According the latest investigation on Moroccans and Religious values, initiated by three famous Moroccan researchers: Mohamed El Aydi, Hassan Rachik, and Mohamed Tozy 60% of the Moroccan population never have read Coran before!
I wanted to share with you the outcomes of this research because I’ve found it very interesting, and I was personally choked to notice how incoherent Moroccans can be towards their religion. In fact only 5.6% of Moroccans read Coran everyday, 28.1% read it from time to time, and 58.9% have never read Coran. Well, I can situate my self with the 28%, but I couldn’t believe that even with our strict Islamic educational manuals which impose on us to learn by heart many Sourat and the traditional religious education in the countryside, 60% of the population still have never read their holy book. Probably the statistics are the same in a county like France regarding the bible-readers. Yet, France is a secular country whereas we are an Islamic county if we believe our constitution. Moreover, religious symbols are everywhere: mosques, clothing, education, Imarat Al Muminin…
In the same investigation, 40% of Moroccans think that even if you don’t fast during Ramadan you are still considered as Muslim. 57% disapprove mixed beaches, so maybe I’d better not go swim with a bikini this summer. 83% of the interviewed Moroccans think that women should wear a veil, so I really shouldn’t go swim with a bikini this summer. However, 84% of the population disapproves Takfiir! I feel released, because even if I swim with a bikini and even if most people wouldn’t like it but I would still be seen as a proper Muslim girl!
In addition, more than 99.9% of Moroccan thinks that Islam is the best religion ever and that there is an answer for everything in the Coran, starting from the social organization to the political, economic, and even technological matters. I just wonder why don’t they read Coran so often if there is an answer to everything in its pages? Well, maybe I sould go read Coran right now to find an answer to this issue!

The United Nations University-International Leadership Institute
"Promoting Peace through Dialogue, Middle East Session 2008"
Amman, Jordan | July 20-August 3, 2008

Why Enroll in this Training Seminar?
A 2005 report by the Alliance for Conflict Transformation identified some key recommendations for those pursuing a career in conflict resolution. Gaining practical negotiation and mediation experience and networking were two of the top three recommendations. Current demand exists and will continue to grow for those practiced in negotiation and who have a strong professional network.

Whether you are a student looking to build your resume and gain course credit, or a professional looking to acquire new knowledge and expand your network, "Promoting Peace through Dialogue, Middle East 2008" presents an amazing opportunity. This training seminar includes a two-week residential program conducted by professors, trainers, and speakers from around the world. Participants will receive extensive training in conflict resolution techniques and gain an in-depth understanding of the Israel/Palestine and several other of the world's major conflicts, including the factors which continue to fuel them. Participants will also have the opportunity to increase their knowledge of other cultures through interaction with and exposure to an array of cultural views and backgrounds.

Fees for the seminar include participation in the international conference. If you are interested in registering for the International Conference only, click here.

Participants may also opt to enroll in a study tour to Israel/Palestine.

Who can Enroll?
This program is open to final-year undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals. Applicants from a variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Only 65 total participants will be accepted for this program.

Note: Academic credits are available. Please visit the Academic Credit page for information.

Seminar Topics
This course is designed to maximize exposure of 65 select participants to the skills and techniques necessary to effectively negotiate and mediate conflict situations. The seminar will be conducted in English. Participants are encouraged to view this course as a career advancement opportunity. To that end, this course will instruct participants in effective networking skills and provides ample opportunities to meet recognized professionals. An exciting aspect of this course is the opportunity to meet and interact with others who are dedicated to the field of conflict resolution and will become international leaders. The topics offered provide an in-depth understanding of multiple aspects of conflict resolution.

Topics will include:

Theory of interest-based negotiation
Interest-based negotiation practice skills
Mediation training
Extensive negotiation and mediation simulations
Project management in conflict zones
Environmental conflict management
Background to the Israel-Palestine conflict
Cultural aspects of conflict resolution
Gender aspects of conflict resolution
Track I and II diplomacy
Developing successful networking skills
Nonviolent strategies to promote negotiation

Course Schedule
The training portion of the program will begin on Sunday morning, July 20, 2008, and will end Sunday, August 3. The final two days of the program, August 2 and 3, will be conducted in conjunction with the an International Conference, allowing students to meet and network with leading professionals.

