Rabat - A young Moroccan boy was found under a bus as it crossed into the city of Tarifa, southern Spain, Spanish media reported.

The Moroccan boy was found by Spanish border police at the port of Tarifa on Tuesday, while squeezed into a false compartment under the bus.

A press release by the Civil Guard said that the young boy was found in “very bad physical condition.” He was immediately transferred to the Red Cross for necessary medical attention.

This is not the first time in which an immigrant has attempted the perilous journey to Spain. Last month, a migrant from Guinea was found under the hood of a BMW as it crossed into the city of Ceuta.

In a similar incident last month, a Moroccan man died while trying to smuggle himself into Spain in the trunk of a car. The 27-year-old man was stowed inside a suitcase on a five-hour ferry crossing from Melilla to the Spanish city of Almeria.

In May, an eight-year-old boy from Ivory Coast was found hidden inside a Moroccan woman’s suitcase as she tried to smuggle him into Spain. Customs officials spotted the child when the luggage passed through an X-ray machine.

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Meknes - In recognition of the dedication of Ambassador Chris Stevens to serve North Africa and the Middle East, the State Department’s Stevens Initiative aspires to pay a tribute to his legacy by granting youth in the Arab world a life-changing cross-cultural experience.

Moroccans will be the first to inaugurate the preliminary program, which includes 125 Moroccan students from public and private schools across the kingdom. The program aims to effectively promote the tie between Moroccan and American students through collaboration on virtual projects.

Additionally, last week twenty Moroccan students and four teachers visited the US in order to meet American students in person and exchange ideas directly.

The Stevens Initiative honors the memory of Ambassador John Christopher Stevens, a popular diplomat and fluent Arabic speaker, who was the first US ambassador killed while on duty in three decades.

The American lawyer and diplomat was born on April 18, 1960, in Grass Valley, California. His connection to North Africa began when he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco, serving as an English teacher from 1983 through 1985 in the rural areas of the High Atlas Mountains.

His fluent command of Arabic and French and his solid background in North Africa and the Middle East allowed Stevens to join the U.S Foreign Service in 1991. He was eventually promoted to powerful posts in several Arab countries. Amid the uproar of the Libyan Revolution, Stevens was appointed to serve as the 10^th United States Ambassador to Libya in May 2012.

In a video posted on YouTube on May 21, 2012, by the US Embassy in Tripoli, Stevens described how honored and proud he felt to serve in Libya. He had a burning desire to create partnerships and to operate projects in conjunction with Libya in order to help Libyans achieve their goals and improve their community. Sadly, his tragic death in September 2012 prevented the achievement of his plans and projects.

On the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attack on the United States, the Benghazi consulate came under attack while Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans were inside. The deadly raid was allegedly made by extremist Muslims who were angered by a film that they felt was offensive to the Islamic religion. The hours-long assault on US facilities, which may have also been targeted as a CIA outpost, left Stevens and the three Americans dead.

Chris Stevens was a very approachable and popular character with everyone. He was renowned for his respectful and friendly communications with different races across the US, Middle East and North Africa. He devoted his life to consolidating the relations between the United States and Arab countries and to improving the status of the Middle East and North Africa.

Edited by Esther Bedik

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Rabat - In the time shortly after commencing adulthood one is expected to quickly assimilate to newfound freedom and establish their life path, be it marriage, work, or further studies. Young adults discern with intense societal pressure to please family regardless of their personal desires. 

Sophia Laasiri, a 23-year old woman from Kenitra, is creating her own path, choosing to embark on a yearlong journey through Europe, Northern Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Her decision came after deep contemplation during Ramadan this past summer. “I spent all of Ramadan asking God to lead me in the right direction and one night I had a dream of traveling and living in 12 countries in 12 months. I could not shake it off for days and nights. I kept praying if this was the right thing to do and how would I even do it,” she told Morocco World News.

The concept of forgoing studies or work for a short time is not unheard of. In Europe, Australia, and occasionally in the United States, young adults take what is called a gap year to explore the world and have an enriching cultural experience. According to UCAS (Undergraduate Courses at University and College), in 2012, 5% of students in Europe deferred their acceptance to take a gap year and travel. Programs exist which can aid a student in teaching, volunteering, or traveling throughout different countries. Students often return from gap years with more life experience and a more focused idea of what they wish to do.

Laasiri’s goal is to spread the gifts she has been given, “to share love, the words of God, and to continue breaking the limitations we have placed on each other.” In her words, her work will span “from helping Moroccan immigrants in Spain learn how to pursue their dream and proper work, to helping struggling drug addicts in Paris overcome their demons, to helping women in the brothels of Amsterdam find freedom into a new lifestyle, let go of shame, and find their worth.”

Her journey will go as far as India “to help teach orphans English, to always follow their heart, and never give up.

I will help the women of Saudi Arabia know how important their voice is, to always speak up for themselves, and to push for equality even if it means risking their life so the next generation can rise,” she told Morocco World News.

“My mission will take to the streets of Egypt to help children emotionally empower themselves so they may bring peace and love to their country.” 

