Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
February 14, 2009

Morocco to participate in Arab World Arts festival in Washington.
Washington, Feb. 7, 2009 (MAP)

Morocco will participate in the 1st Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World festival, which will be held on February 23 through March 15 in Washington. The event, organized by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in cooperation with the Arab league, will be a panorama of creativity embracing dance, music and theater and encompassing such specialized presentations as oud (Arabic lute) music and the sacred 13th-century mystical art of the whirling dervishes.

Over 800 artists from 22 countries will take part in the festival, which will also feature film screening, literature and art installations as well as fashion and food. Morocco will be represented notably by choreographer Khalid Benghrib, "The Master Musicians of Jajouka" band, Bajeddoub Mohammed, Bahae Ronda and the "Bnet Houariyat" band.

Arts "create peace and provide a window onto understanding people," Michael Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center told the press. "Arabesque" will serve as "a catalyst toward achieving both [peace and understanding] between the Arab and Western worlds," he said.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/morocco_to_participa4535/view
See also Friends of Morocco Events Calendarfor details
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Moroccan association develops learning tool against illegal immigration.
By Naoufel Cherkaoui 2009-02-09

Moroccan development association Tanmia.ma designed a new, easy-to-use teaching kit for children, to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal immigration. During a press conference on Wednesday (February 4th), the association behind the Moroccan development portal Tanmia.ma introduced a new learning kit entitled "Why Do I Want to Emigrate?" Tanmia.ma hopes to raise awareness about the risks unaccompanied minor children run when emigrating illegally.

The learning tool includes a DVD with two 12-minute animated films in four languages: Moroccan Arabic, Amazigh, French, and Italian. The kit also includes two picture stories in Arabic and French. "The idea behind the production of this tool is to try to produce a set of kits and having them at the disposal of associations operating in the field of immigration," Tanmia.ma Executive Director Mourad Gourouhi said.

"This comes at a time when the issue of immigration has become a central point of discussion and has started to characterise the relations between the North and the South," he continued, adding that there is "an absence of tools civil society can use to raise awareness". Gourouhi added, "Immigration, including that of minors, is the product of a number of issues, such as poverty, lack of awareness, absence of services... in addition to the complexity of legal emigration procedures, and the existence of an emigration-linked culture deeply rooted in children."

He said unaccompanied children moving to a new country face risks like sexual exploitation, assault and rape. Nevertheless, the desire to emigrate now extends beyond street children, to include children who live with their families, because Europe is seen as the land of opportunity. This image, he said, is reinforced by vacationing migrants returning to Morocco with material wealth.

The animated films and picture stories included in the kit were carefully selected to "to pass on information in a creative way". Tanmia.ma's main target audience is children."The animated picture film is the product of 30 real stories about children from four cities in northern Morocco who are likely to migrate illegally," Gourouhi noted.

During the press conference, Tanmia.ma said it needs to better address girls in future kits. Representatives also called for more openness on behalf of government institutions, and recommended a study of minors living abroad illegally. Finally, Tanmia.ma called for an examination of the status of minors from sub-Saharan Africa living illegally in Morocco.

Tanmia.ma plans to set up 12 workshops to train 300 co-ordinators from various associations operating in eastern and northern cities in Morocco on how to use the learning tool. "It is a very important step based on the research we've carried out over 10 years, indicating that putting an end to illegal immigration via awareness must basically be done through children," said Khalil Jemmah, co-ordinator of the Association of Friends and Families of Victims of Illegal Immigration. "Tanmia.ma's initiative will be increasingly important if it is accompanied by continuity."
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Moroccan tourism expected to suffer from global financial crisis.
By Hassan Benmehdi 2009-02-09

The international financial crisis is already affecting the tourism sector in Morocco. Fewer tourists are expected to visit Morocco in 2009 compared to last year. But the sector can manage the downfall quickly, optimistic officials said. The global financial crisis is expected to hinder Morocco's tourism sector and affect plans to boost its revenues, Moroccan officials and tourism experts warned recently.

Despite last year's satisfying numbers and prevailing optimism for 2009, fewer tourists are expected this year.
"[The year] 2009 will certainly be tough for the Moroccan tourism industry, due to the unfavourable international situation and heightened competition," said Othman Cherif Alami, President of the National Tourism Federation.

The country's tourism depends heavily on European visitors, and the financial difficulties swarming Europe are beginning to materialise in Morocco. Tourist destinations in Marrakesh, Tangier, Fez and Casablanca are already recording fewer reservations, compared to last year. Abdelali Chaoui, CEO of five-star Hotel Eden Andalou in Marrakesh, spoke about that grim fact.

