage are strictly forbidden in Malaysia. Malaysian Muslims may face fines and jail terms if caught in unlawful meeting.

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By Oussama Raqui

Rabat - When Tim Berner Lee invented the World Wide Web, his invention not only brought him success but also changed people’s way of life. Because factories, organizations and institutions rely on the Internet to function and coordinate, one cannot talk about an economic revolution without the use of the Internet. This relationship necessitates Arab developing countries use of the Internet to develop economically. However, the use of the Internet by such a large number of people has brought both positive and negative effects to the sociopolitical scene in the Arab World, because of the way people use Internet technology and the characteristics of Arab societies.

The way of life in the Middle East and North Africa, differs from the rest of the world. Cultural norms of most countries are shaped by Islamic tradition. The way men and woman interact with each other is regulated according to specific principles. In addition, the relationship between family members is of great importance in these societies, especially that between parents and children. Political life in the Arab world is currently undergoing vast changes but in past has been characterized by tyranny in certain governments.

The influence of western societies on Arab societies led to the emergence of the Internet in the life of Arabs, but it has since been adopted used for purposes specific to Arab societies. As Deborah L. Weeler points out, ‘‘the latest estimates suggest that internet use in the Middle East and North Africa is growing at a rate higher than any other place in the world. Between the years 2000-2005 internet access rates grew at a measure of around 411,% (compounded growth).’’(p5). This expanded access to the Internet has changed the behaviors and values of many people, thus bringing drastic change to the Arab societies in gender relations, familial structure, and political advocacy.

Although most countries in the Middle East and North Africa are conservative the Internet is introducing more liberal cultural norms. “Given strict social sanctions against crossing gender boundaries outside of marriage and the family, the Internet is widening the interactions and experiences of men and women in the Middle East and North Africa.” (Weeler.p12). A recent study of the impact of the Internet in Saudi Arabia shows that “new forms of private communication, like electronic mail and chat, but also online public areas…for the first time enable communication between males and females in this gender-segregated society.”(Yasslem al-saggaf qtd in.Weeler). Through social networks or chat rooms, members of opposite sexes can share their views and opinions without knowing each other face-to-face. In many societies, couples meet thanks to social networks and get married.

Rebellion against societal norms has historically characterized the period of adolescence. A girl and a boy can easily build a relationship through chatting online. In this respect, excessive use of the Internet influences relationships among teenagers. “One such factor might be developmental changes in adolescence, which could cause teenagers to withdraw from social contact and to use the internet as an escape.”(Robert_Kraut et al.1028). Considering this online interaction can be easily transferred to the offline world has changed the manner in which teenagers interact, and will most likely affect the structure of more conservative societies.

According to the Islamic tradition, children must look after their parents, especially when they grow old. This helps to create integration among family members of different ages. But if the children spend too much time on the Internet, their parents will be left behind, unable to participate in modern society and modern forms of entertainment. “Use of internet, like watching T.V, may present a privatization of entertainment, which could lead to social withdrawal and to declines in psychological well being” (Roubert Kraut et al.1029). Meena Kumari Rajani and M.S.Chandio suggest a solution to empower the elderly and encourage independence: “Through the internet they (elderly people) can get information related to their health and religion, and communicate with their friends and do online shopping and consult with doctors without being dependent on their children.” (160). However the elderly are technologically illiterate and need training, which is particularly difficult if they are uneducated, because foreign languages are necessary to manipulate computers. The use of the Internet may hinder this type of relationship within the family.

Through chat rooms, instant messaging and social networks people succeed in building online communities. Weeler says, “The Internet café users in Jordan and Egypt celebrate the tool’s ability to give them new opportunities to develop their knowledge and opinions of politics and social issues, especially on those topics which might be taboo in face to face interactions,” illustrating that Internet users can act more freely through the Internet without societal boundaries. Individuals with different backgrounds have become able to express their opinions without chains; “this ability to share and develop opinions, to extend social networks, and to grow in one’s political consciousness, and commitment to engage in world and Arab affairs represents one of the most powerful political effects of the web”(Weeler,14). Social networks have given space for people to discuss political issues more freely.