International travel is not a new concept to Laasiri as she lived in the United States for the past 15 years. During the next year of her life, she will also be “writing a novel of the past five years of [her] life and of [her] travels. A novel of the struggles of an immigrant trying to fit in the USA, overcoming depression, learning from mistakes, taking risks.”

Laasiri’s travel experience is an exception, considering this sort of international travel is generally rare in Morocco and is particularly rare for women. However, Laasiri’s trip potentially points toward a general increase of foreign travel as a young adult.

Now, at the beginning of her travels she writes, “Is this dangerous? Yes. Am I scared? No for I have God on my side.”

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission

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By Wail Bourchachene

Rabat - Omar Balafrej, a Moroccan political activist, Director of (Technopark) is a founding member of the movement “Clarity, Ambition, Courage” and “Abderrahim Bouabid Foundation.”

Balafrej is a 42 year old engineer, and is considered a rising young political face. He joined the PSU (Unified Social Party) before the last Moroccan elections, and won second place in the province (Agdal-Riyad in Rabat).

Morocco World News conducted recently an interview with Balafrei.

MWN: What’s your idea about change in Morocco?

Democracy in Morocco is blocked particularly in elections particularly because:

1) Misusing religion

2) Corruption: buying votes

3) Disrespecting people's maturity and choices.

But, NGOs are a good way to make change in society and cultivate it. Change doesn't need big financing, but smart ideas. Let’s take Scandinavian countries as an example; they had similar problems and situations 50 years ago. But their situations have changed and they have rebuilt institutions and society’s awareness. The conclusion is what Abderrahim bouabid said: ‘’To achieve democracy we need to practice it

MWN: One of the main goals of ‘Clarity, Ambition, Courage’ was unifying the Moroccan left. Did it achieve its goal?

If the Moroccan left is unified they will be the biggest political party in morocco and also the strongest one. And the movement has made some good steps toward this goal.

MWN: But is there any hope when it comes to Moroccan radical social parties as (Annahj Democratie: The Democratic way)? 

I’m positive about the unification, and ‘annahj democratie’ has some parts that can unify.

MWN: What is the problem with the project of the high-speed train (TGV)?

It's a stupid decision, made despite people's opinions. The movement that we started (STOP-TGV) was an attempt to change. STOP-TGV was also a chance to work with other left parties and organizations, and a chance to find common ground for a future unification. But I think that one of the main ideas of Stop-TGV is that we need to rethink our projects, and listen to varied ideas, and rethink our taxes.

MWN: Why didn’t you work with PJD (Moroccan conservatives, and leading political party of majority) in agdal-ryad?

It would’ve been good on newspapers, but bad for democracy. We have major differences on economics, democracy, social change, and individual rights.

MWN: But these differences do not prevent from collaborating with them if there’s a will to change?

Their idea about political collaboration is not to change situations, but just a sort of showing up that they could work with different parties from different ideologies. Despite being conservatives, the PJD has the same ideas of PAM (opposition party, known of its relations with the Moroccan monarchy) when it comes to economics and education.?As well as with their social vision, that considers people immature, preventing people from deciding for themselves. I hope they will be involved in the future.

Photo credit: TREY STRANGE

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission

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Rabat - The number of Moroccans looking for job offers on the internet is increasing, according to a survey conducted by the professional social network Viadeo, from August 10 to September 14, 2015.

Viadeo’s survey studied 1,233 of its users to learn the "new behavior of Moroccans in the search for a job," and found that one out of two Moroccans use social networks to look for information about recruiting companies and available offers.

The survey added that nine out of ten Moroccans go directly to companies’ websites for more information about job offers.

Among the behaviors identified by the Viadeo survey, Moroccans seeking work inquire in advance about the position they intend to apply and learn more about the nature of the job.

Job seekers often search the desired position’s place within the business, and try to collect as many opinions from the company by directly asking employees already on the job.

Concerning "juniors," Viadeo said they are "particularly sensitive to the views of employees and therefore take into consideration discussions about companies on social networks and review sites."

However, older job seekers are more concerned with finding a job than getting information about the "working environment."

The survey also revealed that one out of five Moroccans already employed still look for more opportunities.

Viadeo added that 85 percent of those surveyed said that the characteristics they consider the most important such as work environment, benefits, culture and values of business, major projects and strategy are all hard to find on the web.

According to the High Commission for Planning, Morocco’s population reached 33,848,242 millions in September 2014, with nearly 17.3 million Moroccans using the internet.

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Rabat - The 6^th annual report on global wealth, conducted by the Credit Suisse Research Institute, underlined that 21, 9 million Moroccan adults, in 2015, possess an average wealth of $10, 123.

The institute focused its research on the wealth of 4, 8 billion adults in 200 countries. According to the report, wealth is defined as the value of the financial assetsand real assets of which debt is removed.

According to the report, wealth of adult Moroccans has recently significantly increased. For instance, in 2000, the wealth of 15 million adults stood at an average of $6,166, while in 2014, with 21, 5 million adults, increased to $12, 014.