"We need to tighten our belts until the economic crisis subsides," Chaoui said. "At the moment I'm a CEO who doesn't earn a monthly wage." Chaoui added that if the crisis' effects on the sector end in 2009, "I think my hotel will balance its books again in three years."

In Tangier, industry figures show that the sector could contract by as much as 20% in comparison with last year.
In Fez, the manager of the five-star Jnan Palace Hotel is optimistic. In a press statement, he said that tourism in the country's spiritual capital should pick up again from March onwards.

The industry's mayhem casts a shadow on the government's plans to boost tourism in the near future, government officials said. Tourism experts warned that "Vision 2010", the government's plan to attract 10 million tourists in the year 2010 including building new resorts and attractions, could be hindered. Nevertheless, the government remains optimistic.

"[The plan] is still a national ambition," said Minister of Tourism and Crafts Mohamed Boussaid. "We're going to work towards achieving it. However, the seaside resorts being created as part of the Plan Azur will open behind schedule due to the complexity and difficulty of the construction work."

Under the Plan Azur, two resorts – Saaidia and Mazagan – are due to open this year in June and October. Despite the setbacks, the minister remains hopeful. "I think we're basically on course, but we haven't achieved our goals yet," Boussaid said.

Private sector operators plan to lobby the Ministry of Tourism to implement a plan to cope with the impact of the international crisis on national tourism. Their action plan will involve a strategy of "targeted diversification" and entry into new markets such as the Far East, Russia and the Middle East.

An office will soon be opened in Beijing to market Morocco as a tourism destination. This market is a promising opportunity that must be seized, according to the CEO of the Club Med group, Henri Giscard d'Estaing, who announced at a meeting last month in Marrakesh that 12 million Chinese tourists are expected to visit his group's clubs.

"The current situation is a very tough one," said Mohamed Chaibi, vice-president of the Moroccan Business Confederation (CGEM), "therefore, there is a need to be more proactive in our response to it."
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/articles/2009/02/09/feature-02
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Launch of the State of the World's Children 2009 in Morocco
Strong commitment of UN agencies and Government to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality
RABAT/MOROCCO, 9 February 2009

“The State of the World's Children 2009: Maternal and newborn health” was launched today in Morocco by Yasmina Baddou, Moroccan Minister of Health and Dr Aloys Kamuragiye, UNICEF Representative Morocco. On this occasion, the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP and WHO signed a joint programme to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.

The report shows that the majority of maternal and neonatal deaths can be avoided through effective interventions . Approximately 1,500 women die each day due to complications related to pregnancy and delivery. For each woman who dies, twenty more suffer from disease, trauma or complications. “Pregnancy and childbirth are in general a source of joy for the parents and the family. But in many countries, especially developing countries, they are synonymous of serious risks for the health of mothers and new-born babies,” said Dr. Aloys Kamuragiye, UNICEF representative in Morocco.

The Moroccan Health Minister aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality respectively from 227 and 40 to 50 per 100.000 live births and 15 per 1000 births by 2012.

“The presentation of this UNICEF report does not constitute for us a simple celebration or annual formality but an occasion to evaluate, reflect and stand on the achievements and the dysfunctions of the health system”, said Yasmina Baddou, The Minister for Health “Conscious of the importance of the challenge, we placed in priority of our health policy, the reduction of maternal and infant mortality, the promotion of maternal and child health and the improvement of the population access to quality health services.”.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_48010.html
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Morocco plagued by corruption, new survey reveals.
By Hassan Benmehdi 2009-02-10

Transparency Maroc's 2008 report indicates that despite counter-measures, corruption flourishes in Morocco. At its thirteenth general meeting on February 1st in Rabat, Transparency Maroc (TM) commended the efforts of many public institutions and civil society in fighting corruption in Morocco, but still described it as not good enough.

Corruption remains deeply rooted, and the problem is only growing, according to the organisation."In fact, whilst the country maintained its score of 3.5 out of 10, which it obtained in 2007, under the Corruption Perceptions Index, it has, however, slipped from 72nd place to 80th," said Rachid Filali Meknassi, secretary-general of Transparency Maroc, upon presenting the 2008 report.

Filali Meknassi explained that endemic corruption continues to flourish, sheltered by "impunity maintained by public authorities".

The latest report from Transparency Maroc reached a similar conclusion concerning the Index of Corruption in Exporting Countries 2008, which included Morocco for the first time. The observations in this area are alarming.
According to survey results, 46% of Moroccan businessmen questioned use corruption to facilitate or speed up administrative or customs procedures. These same people also acknowledge using contacts among their families and friends for the same purpose.