There will be ample opportunities for participants to explore the city and enjoy its cultural offerings. Accommodations, including breakfasts and lunches are provided from the night of July 19 through the morning of August 4.

Program Faculty
William Monning, J.D., professor of international negotiation and conflict resolution at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, Director of the Mandell-Gisnet Center for Conflict Management at the Monterey College of Law, and co-founder and President of Global Majority, is the academic coordinator of the program and will conduct the core curriculum. Skilled trainers from Global Majority will assist instructors throughout the program.

Guest Speakers and Trainers
A diverse array of internationally recognized academics, professionals, and representatives from various organizations will present on the specific topics outlined above. These experts include:

Dr. Paul Arthur, Course Director of the Graduate Program in Peace and Conflict Studies at the School of History and International Affairs, University of Ulster
Dr. Jairam Reddy, Director, United Nations University-International Leadership Institute
Dr. Tatsushi Arai, Assistant Professor of Conflict Transformation, School of International Training
Jeffrey Mapendere, Executive Director for the Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation
Dr. Boatamo Mosupyoe, Director of African Studies Program, Cal-State University, Sacramento
*Due to possible unforeseen events, we reserve the right to revise this list as necessary.

study tour
Leading up to the training seminar, a delegation will visit Israel/Palestine to see the conflict with their own eyes. Participants in this optional study tour will have the opportunity to meet with Palestinian and Israeli nonviolent activists and view the reality of life under military occupation from the perspective of Israelis and Palestinians working for a just resolution to the conflict. The delegation will focus on seeing, listening to, and recording the experiences and perspectives of a range of Palestinian and Israeli voices. This experience will be beneficial to those attending the conflict resolution seminar and conference in Jordan.

The eight day tour will be led by experienced local guides and group facilitators from sponsoring organizations. If you are interested in this optional tour, please indicate so on the application and those organizing the tour will be in contact with program details, costs, and application materials.

For Details see: http://globalmajority.org/gm/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=16&id=44&Itemid=198

Find Your Voice:
A Cross-Cultural Forum on Political Participation and Civic Activism
Rabat, Morocco
April 25-26, 2008

Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) and the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED), along with the Institut National de la Jeunesse et la Démocratie (INJD), are now accepting applications for the conference “Find Your Voice: A Cross-Cultural Forum on Political Participation and Civic Activism.”

This two-day conference will be a multilingual dialogue on the necessity of youth mobilization in the political process and empowering emerging leaders in political parties and civil society. Bringing together Moroccan and American experts on media, political party participation, youth mobilization and citizen journalism, participants will engage the speakers in debate, hold small group discussions, and partake in youth mobilization workshops. The participants will also develop and ratify policy recommendations to be presented to government representatives.

Topics will include:

Space for youth in political parties
The role of civil society
Media and democracy
Youth mobilization through citizen journalism
The conference will take place in Rabat, Morocco from April 25-26, 2008. American and Moroccan students and young professionals are encouraged to apply. We seek an ideologically and geographically diverse group of participants. Space is limited, and up to 50 participants will be chosen by a competitive application process.

Lodging and most meals will be provided to participants. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the conference. A limited number of modest travel scholarships are available for highly qualified applicants.

For more information go to www.pomed.org or contact rabatconference@pomed.org.

The Moroccan Minister of Social Welfare Nezha Squalli is taking off her politically-correct face and unveiling her hardcore communist face. In fact Nezha Squalli shamelessly asked for the banishment of the call for prayer of Al Fajr, because she claims that it is disturbing the wellbeing of the foreign tourists during their exotic staying in Morocco.