 Ranked aslower middle income, Morocco has less flattering figures on wealth share, according to the report.  84, 9% of 12, 9 million adults possess an average wealth less than $10, 000, which accounts for more than 18 million individuals.

14, 2 % of adults have a wealth average set between $10, 000 and $100, 000. 0, 9% of adults have a wealth ranging between $100, 000 and $1 million, and only 0, 1% with a wealth of less than $1million.

The unfair distribution of wealth in Morocco, as portrayed by the report, is manifested through the large gap between the upper and lower class. The report highlighted that the median wealth per adult in Morocco stands only at $2,814. This median shows that the wealthiest people possess the highest share of wealth, while in reality half of Moroccan adults have a wealth less than $2, 814.

As for middle class’s ranking at the global level, China ranks as the world’s largest middle class with 109 million individuals, followed by America with 91, 8, and Japan with 62, 5 million.

Switzerland ranks first as the world’s highest annual wealth per adult with $567, 100 dollars, followed by New-Zealand with an average annual wealth per adult of $400, 800 and Australia with $364, 900, while America has $350, 000 per adult.

According to Credit Suisse’s report, the 6^th annual report on global wealth expects an annual increase of 6, 6% of global wealth, reaching $345, 000 billion dollars.

The report has criticized the uneven wealth distribution between states, regions and individuals. 1% of the wealthiest people possess half of the global wealth. The number of millionaires is increasingly on the rise, with potential to reach 49, 3 million individuals. This status quo is most likely to broaden the gap between the “haves and the have not”.

Edited by Ghita El Youssefi

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A shocking video of a horde of young teenagers sexually assaulting a young girl in Morocco has emerged on social media.

The video posted on Facebook shows a distressed girl in tears, screaming, as she tries to escape the gang of attackers who are trying to remove her clothes by force.

“She is crying but she must love this,” says one boy, laughing.

“Where is your father?” says another, equally amused. “You will learn a lesson.”

The exact location where the sexual assault took place is unknown, as is the age of the perpetrators and the victim.

Asking each other to make sure people were recording, the boy taking the video said “proof had to be there” meaning he had to record the video to show proof.

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Rabat - A man’s body was found decapitated and charred inside an apartment in Meknes on Thursday morning.

A 20-year-old and a 21-year-old were arrested near the scene after the incident for allegedly performing “satanic rituals”.

Near the 54-year-old’s body was a series of photos of manuscripts, drawings, upon which were "satanic" scriptures.

Police also discovered materials used by the suspects to celebrate "mysterious rituals" during investigations said a statement from the police headquarters Meknes published the day after, November 27.

The two in question, a student in a vocational training institute and a university student, were remanded in custody.

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Rabat - The Rabat chapter of People to People International was founded this September in an effort to impact the community through special projects and humanitarian intervention. Under the banner of “peace through understanding,” the group organized a series of talks focused on inspiring and capitalizing on the sea of successful local initiatives that tend to go unnoticed.

The first talk was about “Self Employment and Initiative,” led by Adnane Bennis, co-founder of Morocco World News. Bennis shared his journey from student to self-starter. Though he faced many struggles, his hard work paid off, resulting in the successful English-language news website. His experiences serve as an example for other motivated youth.

The conference emphasized the importance of leading one’s life with character standing on the pillars of persistence, sense of purpose, patience and optimism along with a healthy dose of pessimism. While the academic curriculum of young graduates provides them with the tools to tackle challenges in their fields, they should be encouraged to invest intensively in professional training, promote the culture of mentorship and seek to learn from life experiences of people who have excelled, such as Bennis.

The importance of September’s conference is particularly potent, given the recent demands for reform in Morocco. However, the country’s economic takeoff can no longer rely on the public and private sectors’ efforts to create employment. Personal initiatives in the form of self-Employment or entrepreneurship are paramount to put the country on the curve of exponential growth.

Self-employment can be seen as an attractive option for the risk prone individuals. For starters, it represents a means to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Moreover, it could be seen as one of the main engines of creativity and idea generation, as it offers a platform for passionate people who want to have more control over their ideas to create innovative economic solution for their communities.

Though government policies provide a framework for generating income and welfare reform, unemployment and poverty can also be, in many cases quoted, symptoms of failure of imagination rather than lack of opportunities or support.

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By Ouassima Boujrad

Ifrane - On a cold Monday night in Ifrane, I was sitting on the balcony, drinking a hot cup of coffee and reading one of the most popular books by Paulo Coelho. It was The Alchemist, a novel that could wholly change your personality and your life in positive ways. Through this particular novel, you can develop qualities of wisdom, leadership, self-confidence, optimism, and persistence in your dreams and desires to create change. As I read that “there is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: it is the fear of failure” (Coelho, 141), I was reminded of something that I heard before, but when and where? Then I remembered: The words reminded me of Khadija, the leader of an association in the Azrou region that I once had the opportunity to visit. It was the first time I had ever discovered the world of volunteerism, a world that I had never been invited to see or decided to explore myself.