An anonymous businessman told Magharebia that he often has to resort to such practices, particularly when "faced with an archaic, bureaucratic administration and civil servants who are used to blackmail and care little about the public interest".

Some 33% of survey respondents use personal contacts to influence decisions on public calls for tender. These same business leaders, however, have critical views about the government’s actions in fighting corruption: 67% consider the steps taken to be very (or completely) ineffectual, 27% consider them effective, and barely 3% consider them very effective.

TM’s 2008 report also shows that the legal system remains mired in corruption. It comes out top of the list of corrupt state institutions, with a score of 3.6 out of 5, followed by the police (3.4), the offices issuing permits and authorisations (3.1), and health services (3).

These are the same state bodies which were found most wanting by the Global Corruption Barometer in 2006.
Transparency Maroc deplored the fact that, despite some modernisation efforts by government ministries, little progress has been achieved.

During the general meeting, Transparency Maroc presented current and future projects, particularly the monitoring and documentation work carried out by the National Corruption Observatory and the launch of the Citizens’ Action and Judicial Assistance Centre, intended to provide assistance and advice to victims of corruption.

"The fact that this gangrene has taken such a hold shows that there is something deeply wrong with the mechanisms for nominating and appointing uniformed individuals or members of the public with electoral mandates," said Nouvelle Tribune editorial writer Fahd Yata, who has been following the involvement to date of over 100 state and elected officials in cases of corruption or abuse of power. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2009/02/10/feature-02
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Morocco targets internet dangers to children.
By Sarah Touahri, 2009-02-12

Public and private institutions in Morocco partnered for a new safety handbook aimed at educating parents and teachers about the dangers of unsupervised online browsing. Morocco is determined to protect its children from potentially harmful online activities. Thanks to a new public-private partnership from UNESCO, Microsoft Maroc, and Morocco's National Children’s Rights Observatory (ONDE), parents and educators are getting help catching up to their children's web sophistication in order to better protect them.

Last week, the organisations unveiled a new web safety handbook. The 25-page guide, published in Arabic and French, is titled, "P@rents! Parenting in the Digital Age". "The new Internet media environment in which children grow up, even though it brings with it a number of new challenges, does not fundamentally change the role of parents," UNESCO Representative in the Maghreb Philippe Quéau told attendees at a February 5th meeting in Rabat.

"Technologies can even encourage dialogue between parents and children," he added. The subject of internet security is of the greatest importance and requires the mobilisation of all actors in society, emphasised ONDE Executive Director Saïd Raji.

The Moroccan government has begun taking legislative action to protect citizens from internet dangers, Secretary General of the Post, Telecommunications and New Technologies Department Taieb Debbagh explained at the meeting. Parliament recently passed legislation to protect personal data, he said, while new draft legislation will also create a national commission for the protection of personal information and set up a national information technology and digital economy council responsible for internet security. Debbagh also announced the future creation of national centres for the prevention of hacking attacks.

Protecting children from the dangers of the internet is a developing process. Since 2007, the Moroccan police force has been trained on investigative methods to help identify paedophiles and other cybercriminals. The police have also received training on tracking IT activities and storing evidence. A partnership between security forces and the private sector to conduct inquiries into crimes against children was also established.

"Children spend more and more time in front of their screens. Parents don’t keep an eye on what’s happening, unaware of the unpleasant things that can arise from this tool," said Jamila Maachi, a teacher. "Schools and families must be on the lookout to protect our children." Malika Errachdi, a bank worker, admitted that her two daughters, aged 12 and 14, spend much unattended time in front of the computer. "They are absorbed by the internet and that leaves me to enjoy some peace and quiet at home. I’ve never thought that it could possibly affect them."
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2009/02/12/feature-03
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Princess Lalla Hasnaa launches 2008-2009 "Eco-Ecoles" program.
Rabat

Princess Lalla Hasnaa, Chairwoman of the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, launched Friday at the Dar Essalam El Hassania School in Rabat, the "Eco-Ecoles" program for the 2008-2009 period. The porgramme aims at training future schoolchildren by directly involving them in running their schools building on the concept of sustainable development.

The princess chaired the proceedings of the follow-up commission of this program, comprised of pupils, teachers, the school administration and schoolchildren's parents. The meeting discussed the installation of low-consumption light bulbs and an economical furnace inside the school aimed at safeguarding the environment.

The program, launched in November 2006, touched in its pilot phase on a total of 8471 pupils from 17 schools in 9 regions. It aims at directly involving pupils in running their schools, building on the concept of sustainable development, particularly in terms of cutting energy and water costs and improve waste management.

