Last year, Washington D.C.’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, proclaimed March 29 as “Morocco Day,” a day to celebrate the pluralism of Moroccan society and culture
Likewise, starting this year, Mayor Justin Wilson of Alexandria, Virginia, has proclaimed June 9 as an annual day to celebrate Moroccan culture and history.
Mohamed El Hajjam, the president of MAN, has confirmed that Alexandria will host a cultural festival to pay homage to Morocco’s diversity.The festival will feature a mixture of Morocco’s Gnawa music and dance, jazz music, and other artistic expressions.
The event will also be an opportunity to celebrate Morocco as a country with a genuine culture of peace and generosity.
There will also be references to Morocco’s historical role as a bridge between different cultures and religious creeds, with an emphasis on how the country promotes coexistence in the face of intolerance and extremism.
On March 29, Moroccans and Americans participated in the Moroccan American Network’s fourth annual Business Forum–CEO Summit. Members of the Royal Cabinet of Morocco, the US Black Chambers, think tank experts, academics, and business leaders were in attendance.
The summit focused on augmenting international small business opportunities and encouraging partnerships between the US and Africa “for greater collaboration and exchange of ideas, promoting foreign investment and economic growth,” according to El Hajjam.
He added that establishing Morocco Day in D.C. was just the “first step in a long and ambitious journey to strengthen Morocco’s position in the United States of America.”
In addition to business-related themes, the event also recognized Morocco’s unique cultural heritage, as well as its contributions to the world and Moroccans’ peaceful efforts to practice religious tolerance.
The network endeavors to use the cultural event to celebrate each of Morocco’s twelve regions each year;his year, the event celebrated the city of Zagora in the Draa-Tafilalet region.
The Moroccan American Network strives to educate the American public, media, and government officials about business and investment opportunities in Morocco through dialogue, forums, and events.
In addition to education, the network also connects American and African small businesses and media communities to facilitate mutual growth and collaboration.