It was August 30^th, the first day of my leadership classes at AUI (Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane). The professor mentioned that volunteerism is part of leadership because volunteers do such incredible work. Volunteer work builds leaders, who in turn inspire others. As a student of leadership, I felt that I had to get closer to this world. I learned that volunteering, contributing to change, giving without receiving, and creating what is lacking in my country are my own duties as a citizen. The need for volunteers is great, and as future leaders, we should plan to fulfill this vacuum. Every individual is responsible for his or her community’s development, and a better future depends on these contributions. If we do not do it, then who will?

Why wasn’t I aware of the great need for volunteer work? Who is responsible? Would I have learned of it if I hadn’t been a student in leadership classes? I blame myself, society and my 15 years of education. I was instructed that we are citizens and that we have rights and duties, but what are they exactly? No guidance. I was told that we should donate to associations as much as we can; it is a noble action. Yet almost no one around me has ever donated because they believed that most of their donations would actually go to the members instead of the beneficiaries. Why should I care about volunteer work?  How would I get involved? How could I trust the associations? It seemed impossible, yet it happened.  I believed that it was time for me to go to one of the associations in the region of Ifrane-Azrou. I would see for myself what is really there and verify what had been said about them.

Three months later the day of my visit to the association finally arrived. It was a beautiful fall day in Ifrane; orange, brown and green tree leaves completely covered the ground. The only thing I knew about the association, apart from its logo and name (Association Wlidatna Pour Handicapé), was that it had won the Leader of the Year Award (LOTY) at a conference organized by the Leadership Development Institute (LDI) at AUI last year. The purpose of this annual event is to gather leaders of associations from Ifrane, Meknes and local regions such as Azrou in order to celebrate volunteer workers’efforts and reward them for the part they take in the development of our community.

On the road to Azrou, I read some historical facts about volunteerism in Morocco.  There were few resources on this subject, but I came across some brief records about volunteer work during colonial times. Moroccan citizens were not allowed to engage in volunteer work for fear of encouraging the fight for independence and Moroccan territorial integrity. As the imperialist powers had full jurisdiction over their colonies –since they were in the position of protectors -- they had full control over every single action in Morocco like in any other African colony at that time.  For that reason, volunteer work was limited to help offered to illiterate people in filling out administrative papers

Azrou, located in a mountainous region, is known for its agricultural products, particularly barley, apples, cherries, and livestock. Next to a souk featuring Azrou’s fresh vegetables and fruits stood the association’s tiny building. I knocked on the door and as I waited for someone to open it for me, I heard a lot of noise inside the building: children crying, women talking and sounds of movement, along with smooth tweets of birds and female voices tenderly calming the babies.

The door was unlocked by Khadija Aloui, the president and the founder of the association. With a cheery face and a big smile, she welcomed me into her attractive, colorful association. On entering, I saw signs for the three major halls: Multidisciplinary Hall, Skills Development Hall and Gaming Hall. What I liked about the association at the first glance was that it was well organized and beautifully colored, just like a small garden. I saw kids of different ages, each group in a specific hall doing a particular activity. They looked happy and fully engaged, while their mothers were hosted in a separate area as they waited for their children. With faces of joy and cheer, they were interacting with each other, talking out loud and laughing. It was the first time in my life that I regretted not learning Amazigh, because I did not understand a single word.

Before going for a general tour of the association, I requested a short conversation with Khadija Alaoui. It was a comprehensive talk about the association: its foundation, mission, vision and obstacles. After presenting myself and explaining my interest, I asked a number of questions about the association.

How would you introduce your association to a newcomer to the world of volunteer work who is willing to be part of your association?

Association Wlidatna Pour Handicapé is a nonprofit body with a humanitarian purpose. Inaugurated in March 18, 2012, its mission is to bring change to the region and to put a smile on the faces of poor families by providing medical and educational help for children with nervous system diseases. The association’s role also is to raise money to pay the costs of those medicines that the families cannot bear. Our ultimate goal is to ease the burden of the poor families in the region. Azrou is very poor region where sources of work are limited. How can a father who generates 1000dh per month coverall of his family’s needs for education, health, food and so forth?

The association receives handicapped children of different ages with diverse nervous system diseases, but we deal mainly with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy (CP) affects the children’s body movements. So, we try to engage them in a normal way of life with different activities. We try as much as we can to improve the children’s lives. We know that the mental and physical disabilities of CP are incurable and a lifelong illness, but we seek to reduce its impact on the children’s bodies.

What is the difference between CP and Down syndrome?

CP is a movement disorder due tobrain damage. It can be caused by hereditary factors, such as cousins’ intermarriage, or by problems during birth, such as asphyxia, or following birth, such as high fever, that lead to a destruction of brain cells. Down syndrome, on the other hand, is a genetic disorder with diverse causes.

How would you describe the CP cases that you receive? Which activities does your association provide to assist them and their families?

We generally receive children suffering from one of the three types of CP. Sometimes we get children who are blind, deaf and mute. You cannot imagine how upset their families feel.