The princess received details on the school waste utilization, the drop-by-drop system in irrigating plants through rain water harvesting as well as on the various phases of water cycle. On this occasion, the partners of the program and the members of the national program jury were introduced to the princess.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box2/princess_lalla_hasna5462/view
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Morocco mounts fight against drugs in schools .
by Sarah Touahri 2009-02-13

With drug experimentation on the rise among Moroccan teenagers, schools, the government and civil society are mobilising to combat the problem. The first step, experts say, is to eradicate tobacco use among the young. For months, Moroccan teachers have been sounding the alarm over the consumption of drugs in schools. Struck by the extent of the problem, the interior ministry has prioritised the fight against networks supplying drugs to neighbourhoods near schools. The new government strategy encourages parents' associations and educators to make pupils aware of the dangers of drugs and trafficking networks.

The interior ministry is now trying to tighten the noose around the dealers."We recently initiated a strategy to combat the selling of drugs in areas around schools. It has been going for a few months," explained Khalid Zerouali, the governing director with responsibility for migration and border monitoring. "We are starting to see good results."

Once dealers come into neighbourhoods surrounding schools, they recruit students to pass on their contraband. To counter the influence of drug dealers, security forces and school administrators share information, Zerouali added. Meanwhile, civil society is trying to get its awareness-raising message across. The chairwoman of the Moroccan Association for Counselling and Dialogue, Amina Baji, told Magharebia that the problem requires everyone to be involved.

Amina has first-hand experience with teenagers' problems. As a philosophy teacher, she set up the first counselling centre within a school. Her experience, she said, has shown her that the responsibility for drug use falls on families which do not pay sufficient attention to their teenagers. "There must be dialogue with the pupil if he is to be understood. We are mobilising psychologists to communicate with teenagers," she said.

The Moroccan Association for Counselling and Dialogue is trying to involve pupils in the drug-prevention picture, by encouraging them to take part in awareness-raising exercises, from plays, school magazines and creative displays to hearing drug addicts tell their stories. Eliminating drug use in Morocco's middle and high schools will not be easy. Many pupils have been exposed to drugs on more than one occasion.

Samira, 16, tried smoking cannabis offered to her by a girl in her class. "Usually, I never smoke," she said, "but all the girls in class that day wanted to do something reckless. Souad was encouraging us to take it." "It was a disastrous experience," Samira continued. "I was very nearly expelled from high school. Fortunately my mother was there to come to my rescue. I know other girls and boys who started down the drug route that day."

Hamid, 14, said he has already been taking hallucinogenic drugs for a year. "I need to fit in with my friends in school. There are five of us all doing it," he told Magharebia. Hamid is aware of the health risks presented by hallucinogenic drugs. But he persists in continuing down this road, he said, to forget the problems he is experiencing within his family. "I can't stop," he added. "The pills help me to feel strong against the others. My parents are often arguing and pay me very little attention. To get rid of me, they give me money and never ask what I've spent it on."

Adolescents are "sitting ducks" for drug traffickers, according to psychologist Jamil Bouhmala. "This is really a question of vulnerability," he explained. "Teenagers, particularly high school students, really don't know the extent of the danger and are quickly seduced by traffickers and even their own friends. They pooh-pooh all the moralising talk about the dangers of drugs." "When the family doesn't play its role, it leaves the way clear for deviation," Bouhmala added. Because parents no longer have authority over their children, teachers have also lost their influence in the eyes of pupils, teacher Fatima Rokh maintained.

"A few years ago, pupils were different and listened to teachers' instructions because the families would give them room to manoeuvre," she said. "Now, parents will no longer tolerate the teacher talking about their children's lives." A few weeks ago, she caught a girl smoking cannabis in class. When she called the father, he told her not to get involved in his daughter's private life.

The psychologist, Bouhmala, says this type of behaviour shows that even if the father is aware of the responsibility he bears, he may not want to hear about this behaviour from another person.

Amina Baji confirmed this disastrous reality of everyday life for some young people. She agreed that families are often to blame for their children's problems: their negative reaction to adolescent behaviour may push their teenagers into an irresponsible lifestyle. Despite all the obstacles, high school teacher Abderrahman Abid said NGOs and civil society must not give up the fight. Action needs to start with stamping out smoking.

Eliminating teenage tobacco use, experts concur, is the first step in eradicating drugs in schools. According to experts in addiction, smoking is a gateway to other narcotics, including cannabis.

The average age of a smoker in Morocco is 17, a 2007 study found. The year before, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and the CDC conducted the Global Youth Tobacco Survey of young Moroccans aged 13 to 15. More than 15% used tobacco in a number of forms (cigarettes, hookah pipes, sniffing etc.). Of these young students, 24.3% started smoking before the age of 10, the WHO report found.

