Amazigh

Articles

• Moroccan Official Rejects French-Language Wastewater Agreement, Demands Arabic or Amazigh
  30 April 2024, by Prince

  The municipal councilor of the Constitutional Union party (opposition) in Martil, Mohamed Achkour, announced his refusal to approve a partnership agreement project aimed at strengthening the city’s wastewater treatment network, on the grounds that it is written in French and not in Arabic or Amazigh, the two official languages of the kingdom.
  Mohamed Achkour denounced the fact that this draft agreement is presented in a foreign language, French in this case. "We are not French and we are (…)

• Morocco’s Parliament Addresses Amazigh Name Ban in Historic Tifinagh Question
  16 January 2019, by Said

  The question of Ibtissam El Azzaoui (PAM) was addressed to the Minister of the Interior Abdelouafi Laftit and concerns the ban on Amazigh first names in civil status registers.
  "We have received several complaints about the refusal to register Amazigh first names in civil status registers. In this regard, we are asking you about the reasons for this refusal and the measures taken to ensure the completion of a national list of Amazigh names," writes the deputy.
  On several occasions, civil (…)

• 11-Year-Old Moroccan Coding Prodigy Faces Online Backlash Over Accent
  26 February 2019, by Amine

  While he was seen all smiles and very proud to participate in the Rachid Show, the very young and very talented Idder Moutia (11 years old) was mocked, not for his abilities but for... his accent. He would have been very affected by these racist attacks.
  Last Friday, instead of being proud of our little Idder, to whom a Danish channel wants to devote a program by traveling to Morocco, some, to say the least racist, Internet users, having taken into account neither his young age nor his (…)

• Morocco Considers French or English for Science Education, University Leaders Say
  10 March 2019, by Said

  Scientific subjects should be taught in French, the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) of Morocco has just recommended. The English language is also being considered.
  In a press release, the CPU indicates that "to remain consistent, while placing the supreme interest of the country before all other considerations, the CPU supports and recommends the teaching of scientific subjects in French at all levels of education and training, while putting in place the necessary conditions for (…)

• Moroccan Band Ribab Fusion Releases "Alak," Addressing Youth Struggles
  16 April 2019, by Bladi.net

  The Moroccan music group Ribab Fusion has just produced, with the support of the Timitar festival in Agadir, the new title "Alak".
  Known for its unique musical identity, Ribab Fusion, which intends to mark a comeback, has already made available to music lovers the video of this new song entitled "Alak".
  Bouhssine Foulane, founder and spokesperson of the group, said that "this song took nine months of work and addresses social and economic problems as well as the difficulties faced by (…)

• Apple Showcases Moroccan Amazigh Culture Through iPhone Photography
  16 December 2019, by Sylvanus

  The American multinational computer company Apple has highlighted Amazigh women in Morocco through the publication on Instagram of a gallery of their photos taken with the iPhone 11 Pro camera using the new "Deep Fusion" feature.
  "The Amazigh women’s workshops provided a deep light that reminded me of Baroque period paintings. I was able to capture the smallest details with the incredible depth and quality provided by DeepFusion."
  This is how photographer Robbie Lawrence commented on (…)

• Hajar Mrabet Crowned Miss Amazigh 2019 in Agadir Beauty Pageant
  31 December 2019, by Ginette

  Hajar Mrabet was crowned Miss Amazigh 2019 on Saturday, December 28, in Agadir. This 22-year-old nurse, originally from Tafraout, not only convinced the jury but also made a strong impression on the spectators.
  A total of 13 candidates participated last Saturday in Agadir in this beauty pageant whose criteria were very meticulous.
  Indeed, for this 6th edition of the Miss Amazigh contest (2014 - 2019), several very specific criteria were retained. These include natural beauty, which was (…)

• Morocco Reaffirms Commitment to Amazigh Language Education in Primary Schools
  3 October 2020, by Ginette

  The ministry thus specifies that "the circular dating from 2006 on the teaching of Amazigh is still in effect and has even been announced as a reference document in the new features of the school curriculum published in July 2020. Primary school students are entitled to two hours of Amazigh per week."
  The teaching of Amazigh has been introduced in all primary school classes and in all public schools in Morocco since 2004 and has been more convincingly generalized since 2006, the same (…)

• Morocco Considers Adding Amazigh Language to Currency in New Bill Amendment
  20 May 2019, by Kamal

  Will we soon see banknotes and coins in the Amazigh language in Morocco?, this is the subject of the amendment tabled by the PAM to reform Article 57 of the Bank Al Maghrib bill.
  The amendment, introduced by the PAM, allows for the inscription of Arabic and Amazigh characters on banknotes and coins. The paragraph stipulates that the inscriptions "are made in the official languages, Arabic and Amazigh".
  The Bank Al Maghrib bill will be the subject of a second reading in the House of (…)

• Morocco Advances Amazigh Language Integration with New Law on Official Use
  12 June 2019, by Bladi.net

  The House of Representatives unanimously adopted last Monday the Organic Law 26.16 defining the process of implementing the official character of Amazigh, as well as the modalities of its integration into education and priority areas of public life. A major step forward in the process of officialization of Tamazight that has taken too long.
  It took eight years after its officialization and practically two years of discussion in parliament to achieve the result obtained last Monday. The (…)