They even blame themselves for their children’s cases and feel guilty about how their children were born, which should never be the case. You know, sometimes they prefer death for their children instead of seeing them around because the children sometimes cannot even recognize their parents.

For the activities, we have a three-dimensional project called “Rawdat Al Yassamine”. The first dimension is Incubation, where the children receive physical body training according to their type and degree of CP. In “Kitab” or literally translated “Book”, the children are taught the Arabic alphabet and some basic words used in everyday life. The last dimension is the audio visual, which is a chain of special cartoons selected according to each child’scase and, of course, constructive playthings for mental training. In addition to that, we provide mothers with special courses on how to correctly deal with their children at home. Currently, we are working with 24 children.“Rawdat Al Yassamine” was named after my daughter Yassamine, who died due to CP. I decided to found this association to help children like her, because I know what it means to have a child with CP. I was unaware of my daughter’s illness until it was too late.. However, it is our role to sensitize the families of children with CP. Even if the training does not cure, it will improve their cases.

Is all this work done free of charge? From where do you get money to pay the trainers and buy the medicines that you offer?

Frankly, if we had the funding, we would be doing everything voluntarily. However, you cannot be given trainers, teachers or even the location for free. You have to pay for electricity, water, association logistic materials and the list goes on. At the moment, we have three staff members whom we pay. Our volunteers include two teachers, three nursemaids, an audiovisual person and a doctor. The doctor lives and works in Rabat, so we transport the children to have a general checkup and to document their improvements. Although we would like to handle the financial situation, we wouldn’t be able to. As a result, we try to raise money in different ways because we rarely receive donations. We also ask parents to pay MAD 100 per month if applicable. At the moment, we have a shortage of medicines due to financial problems, but we are doing our best.

As my visit was coming to a close, I took a tour of the association, talking with the children and taking pictures. And, finally, I discovered the source of the tweets of birds that I heard before; there were a couple of green birds placed in the games hall, along with a hamster. The purpose of putting them there is to bring the kids closer and closer to nature.

Visiting this world changed my view of volunteer work.  I was astonished by the work they do.  They provide help out of nothing and for nothing more than a desire to provide the best conditions for the families and their well-being. Talking to some of the Arabic-speaking mothers there made me feel the importance of the association in their lives. They claim their utmost need for such help, and they generouslypraise the association’s humanitarian mission.

I completely enjoyed the four hours that I spent in the association; it was a great opportunity to learn about volunteerism in practice. I advise every single Moroccan who has never journeyed into such a world to go and spend a day within it. My journey of knowledge and discovery in this marginalized world was a valuable experience that made me realize that volunteerism is about me, you and our cooperative contribution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzA9G5WGPno

Edited by Esther Bedik

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission

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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New York - Moroccan students from the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences in Rabat won the first place award for best junior company of the Arab World for their innovative startup “Useforfait.”

Higher education students from the Mohammed V University at Souissi in Rabat, in the Al Irfane campus represented Morocco at the 2015 MENA competition organized by INJAZ Al-Arab in Mascate in Oman on November 24 and 25.

“Useforfait” is a platform created by Souissi students in Economics and Social Sciences that allows the conversion of unused (remaining) minutes of calls on mobile packages into money which can be then recovered in vouchers or in donations to associations.

“Useforfait” was also voted best young student company in Morocco among 14 other Arab countries for the INJAZ Al-Maghrib competition on September 14, the same source noted.

The winner company was founded by Moroccans Mayssae Azelmat, Ismail Bouguaillou and Rime Bakhir, who also represented Morocco at the 2015 MENA competition.

According to the same source, this is Morocco’s first number one award at the INJAZ Al-Arab competition since its creation in 2004.

INJAZ Al-Arab is a non-profit organization that drives youth education and training in workforce readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship across the Arab World.

The organization’s vision is “to inspire and prepare a generation of Arab youth to utilize their natural talents, inspiration, passion and determination to become the business leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow”.

Its network includes Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

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New York - The Northern Virginia Awards Program for local businesses has awarded Shdow Security for the Best of 2015 in the Electronic Security Businesses category. The ceremony took place on November 11 in Virginia.

This award is only given to businesses that provide exceptional products and services to clients - focusing on quality, achievements, competitive advantages and long-term value groupings. Shdow Security has also been nominated in 2015 by the Prince William Chamber of Commerce for the best small business award of the year.

Shdow Security is an electronic security business owned by Hicham Sbihi, a Moroccan-American who came to Northern Virginia at the age of 20 with an entrepreneurial drive that has helped to make his business thrive in a competitive market.

Hicham’s multiple talents in web development, programming and electronic circuitry have given him a competitive edge. His business acumen is shrewd while his affable personality shines in the course of all business and personal dealings. He is involved in politics as an elected board member for his community, making decisive actions to ensure the best for more than 3,000 members of his community.

"Honesty is truly the best policy, along with integrity and adhering to what people need in business. This also applies to politics at any level," says Hicham.

