Launch of the 14th Summer University for young MREs in Rabat

The 14th edition of the Summer University for young Moroccans living abroad (MRE), to be held from July 22 to August 1, 2023, was officially launched on Monday in Rabat.

A total of 300 young people from the Moroccan diaspora in over 30 countries took part.

Organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and MREs, the event is an opportunity for young Moroccans living abroad to strengthen ties between the rising generations and the culture of their home country.

Data shared at the event show that 70% of participants are from Europe, 90% of whom were born abroad. In addition, women make up over 60% of the Summer University’s participants, with a total of 199 female attendees.

Italy leads the way with 68 participants, closely followed by France with 47, and other countries such as Israel, Palestine, Spain and Algeria.

For Moulay Ismail Lamghari, Secretary General in charge of MREs, “this program is of paramount importance for young Moroccans living abroad, as it helps deepen their Moroccan identity and facilitates their stay in host countries”.

The official recalls that King Mohammed VI attaches great importance to members of the Moroccan community through a clear public policy, offering them a multitude of services, particularly of a cultural nature, aimed at preserving their Moroccan identity.

“During Operation Marhaba, Moroccans living abroad are careful to maintain the link with their country of origin”, he added. he added, stressing that Morocco is keen to follow a policy of services to accompany this powerful dynamic, with an active commitment to mobilizing our country’s great skills, both political and logistical, in order to preserve one of its main soft strengths.

The Secretary General explained that the program will include political and cultural activities led by a team of experts who will work to anchor Moroccan cultural identity and provide an opportunity for young people in the diaspora to express their ideas and questions.

Speaking on the theme of “Morocco, a land of coexistence between cultures and religions”, Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary General of the Rabita Mohammadia des oulémas, explained that “identity is the basis of humanity throughout the world, and having a Moroccan identity is a great privilege”.

Abbadi pointed out that “identity is built through learning and education, and the Moroccan identity is first built in the home by parents, and this is what must be preserved for the future”.

Since its launch in 2009, the Summer University program has offered young people from the Moroccan diaspora a space for exchanging expertise and experience with their counterparts in Morocco.

In particular, it enables them to identify the concerns of this community at first hand, by adopting realistic and concrete working methods to strengthen the relationship of these MREs with their country of origin.

Among the objectives of these editions is the transmission of Moroccan civilizational values based on dialogue, tolerance and respect for others.

They will also help young Moroccans to integrate more easily into the societies in which they live, and contribute to improving Morocco’s image and the influence of its culture in these countries, while raising their awareness of the Kingdom’s socio-economic and political developments.