To limit the impact of smoking on children, Parliament passed legislation on January 13th banning smoking in public places and the sale of cigarettes to those under 18. The sale of cigarettes to minors is punishable by a fine of 2,000 dirhams. Half of the fines collected will help fund awareness programmes about the dangers of smoking. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/reportage/2009/02/13/reportage-01
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International book fair kicks off in Casablanca Feb. 13.
Rabat

Casablanca hosts February 13-22 the 15th International Publication and Book Fair that will be attended by 500 exhibitors and 100-plus editors from 41 countries. The fair, themed this year "In the Realm of the Book", will have Senegal as the guest of honour. The event features meetings with intellectuals and critics, as well as conferences and seminars.

The programme of the fair, which constitutes an interesting voyage to a wide range of subjects and genres, aims in particular at making the book accessible to the public and not limited to an elite, according to Moroccan culture minister, Touria Jabrane Kryatif. The fair has, over 22 years, gained a worldwide renown and become a gathering where the literary spectrum celebrates cultural diversity of the world heritage, and continues to attract more and more visitors and exhibitors from across the globe.

Jabrane Kryatif called upon public and private sectors to get involved in the national project aimed at promoting a culture of reading in the kingdom, to be finalized next month. Noting that the situation of reading and book distribution gives grounds for worry, the minister insisted that there need to be appropriate solutions which involve all partners. "We are required to responsibly rise to this challenge, by launching concrete actions," she said, adding that the “critical situation” calls for a large-scale and urgent mobilisation.

Illiteracy, the lack of an engrained culture of reading in the society and the exorbitant book price are all subjective and objective factors that contribute to this phenomenon, she deplored. http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/international_public/view
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Morocco: government and private sector seal contract to rejigger industry.
Fez

A programme-contract on the National Pact for Industrial Emergence for 2009-2015 was sealed Friday in Fez (200 km east of Rabat) between the government and the private sector. The programme, whose signing ceremony was chaired by King Mohammed VI, will cost 12.4 billion Dirhams (1.45 billion US dollars), and is aimed to develop the industry sector and investments in the north African country.

The pact will pool the actions of the State and the economic operators to erect a strong industrial sector and create a "virtuous circle of growth," Minister of Industry, Trade and New Technologies, Ahmed Réda Chami said in an exposé before the king. The programme will help create 220,000 permanent jobs, cut unemployment in cities and towns, slash the trade deficit, and generate an additional volume of exports of 95 billion Dirhams, to ultimately inject another 50 billion Dirhams in the industrial GDP. It is also aimed to boost national and foreign investments in the industry, and contribute to the government’s policy of the development of the territory.

Five conventions relating to the implementation of the programme were also signed. They relate to developing, marketing and management of the Kenitra industrial integrated platform; promoting the world professions of Morocco (offshoring, car industry, aeronautics, electronics, food industry, sea products and textile); strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses; creating an engineering school in partnership with l’Ecole Centrale de Paris; and setting up, managing and developing an institute of aeronautics professions in Casablanca.

The programme-contract was concluded between the government represented by ten ministerial departments, and the private sector represented by the Moroccan union of employers (CGEM) and the professional grouping of Moroccan banks (GPBM).
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box1/morocco__government/view
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Caftan 2009 slated for May 2.
Casablanca, Feb. 6, 2009 (MAP)

The 13th annual "Caftan 2009", an event gathering Moroccan and Arab haute couture designers, will take place May 2, in the city of Marrakech under the theme "Africa, East, West." Organized by French-speaking magazine "Femmes du Maroc", this event is an annual rendezvous for experienced designers to reinvent the glamour of Caftan (Moroccan traditional outfit), and for young talents to showcase their latest creations.

Before Marrakech Grand show, a jury will choose this years' winners during a fashion show in the month of April.
The color pink will mark this year's edition, giving it thus a feminine touch, organizers said in a press conference in Casablanca. This glamorous fashion event, which attracts more people every year, has evolved since it was first launched in 1996 all the while preserving its original raison d’être.

French choreographer and professor at "star Academy-France", Kamel Ouali, will be in charge of the artistic direction of the Caftan 2009 show.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/caftan_2009_slated_f/view
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15th World Sacred Music Fez Festival slated for May 29 to June 6 .
Fez

The 15th World Sacred Music Fez Festival will be held May 29 to June 6, organizers announced on Tuesday.
The theme this year will be "The Tree of Life", General Director of Esprit Fès, the festival organizing body, Fatima Sadiqi, said during a press conference to present the festival's program.