Shdow Security specializes in video surveillance and access control. Clientele ranges from Fortune 500 companies, larger corporate clients, governmental departments, and Residential Solutions, Inc.

 The wide scope of clientele gives Hicham the ability to implement innovative ideas and product enhancements. His experience in various job locations has led him to develop a keen sense of electronic security sales and installation knowledge that clients appreciate, especially since Northern Virginia is an educated consumer market. He is continuously looking for new products and improvements in order to provide clients with the best quality as well as to elevate his skills and exceed consumers' expectations.

Recently, while pondering upon an issue concerning an upcoming project, Hicham was unable to find a product in the market that would satisfy the clients’ needs. Instead of giving up after an intensive product search, he  proactively started developing his own product, which will be presented and marketed in the very near future."This is an exciting time for Shdow Security,” he told Morocco World News.

“My dream for the business is to see it grow but not only in sales volume, although it has doubled this year.  I know that we are helping other businesses and people; providing security is a rewarding job. Clients have told me how we have helped them save money and time as well as provide them with the proof needed for a criminal prosecution. When I know that clients are satisfied with the company and that I have helped them in their security needs, I feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of my own. In business, there is nothing that can replace that feeling,” he added.

Hicham has also been approved to be part of the “Class Academy” online program. The latter is deemed one of the only four accredited training schools in the state of Virginia whose purpose is to provide classroom instruction and continued online training for the electronic security industry professionals. The online course has been noted by the department of Criminal Justice Services as the best informative course and has been very successful since its inception in mid-2015.

“Dedication to business is part of the economic backbone in the United States,” he said. “I don't do business for a day, but for a lifetime,” he concludes.

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Rabat - A young Moroccan woman openly revealed her lesbianism through a video that has stirred uproar on social media networks.

The video, which lasts 33 seconds, was published by the Moroccan magazine of the Moroccan homosexual community Alkaliyat (minorities) as part of the campaign that is taking place under the theme "Love is a human right" in celebration of Human Rights Day.

The young woman in the video, identified as Hajar Motawakil, called for tolerance and love without boundaries.

"Love is not a sin or a crime. Love who you want where you want it," the Moroccan woman stressed.

Hajar also explained that she has no problems with Muslims as individuals but stood against them because "they believe they have the right to insult me, hit me and kill me."

In an interview with Al Yaoum 24, the young woman explained that homosexuals "must impose their existence to society because they are part of it and must be respected."

The “Akaliyat Group” launched a wide campaign through social media networks using the hashtag #Love_is_a_human_right.

On their official website, the homosexual minorities group published a series of videos from individuals who have openly revealed their sexual orientations, calling for love – without the boundaries of gender – as a human right.

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By Salah Eddine Salmi

Agadir - On December 18-19, MasterPeace Morocco organized a two-day Model United Nations (MUN) training at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences-Ibn Zohr University in Agadir.

55 outstanding students from different higher education institutions including ENSA, ENCG, and FLSH were selected from more than 130 other applicants to attend the training.

The Model United Nations Trainings aim to further understanding about the United Nations. They educate participants about world issues, international relations, and diplomacy meanwhile promoting peace and the work of the United Nations.

MasterPeace tried to provide students with many different kinds of skills throughout the MUN training program including public speaking, teamwork, expository and persuasive writing, debating skills, research skills, and negotiation.

In addition, these trainings aim to provide students with practical and theoretical backgrounds that will allow them to apply for Model UN conferences in Morocco and abroad.

At the end of these trainings, the participants take part in a mock MUN conference, during which they get the chance to practice what they learned throughout the training. On December 19, each student represented different countries and debated about the Syrian crisis and ISIS. Talal Belgdida, one of the participants said to Morocco World News, “what impressed me most about the MUN is that it paved the way for us to voice out our ideas the same way as real delegates do.”

MasterPeace Morocco is also planning to organize an international Model United Nations (MUN) in Agadir in April 2016. It will be the biggest MUN conference in the MENA region and will be open to university students from all over the world.

In December 2013, the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) awarded MasterPeace a certificate of “Recognition for Innovation in Peace-building.” MasterPeace is currently established in more than 40 countries.

MasterPeace Morocco was founded in Marakech in 2013 by Mr. Mehdi Badaoui and now has branches in other Moroccan cities. They organize trainings on leadership, conflict resolution, social entrepreneurship, community service, study days, MUN, and concerts. All of which aim to empower Moroccan youth along with promoting peace and solidarity.

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Rabat - Police has dismantled a cocaine trafficking network allegedly composed of young members of very wealthy Moroccan families.

Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) busted a band of cocaine dealers active in Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech, run by "rich kids," according to Arabic daily Al-Massae in its weekend issue.

A thorough investigation revealed that the band of criminals was mostly illicitly selling to international traffickers at the Morocco-Algeria borderline in order to target drug users from Sub-Saharan countries, the daily reported.

The same source added that these young and wealthy cocaine dealers mobilized large amounts of drugs as their client list was numerous, both in and outside of Morocco.