Well, I would just remind Madame Squalli, that she belongs to a government of an Islamic country and she is “for the moment” the Minister of Amir Al Mu’minin the Prince of the Faithful. Therefore, asking the Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Ataoufik to find a legal way to ban the call of prayer not to disturb tourists is an insult to the high symbols of this nation. Furthermore, the tourists coming to Morocco are supposed to respect the local customs, as Moroccans would do for the Bell rings in Christian countries.

Maybe the Minister, who was a militant of the Moroccan Communist Party, still believes deep-inside that “Religion is the Opium of the People”. Yet, the outrageous thing about this story is that the PPS, the Party of Progress and Socialism is defending their Minister and calling the Press to stop judging Nezha Squalli. For their pat the Islamist movements inside Morocco as well as the more traditionalist streams of the Moroccan Civil Society are calling the Minister to submit her resignation as soon as possible, because she don’t represent the Moroccan population.

From My side I would kindly advice our dear Minister to look to her face in the mirror and ask herself who is she? Since, if a Minister in the government of his Majesty still struggles with her religious identity how can she be an example for the rising generations?

“Morocco is one of the most badly-scored MENA countries as far as education is concerned in terms of access, equity, efficiency, and quality” according to the World Bank’s recent MENA Development Report. The newly published report was a real earthquake for the whole country and especially for every person who is a pure fruit of this educational system, including me. I’m neither a formal institution nor a specialist on the issue, yet my 19 years spent in Moroccan schools enabled me to do an autopsy of the Moroccan educational system by asking the five classical WH questions.

What? The Moroccan Educational System is not one system but a mixture of many models. For centuries, only privileged elite could get educated. This traditional first form of education was mostly religious and the holders of this Power/Knowledge were considered a very influential class in the society and called Al Fukaha -- the knowledgeable. When the French colonizing machine came to Morocco, it brought with it a whole new model of teaching based on an orientalist dichotomy. Both traditionalist and imperialist systems have one thing in common: they show you what is good and what is evil, but never dare to tell you how to make the evil become good.

Who? Many actors shaped the face of the Moroccan educational system. Hassan II is incontestably one of the characters who has left the biggest impact on the schooling system. Under the pressure of the right wing Istiqlal party, Hassan II led a huge Arabization movement in a society which speaks Darija, Amazigh, and French but not Classical Arabic, which resulted in the rise of frustrated militant minority groups from one hand and hardcore fundamentalists from the other. And during the 1970s, all the philosophy colleges were closed down -- except the Rabat Philosophy College -- as to counter the communist rise in the country. Therefore, additional actors were all the teachers who lacked both in resources and pedagogy to educate their pupils. In the middle of this turmoil, the actors forgot to teach the future generations how to critically think.

Where? Centralization is one of the characteristics of this weak Moroccan educational system. It is true that primary education became a priority during the last few years. However, secondary and higher education is still concentrated in the major cities when the majority of the population live in the rural areas. This issue along with the tribal patriarchal mentality pushes many conservative families to deprive their daughters from schooling. So far, no one is thinking how to find practical solutions to solve these problems.

When? Four years ago an ambitious educational reform started in Morocco when the Ministry of National Education and the Royal Committee on Education published a Charter on Education and Training. Since then, access and equity became the strategic priority. Illiteracy campaigns were led among the elders and the Amazigh language finally gained academic recognition. The research and national will is there, yet , nobody knows how to translate it to reality.

Why? Many reasons can be given for the unfortunate state of Moroccan education. The first may be the failure of the French-like bipolar system based on weak public universities (14 universities) in addition to an important number of specialized and selective institutions (139 schools). Another reason is the political manipulation of the educational system for many decades to keep the public opinion under control. Thousands of zealous explanations can be proclaimed, but if you want the opinion of someone who lived the experience from the inside let me share with you only one example, and you’ll understand why this educational system is so ineffective: In my Family Education class, instead of learning how to take care of a child, how to sew, and how to cook, I’ve had to learn the manual by heart and recite it in front of my teacher!

How? Sorry, I can’t answer this question, because in the system where I was educated they only taught me what the problem is, and not how to solve it.