Internet technology enables its users to learn about different cultures and to create new social interactions on online communities. Individuals from vast geographical locations can learn about other cultures thanks to websites, something that was almost impossible before the emergence of the Internet, when the only means to be informed about other civilizations was to read lengthy books or to actually travel the world.

Most Arab governments have accepted the principles of human rights, including the right of freedom of speech. But there still has been censorship, even leading to imprisoning, killing, or exiling those who oppose the mainstream of political affairs, which has happened in Syria, Yemen and some other Arab societies. However, “the global pressure to join the knowledge economy means that states in the region can no longer afford to keep their politics digitally muzzled and blind folded”(Weeler.17). Citizens in oppressive countries are relying on computer-mediated communication, because it provides security for them to express their opinions. As it is stated in Peter Steiner’s famous New Yorker drawing, “on the Internet, nobody knows you are a dog.” (see Wilson and Peterson p458).

For example, Facebook, Twitter and other social networks played an important role in the recent uprisings in the Arab World. Tunisia was the first country to use the Internet technology among Arab societies. When the uprising started in Tunisia, the tyrannical government of Ben Ali prevented people from expressing their views publicly and violently suppressed protests. The only means to communicate and organize was the social networks.

Malcolm Gladwell disagrees, starting his article “Social media can’t provide what social change has always required.” He explains an important event that happened on February 1.1960, a civil rights war that started when four collage students from North Carolina were maltreated at a lunch counter by a waitress because of their black color. Gladwell argues that this kind of activism that happened without Facebook or Twitter is different and cannot be replaced with social networking. Some of his arguments are as follows:

Social media are not about this kind of hierarchical organization. Facebook and the like are tools for building networks, which are the opposite, in structure and character of hierarchies. Unlike hierarchies, with their rules and procedures, networks aren’t controlled by a single central authority. Decisions are made through consensus, and the ties that bind people to the group are loose.

On the other hand, one could argue that social networks are an important step toward hierarchical organization, especially in oppressive countries where people’s gathering is controlled by the state. People interested in affecting change meet on social media, discuss their strategies and goals, then they go to the streets. Both the Tunisian and Egyptian governments made bans on the access to the Internet during the Arab Spring showing just how critical social networks were in organizing the demonstrations, that eventually led to the decline of both governments. Though the ties that bind people online may be loose, the real ties are built when people meet in the street, and because of those, bit by bit, people start to trust the online interactions. “It is hard to sustain freedoms to be creative and entrepreneurial digitally speaking, while at the same time, keeping these same concepts and roles from being used to re-engineer political and social life, from the family, to the community, to the state” (Weeler,17).

The Internet changed both the social and political aspects in the Arab world. Because of it, interaction between males and females will be different as the two sexes are communicating with each other much more than before. Family loyalty and support is decreasing because of the excessive use of the Internet. However, Arab governments no longer solely control the political changes in their societies. “Whether Arab societies like it or not, increasing levels of education…,and the rise of new communications media are turning the Arab street into a public sphere in which greater numbers of people, not just a political and economic elite, will have a say in governance and public issues”(Dale Eickelman.qtd.in Weeler). People have become aware of the importance of the Internet to make a change in their lives and their societies.

Works Cited

Gladwell, Malcolm. Social Media Can’t Provide What Social Change Has Always Required.2010  

Meena Kumari Rajani & M.S.Chandio. Use of the Internet AND it’s Effect on Our Society. NCET 2004

Kraut R, Patterson M, Lundmark V, Keislar S, Mukopadhyay T and Sherilis W. Internet

Paradox. A Social Technology That Reduces Social Involvement and Psychological Well Being? APA, 1998.

Wheeler, Deborah. Empowering Publics: Information Technology and Democratization

In The Arab Warld—Lessons from Internet Cafés and Beyond.Oxford Internet Institute, 2006.

Wilson Samual M, Peterson Leughton C. The Anthropology of Online Communities. Annu.Rev 2002.

Edited by Rebecca Sawatzki

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