The festival has tremendously contributed to the cultural scene both nationally and internationally, she said.
Sadiqi said the choice of this year's theme is significant, as the festival aspires to gain more maturity and bring in more innovation, while preserving its original mission to bring people and religions closer. She highlighted the universal character of the festival, which "appeals to everyone with no distinction and doesn't belong to a period or a religion."

The festival promises a rich and diverse program this year, she added. The Palestinian cause will be present in the festival. The opening concert is to pay tribute to Lebanese musician Marcel Khalifa, and late Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish, according to the festival agenda.

The event features splendid moments with prominent musicians, such as French jazz musician, Didier Lockwood, and Iranian percussionist, Keyvan Chemirani who is to present a blend of Greek, Moroccan and Spanish music. Spiritual singer Sami Youssef and gospel and soul performer Marwa Wright are one of the new artists to hit the stage. The closing performance will be dedicated to Celtic music legend, Loreena Mc Kennit. Several shows, exhibitions, and plays are scheduled, part of the “festival in the city” with the participation of several Moroccan artists.

World Sacred Music Fez Festival will also features a number of meetings held in the Batha Museum to discuss issues related to “the origin of the world: ‘big bang’ and divine explanations”, “the origin of man: creationism and evolutionism”, and “the contemporary issues about life and death, the sanctity of life”.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/15th_world_sacred_mu/view
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Third 'Sea and Desert' festival in southern Morocco late February.
Casablanca, Feb. 5, 2009 (MAP)

The 3rd "Sea and Desert" festival will be held from February 27 to March 1st in the southern city of Dakhla, under the theme "Man and Space: Development stakes," organizers said here Wednesday. The festival, organized by the "Sea and Desert" festival association and local partners, aims to showcase the assets the region boasts and promote the Hassani cultural legacy, they said at a press conference.

The program features musical and sports workshops for children, excursions as well as surf, windsurf, kit surf events. The festival also features exhibitions involving world champions from France, Australia, and Switzerland. A select group of international and national musicians will hit the stage in the festival, including Selmou (hassani music), Hoba-Hoba Spirit, Najat Atabou (Moroccan popular music), Faudel (Algeria), Yuri buenaventura (Colombia), Winston Macanuff (Jamaica), Jean François Sicart (France) and Troy Von Balthazar (Hawaii).

This year's edition will be dedicated to the social dimension and will sponsor an event devoted for women, where young Sahrawis will meet with world surfing champions mainly Marion Raïsi (France) and Anne-Marie Reichmann (Germany).
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/3rd__sea_and_desert/view
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Morocco gives an enticing taste of Arabic world.
By JUDE TOWNENDThe Associated Press
Morocco offers dramatic scenery, evocative cities such as Fez and Casablanca, and a taste of the Arabic world.
MARRAKECH, Morocco

Morocco is probably best-known to American travelers for cities like Fez, Casablanca and Marrakech. But this country in the northwest corner of Africa is actually a place of dramatic variety. On a two-week or even one-week visit, it's feasible to fit in a trip to a major city or two, in addition to exploring rural areas.

You might explore undulating desert dunes, the magnificent Atlas Mountains, or a tranquil beach like those found near Agadir. Or visit the Volubilis Roman ruins near Meknes, the dinosaur footprints near Azilal, or eerily quiet Berber villages around Imlil, at the base of Mount Toubkal.

The ancient city of Fez is known for its architecture, alluring medina (the old part of the city) and Karaouine Mosque and University, dating from 859. In Marrakech, by day you can explore the Saadian tombs and the luscious Marjorelle Garden, and by night the famous Djemaa El Fna square, with its food stalls, entertainers and peddlers.

In Casablanca, the modern, giant Hassan II mosque looks like it's melting into the sea at sunset. And for fans of the famous 1942 Humphrey Bogart movie, head to Rick's Cafe, opened by American Kathy Kriger in 2004, a marvelous evocation of the film.

But Americans living in Morocco advise that there's no such thing as a "must-see" list. "There are many places beyond Marrakech that people should consider putting on their agenda," said Vanessa Noel Brown, from Washington D.C, who has been studying in Rabat, the capital city, on a postgraduate scholarship since September 2007.

The U.S Department of State warns that the "potential for terrorist violence" in Morocco is high. But the number of American visitors to Morocco is slowly increasing, according to statistics from the tourist board and the U.S. Embassy here. In 2007, 131,000 Americans visited, 13 percent more than in 2006, when 115,000 Americans arrived.

