Evening with the Moroccan Human Rights Association

Saïd is a well-known musician in Morocco who sings original music calling for respect for human rights, denouncing political and police abuses, and calling on our universal values of dignity, respect, freedom, and individual expression. For many years, he had to live in exile in France and the United States because Morocco did not welcome his music. But times have changed and he has been able to return to live in Morocco where he is now free to perform his music openly. I have stayed with Saïd, who is my good friend and former husband, for much of my visit here.

When the Moroccan Human Rights Association heard that we were staying in Mirleft, they invited him to come perform his music at a summer youth camp for young people 18 to 25 years old in the nearby town of Aglou. The camp is dedicated to dialogue about human rights, so this was the perfect venue. I was excited to learn that the camp was being held at a high school just 20 km from where we were staying. I have been trying to visit a Moroccan secondary school and meet with Moroccan teachers, but since the summer vacation is in full swing throughout Morocco, this goal of mine has been hard to fulfill.

So, we arrived at the high school around 8:30 pm, as the sun was preparing to set. Here are some pictures of this rural high school and my comments on the pictures ---

The entrance to the high school. The sign reads: Sidi Agag Junior High/High School, Aglou

The inner courtyard of the school.

Artwork on the walls in the inner courtyard: 

This is Koranic calligraphy painted by the school's art teacher.

On the right: Can we consider as equal an knowledgeable person and an ignorant person? 

(So this verse calls people to seek knowledge)

On the left: Read! (The first word of the Koran and an insistence by God that humanity read and seek knowledge.)

Artwork on the walls in the inner courtyard: 

This is a painting of a fibula in the style of the High Atlas region.

A fibula is a brooch used to hold a cloak in place, 

this decorative jewelry has been around Morocco since before Roman times 

and is one of the Amazigh (Berber) symbols.

The students at this high school are predominantly of Amazigh heritage.

The teacher's workroom at the high school. The cots are for the camp counselors' use and are not normally there during the school year. The mailboxes look just like home...

The high school's head cook, Oum Aïcha, is earning extra money this summer cooking for the summer camp. We laughed together and her food was great. I told her in our schools, the head cook always knows how to get things done and teachers turn to the head cook for troubleshooting. She informed me that the same is true at he school. God bless our paraprofessionals!

We had come to hear Saïd perform his music, but cultural ritual comes first, so we sat to drink some green tea. The man serving the tea is the director of the nearby elementary school.

I was thrilled to meet Houcine, an English teacher at a rural junior high school here in Morocco. 

His English was excellent and he acted as my host throughout the evening. 

Houcine is also a human rights activist and 

he is one of the coordinators of this human rights summer camp. 

(More about Houcine later)

This is one of the banners for the youth camp. It reads:

Moroccan Human Rights Association

The future of our youth depends on our respect of human rights.

8th Annual Human Rights Camp

Aglou, Tiznit Region, July 19 to 30, 2010

Left to right: Me, Houcine, and Saïd

After the tea, we also had dinner. The atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly. Houcine and I were able to talk about being language teachers. We learned that we each teach in schools that have partnerships with schools in the Picardy region of France. Since Houcine's students are new English learners, we've decided to partner our students as pen-pals. Also, when my students and I are learning about Morocco, Houcine has agreed to do some video conferencing with me and my students to discuss Moroccan history, culture, and current events. Since he speaks both English and French, his participation will be valuable for all the levels of French I teach. Personally, this connection we have made is one of the most exciting things I have gained form this trip to Morocco. I look forward to many years of collaboration with Houcine. In fact, we have plans for him to come to the US, observe my classes, meet other language teachers, and perhaps attend a language teaching conference.

Saïd sang for about three hours. It was wonderful to see the reaction of the young people to his music, their joy in singing along with him, and their chanting and cheering when he was done. Everyone wanted their picture with him! Here is a picture of us with the camp coordinators just before we left around 2:30 am!