The accused have been monitored and ‘wanted’ by the authorities for a long time, yet their alleged ‘rich’ status had made it challenging for the police to locate the network’s hub.

According to the daily, police managed to finally dismantle the network following the arrest of several sub-Saharan citizens who were found living in Rabat without a residence permit.

The detention of these illegal immigrants reportedly involved with the same cocaine trafficking network across the Moroccan-Algeria border, finally led to the discovery of the active cell of ‘rich kids’.

Moreover, according to the same source, the cocaine dealers had been trafficking at several of Morocco’s trendiest places, such as luxury restaurants, bars and nightclubs in Rabat, Marrakech and Casablanca.

Further investigation of the suspects revealed a connection between this band of criminals to another three people accused of belonging to different drug trafficking network in the country’s capital, the daily informed.

Last Thursday, Tangier police arrested an Algerian citizen, key member of an active criminal network in Morocco’s northern regions.

The Algerian man had allegedly been living in Tangier for the last ten years. Police discovered the suspect was associated with a group of criminals ‘under 30’ accused of smuggling and selling alcohol and drugs in the black market.

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Washington D.C. - Morocco was named among the most hopeful nations according to a recent survey conducted by the WIN/Gallup International Association that interviewed people from 68 countries.

For the survey, titled the “Happiness International Index”, more than 66,040 people from 68 countries were polled. People were asked to answer the following question: "In general, do you personally feel very happy, happy, neither happy nor unhappy, unhappy or very unhappy about your life?"

Jean-Marc Leger, President of WIN/Gallup International Association, said: “2015 has been a tumultuous year for many across the globe, despite that the world remains largely a happy place.”

To rank hope globally, the poll divided the countries into three economic tiers and found that economic wealth did not correlate to economic optimism and hope.

The WIN/Gallup International grouped the world into three tiers: Prosperous (the G7); Emerging (G20 excluding the original G7) and Aspiring (all others) nations.

Despite the disparity in income levels across these three tiers, the study found that the level of net happiness was high across all three.

While the Prosperous countries have 42 percent happiness, the Emerging countries are happier with 59 percent happiness and Aspiring countries have 54 percent.

The findings on hope and economic optimism showed that Emerging countries had the most hope, while Prosperous countries had very low findings of hope.

Prosperous nations display the least hope and economic optimism with 6 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

Emerging nations are very hopeful about the future and far more optimistic about the economic outlook at 50 percent and 36 percent.

The Aspiring nations sit between the two with 29 percent hope and 16 percent economic optimism.

Bangladesh was considered the most hopeful, followed by China, Nigeria, Fiji, then Morocco.

"India, while among the top five most hopeful last year, dropped from the list this year.

Morocco, Nigeria, and Fiji remain among the top five most hopeful countries for both 2015 and 2016."

Hope in Morocco remains strong compared to other countries although it has dissipated.

Last year, over 75 percent of Moroccans believed that 2015 would be a better year than 2014. This year, 57 percent of Moroccans believe 2016 will be better.

As Morocco currently has a budget deficit, the government is balancing out its budget with cuts and reforms that have caused major protests.

Pension and teacher trainee reforms have recently caused protests against the government that may have created less hope among citizens.

According to a recent study, the economist predicted Morocco would still have a deficit in 2016, though there will be GDP growth. This means budget cuts and reforms may improve, but not dramatically.

More than half of Moroccan are still hopeful change may come, however.

The post Morocco, Among World’s Five Most Hopeful Nations: Survey  appeared first on Morocco World News.

By Mohamed Amine Karafi

Rabat - When I was a child, I watched a cartoon series called Pinky and the Brain. At the end of every episode, Pinky always asked the same question: “What we gonna do today, Brain?” And Brain would answer: “The same thing we do every day, Pinky. Try to take over the world.”

I laughed a lot. I found it very humorous. I did not pay any attention at that moment because it seemed simply impossible. However, now we can say that we have a real life Pinky and the Brain trying to take over the world: ISIS. Known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, it is a militant group that is led by and mainly composed of Sunni Arabs from Iraq and Syria. As of March 2015, it had control over territory occupied by 10 million people in Iraq and Syria, forcing hundreds of thousands to leave their country as refugees, looking for peace and safety.

Many developed countries are accepting refugees from Syria and Iraq. In particular, the newly elected liberal government in Ottawa, Canada is pushing ahead with a plan to let 25,000 Syrians into Canada by the end of the year—making Canada the first country in North America taking this amazing initiative.

In June 2013, the United Nations Refugee Agency issued its first appeal to the international community for assistance in resettling extremely vulnerable Syrian refugees who had urgent protection needs. Refugees will come to Canada supported by the federal government, private sponsors or a mix of both, according to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada offices.

However, there are some people who do not agree with this initiative because they simply don’t know who these “refugees” are. In the minds of some, when it comes to the word “refugee,” the first thing they think is “terrorist.”