"Americans like Morocco — they get a taste of the Arabic world, without having to go to the Middle East," said Yassine Naciri, who works at a mid-range hotel in the old part of Marrakech, the tourism hub of the country. His hotel, Marhbabikoum, like many, is the of the traditional "riad" style: quaintly decorated rooms built around a tiled courtyard, gently lit by candlelight in the evening. The very best riads are complete with an in-house "hammam," an opulent version of traditional Moroccan communal bathhouses.

It is also possible to stay in a restored kasbah. There are hundreds of them around the country; they once served as fortresses for the most important families. Some stand empty now, while others have been turned into luxury hotels. But budget travelers can also find cheap hostels and guesthouses all over the country, for as little as $10 a night. Foreigners can expect to attract attention, especially in the more touristy areas, where touts — people who offer unsolicited services for tips — are desperate for business.

Those worried about language difficulties should be reassured that English is more and more widely spoken, according to Hamid Khairi, founder of the Morocco section of CouchSurfers, the popular U.S-based accommodation-swap Web site, which is an option for those traveling on a shoestring. "But basic French is useful," he said.

The main language, the Moroccan Arabic dialect known as "derija," is quite different from modern standard Arabic, even posing problems for native Arabic speakers. To confuse things further, many Moroccans also speak one of the Berber languages, Tachelhit, Central Atlas Tamazight or Tarifit.

Morocco's culinary splendor needs little translation however; the superb fusion of French and Middle-Eastern fare speaks for itself. The day starts with a spectacular array of pastries (as little as 25 cents) at the street stalls), accompanied by "qehwa bil halib" (coffee with milk) and the startlingly good "aseir limun" (orange juice). Lunch is couscous, or tagine — which is the name of both a rich stew and the dome-shaped terra-cotta pot in which it is cooked. To fill the gap between meals, "le gouter" of coffee or tea and cake might be taken at 7 p.m.
Moroccan dinner, normally eaten around 10 p.m., might be "harira" (soup with tomato and lentils), or perhaps an omelette and bread.

The renowned sugary mint tea is drunk throughout the day, and at greater frequency the farther south you go.
With the exception of hot drinks where the water has been boiled, drinking bottled water is advisable.
Islam is central to Moroccan life and on the main religious day of Friday, shops and businesses frequently shut for a good proportion of the afternoon, also allowing time for families to eat couscous together.

While it is not necessary to cover hair, or put on the "djellaba" — the long traditional gown — women may want to dress modestly in respect to local customs. Adriana Valencia, a postgraduate scholar from the University of Berkeley, who lived in Rabat in 2006 and often comes back, urges visitors to explore a little. "Just ride a bicycle from Rabat to Essaouira, and stop in basically every small town and city in between," she said.

If a bike sounds a bit strenuous for a vacation, hiring a car and driver is always an option. For travelers saving their dirhams (the local currency, currently about seven to the dollar), sharing a "grand-taxi" which seats two in the front, and four in the back, is the most convenient way to get between towns and villages.

The smaller "petit-taxis," a different color in each town, are limited to three people but Moroccan law does not allow them to leave their designated city. Buses are to be found in the town "gare routiere," and the mainly efficient trains run between major cities. Those on a bigger budget can take a four-wheel drive vehicle, known locally as a "quatre-quatre," on a tailor-made tour.

Choosing the best season to visit really depends on where travel is planned. The High Atlas Mountains are best walked in spring and autumn. Farther south, nearer the desert, summers can get unbearably hot. It's a bit chilly year-round on the Atlantic Ocean, but beaches are at their warmest in July and August.

In addition to Fez, Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech, it is worth considering visits to Essaouira, for a glimpse of a coastal town with a rich architectural history, and Agadir, where you can start a trip along the coast, eat sumptuous seafood, and perhaps head out to the Anti-Atlas Mountains.

A few other places worth seeing in the countryside include:
-Chefchaouen, a pretty, quaint town, where the houses are painted blue, and which you can use as a departure point for exploring the rural north.

-Zagora, a small town next to the desert that can serve as a starting point to visit the villages of Tamegroute and Amezrou, and Mounts Zagora and Azlag.

-Merzouga, a small village reached via the town of Rissani, which provides accommodation within walking distance of Erg Chebbi, Morocco's largest sand dune.

-Ouarzazate, where you'll want to visit the kasbah, then head to the impressive Todra and Dades gorges.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
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Morocco offers exotic mix of culture, history and landscape.
By Phil Hammond  February 13, 2009

HASSAN the driver asked: "Would you like to meet a Berber troglodyte?" He was easing the LandCruiser along a very rough track in an arid valley. The steep walls of this western Saharan mountain range, called Jebel Sarhro, displayed strata lines in dozens of hues of brown, red and cream. It was 46C of dry desert heat outside the vehicle. Hours before, we had left the cool, fountain-graced courtyards of our hotel in Ouarzazate for a real Moroccan adventure. As the wheels crunched to a stop, we peered out for signs of a cave. All to be seen were the rolling, stony foothills splotched with weedy ground cover.

