An international symposium dedicated to the amazigh culture. The initiative, promoted by the Aman Foundation for Sustainable Development (Fondation Aman pour le Developpement Durable), intends to celebrate the recent real decision towards integration and tolerance. The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, has in fact officially recognized the Amazigh New Year, Yennayer, as a public holiday, like the Islamic and Gregorian New Years.
The dialogue session served to promote the Amazigh language and culture, as an essential component of the Moroccan state and identity, rich in its many tributaries recognized by the 2011 Constitution. The president of the Aman Foundation, Fatima Ouazza, stressed the importance of the royal decision to recognize January 13 as the Amazigh New Year.
"IOur country has important assets on which it can count to accelerate its development. Its wealth lies in particular in its human capital, material and immaterial, in its history and in its international influence and in its geographical position, a crossroads of civilizations. The recognition of the Amazigh culture is part of the process of continuous reforms, initiated by King Mohammed VI affecting different sectors and areas: institutional, economic, legal and social in order to improve development indicators and establish the territorial equity to which all citizens aspire Moroccans".
Speakers: IF Mohammed Hannan, Mauritanian ambassador in Rabat; HE Mohammed EL-Mokhtar, Plenipotentiary Minister of the Libyan Embassy in Morocco; HE Adal Rhoubeid, Special Advisor to the President of Niger; Akli Shikka, member of the Twareg Supreme Council of Libya and author of the book 'Man of Sahara'; Nasser Asdei, Moroccan university professor and writer; Dris Rheda, professor at the Institut Superior Saint Denis in Paris; and the Italian journalist Vanessa Tomassini, founder of Speciale Libia, Research Center on Libyan issues.
"Celebrating the Amazigh New Year, we pay homage to the richness of our common cultural heritage and strengthen the ties that unite us as peoples of Morocco and the Sahel. It is an opportunity to highlight the valuable contribution of Amazigh history and culture to our entire region. It is also a symbol of our shared commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion." He has declared Adal Rhoubeid, special adviser to the Nigerian president. “Morocco, the first Arab country with a Muslim majority, to recognize the rights of Berber minorities represents a model to follow for other countries such as Libya and Algeria. It's the proof – Akli Shkka reiterated that –a modern state cannot be identified in a single color, religion or race, but only through multiculturalism and respect for diversity". The journalist Vanessa Tomassini, hoping that these initiatives can be repeated in Italy to strengthen relations between the peoples of the Mediterranean, he finally rekindled attention to the issue of rights: "I hope that Morocco and the institutions present here, together with their European partners, can contribute to resolving the issue of the stateless Twareg, who grew up in Libya without an identity, so that everyone can have access to full rights, such as education, health and work".
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