Perhaps they have this opinion because of what happened in Paris on November 13^th 2015, when more than 140 innocent civilians were killed. Sadly, this is one of many problems caused by people believing what they hear from only a single story or a single viewpoint. Those terrorists have nothing to do with the innocent Syrian people who need help. In fact, the refugees need help because their homes were ripped away from them by terrorists.

Finally, I have a question for ISIS: if the true way to paradise is martyrdom, then why don’t the leaders take the initiative and sacrifice themselves instead of recruiting young children to accomplish their goals?

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Fez - As Morocco’s industrial sector develops at a rapid pace, Junior Chamber International Fez Challenge is addressing whether higher education is responding to the needs of the market place and scrutinizing the types of professional training students need to meet these needs.

JCI Fes Challenge announces its first conference, entitled “L'enseignement supérieur produit-il des profils adéquats aux essors que connait le Maroc? Does higher education produce adequate profiles that reply to the boom that Morocco undergoes?"

The NGO will convene researchers, experts, and professors in the fields of Entrepreneurship, Business, Economics, and Social Sciences, as well as young entrepreneurs.

The event will provide a broad perspective about the status of higher education in Morocco and present the best tools.

JCI Fez Challenge is a local non-governmental organization that was created by students and young professionals of the city of Fez out of a desire to address economic stagnation in Morocco’s spiritual capital.

The mission of JCI Fez Challenge is bringing change through offering new opportunities of development to youth in their home city Fez, to create a positive impact on the community as a whole.

The NGO has a very clear vision which aims at being the principal international network for active young Moroccan citizens.

The conference will be held January 17, 2016 in Fez.

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By Dounia Qarid

Rabat - Everyone has a story about being misunderstood or being judged, whether by clothing or money or nationality or the color of one’s skin. As the Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie said in her TED Talk, there is danger in only seeing the “single story.”

I have a French friend who made this mistake. She had wrong conceptions about Arabs and Islam. She thought that all Muslim girls wear the veil and that Islam was born in Saudi Arabia, amongst other things.

I tried to explain to her Islam is a diverse religion. Many Muslim girls choose not to wear the veil. Muslims are diverse and multifaceted.

I cannot accept insults to any religion. I would never talk about Christianity with authority because I know nothing personally about it. I would educate myself first. If others want to talk about Islam, they must educate themselves first.

When she told me that she believed Europeans invented everything, and that there were no inventors amongst Arab people, I told her that was wrong as well. We have Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, who is often considered the greatest mathematician in history. He came up with algorithms and the modern term algebra comes from the operations he used to solve quadratic equations. We also have scholars like Ibn Sina and Ibn Rochole. The list is long.

When she asked me if we have airports and cars in Morocco, I laughed. I replied sarcastically, “No, we still use camels.”

To know the culture of a country, you must know many different sides of it through education or exploration. It is the only way to understand. The world’s media does not often represent the truth of all cultures. Adichie said, “The danger of a stereotype is not that it is wrong, but that it is incomplete.”

It is so difficult to convince someone to try and understand something they did not see before. I understand why my French friend thought these things, and I was glad to tell her the truth about Moroccan culture and Islam—but I also believe that nobody should think these things in the first place.

The way to change this is to see beyond the “single story” and complete the story. We need to find powerful ways to tell our own stories. Social media can make a difference if we used it correctly. Seeking the truth is not hard if you are honest with yourself and your community.

We all live in one big world together, and we must all help each other and support fellow human beings despite our differences. I believe that God created us and He made us all different in order to see how we will live with each other. We must explore other cultures if we want to live in harmony.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission

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By Fatima Drar

Meknes - On Tuesday, January 26, UNICEF launched a new funding appeal for children in humanitarian emergencies that amounted to $2.8 billion.

UNICEF director of emergency programs in Geneva, Sikander Khan says that a quarter of this appeal will go to education, which is considered a “life-saving measure for children” at a time when war and conflict has shuttered many schools.

This appeal aims to assist 76 million people including 43 million children in 63 countries.

According to the UNOG (the United Nations Office at Geneva), the largest portion of the appeal—$1.16 billion—was destined to support UNICEF’s response in Syria and in neighboring countries Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, where large numbers of refugees are hosted. The main areas of intervention include safe water, immunizations, education and child protection.

Gordon Brown, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, developed a plan for “double-shift education”—a system that allows refugee children to attend classes in the evening at existing schools after local children finish their daily studies—that requires $750 million. Of this amount, $500 million has already been raised through grants or loans from both national governments and private businesses.

Mr. Khan emphasized the importance of education, saying, “If a child doesn’t go to school for five years, a generation is lost.” He added in response to questions by journalists that it had taken UNICEF and other partners a long time to consider education lifesaving. Different initiatives such as the Oslo Accords have helped reinforce the international norm that schools must be protected during times of conflict.

UNICEF also supports other locations around the world. Mr. Khan mentioned that UNICEF is asking for $188.9 million to respond to humanitarian needs in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad. UNICEF is requesting $25.5 million to help protect children in Burundi. The appeal also covers Central Africa, and includes a small component for Ebola relief.

Photo credit: AFP / AMC / ZEIN AL-RIFAI

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