Then a Muslim woman appeared below and smiled a toothless welcome. Two dogs were too heat-stressed to raise a bark, and a nubian goat kept on munching. We had parked on the roof of her cave. Venturing down, we found a steep-sided bank with a row of four cave entrances. Each tunnelled five or six metres horizontally into the hillside and none was high enough to stand up straight in.

The first cave contained the kitchen, or rather a clay oven. The second was the family's lounge room, where our hostess had a sizeable loom on which was the start of a Berber carpet. From grubby plastic canisters, she poured water into a tiny teapot and fired up a small spirit stove.

In the tradition of Moroccan hospitality, we were invited to sit on the cave floor and sip mint tea from small glasses. A distant movement showed dad and some youngsters were bringing a flock of sheep and goats from the water supply.

Out and about
The saving grace in this part of the world is that even in drought, water does keep trickling. Soon we were bouncing down into the Dades River Valley. Snow from the High Atlas mountains melts and permeates the rock, providing, at this time of the year, a modestly running creek. It is sufficient to sustain a vivid green ribbon below dramatic rock formations like melted toffee. These hillsides dwarfed mud-plastered villages where every home is allocated a riverside allotment.

Downstream, we had poked along through the Valley of a Million Kasbahs. A kasbah here is an imposing, fortress-like house. Rich French people have "discovered" them for holiday homes and renovations among the groves of date palms are impressive. Further upstream is the Valley of Roses – an unlikely place for a three-day annual flower festival, but the extensive beds of rose bushes did not lie.

Our destination was the Dades Gorge – a dramatic cutting between sheer cliffs rising 100m and more. We rested with feet cooling in the clear water, eating wild figs which a Moroccan family had picked to share with us.

Exotic
Morocco is that sort of friendly place. It is a vibrant, exotic wonderland of sensory delights. Perhaps the most celebrated experience of them all is the public open space, Djemaa el-Fna, in the medina of old Marrakesh. As the setting sun lights up the pink of a mosque and the colourful carpets draped from the walls of a merchant's shop, this place takes off – or at least until there's a call to prayer.

Exotic smells waft from the lines of conical tangine pots where food stall-holders set up metal-topped dining tables. Groups of white-clad cooks busy themselves as touts urge you to inspect their menus. One displayed a photograph of English celebrity chef Rick Stein. "Rick Stein ate here. Good food! You try!"

We dined at another stall and had the runs for the next week. Away from the food stalls, Djemaa el-Fna's noise and action is irresistible. One crowd circled some broad-shouldered dancers with long hair and veiled faces. Their suggestive dance movements did not quite ring true until it dawned they were transvestites.

Nearby, the henna artists were busy painting black designs on the arms and legs of their customers. Next to them, sit a line of medicine men, each with a horned goat's skull to signify their trade. Among his pills and potions, one apothecary in immaculate blue robes and white turban could have been the brother of actor Morgan Freeman.

Snake charmers with sinister cobras, orange juice stalls, horse-drawn landaus waiting to whisk you away . . . most of the noise came from a line-up of musicians playing hypnotic rhythms. Young Moroccan men would burst from the crowd to dance, heads thrashing like heavy metal fans in a mosh pit.

And best of all, the water sellers. Ever-vigilant for a tip from a photographer, these characters wear red lampshade-style hats, dispense water from brass flasks, and are adorned in impressive leather accoutrements, studded in coins.

Old cities
Should you be tempted to visit Morocco, forget the modern parts of the cities. In Rabat, Meknes, Marrakesh and Fez, the narrow thoroughfares and alleyways of the old walled cities – the medinas – are full of wonders. This is where you haggle over hand-made rugs, Iranian turquoise in hallmarked silver, soft leather slippers with curled up toecaps, camel bone and silver framed mirrors, elaborate brassware, antique doors and panels and much more.

Perhaps Fez is the most medieval, with its 9500 alleyways and main streets only four metres wide at best. On the internet, we had pre-booked a traditional residence – a riad in the heart of the medina.

Through a small door in a big wall we entered a sanctuary of peace and coolness. We had paid $200 a night to sleep four in this mansion and it could have slept 10. Our host Mohammed brought fresh breads, squeezed oranges and made fresh coffee for us every morning. At night, his aunt arrived to give us cooking lessons. We were served the food on the riad's roof garden, as mullahs competed to call the faithful to half a dozen mosques and huge shooting stars flashed above across a black velvet sky.
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