CONTACT Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to email me at: Sonjapearl@royaltyinthenews.com - and my real name is Megan :)
|
The second child of King Mohammed VI and Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco celebrated her fourth birthday Monday. Princess Lalla Khadija marked her big day with her family, which included big brother Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, who is 7 years old.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse When she was born, there were 21 cannon rounds throughout the Kingdom. Moroccans congratulated the royal family by signing guest books at the Directorate of Royal Protocol and Chancellery, as well as in different Prefectures and Provinces of Morocco, as well as the various embassies and consulates abroad.
There were also celebrations in the cities and towns of Morocco, with squares and public building decorated with lanterns and the national flag.
Families who also had babies the same day as the newborn Princess were given presents by the royal family.
Lalla Khadija may be only four years old, but she has already made appearances at some of her father’s engagements, particularly at Ramadan events.
Source: Le Matin
The anti-government protests sweeping through the Arab world seemed to leave Morocco out until Sunday. That was when thousands took to the streets, demanding King Mohammed VI relieve some of his powers, dismiss the government and tackle corruption.
 REUTERS/Macao “This is a peaceful protest to push for constitutional reform, restore dignity and end graft and the plundering of public funds,” said Mustapha Muchtati of the Baraka group, which helped organise the march.
“Baraka” means “enough” in Moroccan Arabic.
In the capital city of Rabat, a crowd of about 10,000 people marched through the streets chanting: “Down with autocracy” and “The people want to change the constitution,” as well as slogans against the government, corruption and state television.
While the Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament – two elections have been regarded as fair – King Mohammed has plenty of power. He can dissolve the legislature, block laws from being passed and have a key say in government appointments including the prime minister.
Although the King is quite popular in Morocco, thanks to steps he has taken towards democracy and human rights, there is still discontentment.
“People don’t take part in elections in Morocco, they are meaningless. We want a monarchy, but like in Spain or England,” said Aharahi Fawzi, a 30-year-old IT specialist with a university degree. Like many, Fawzi is unemployed, one of the reasons for Moroccans taking to the streets.
But older generations don’t see eye to eye with the youths.
“This king works for the people. He has done a lot for the poor,” said a 67-year-old who said he was a landscape artist and gave his name only as Mohammed. “I don’t know what these young people want, we who are older have seen a lot.”
“Demands for constitutional reform have been around for decades,” political commentator Ali Anozla said. “But this is the first time this demand has been embraced by apolitical youths, Moroccans from leftists to Islamists and Berber militants. A barrier of fear has been overcome today.”
Sources: Gulf Daily News, Wall Street Journal
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia arrived in Casablanca, Morocco Saturday where he was greeted by King Mohammed VI. But the Saudi King is not in the North African country for a state visit; he is there to recuperate from back surgery which he had back in November.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse King Abdullah, age 87, was in New York for the past two months for operations for a blood clot complicating a slipped disc. Until now, he was in an undisclosed location receiving therapy for the procedure.
It is unknown how long Abdullah will stay in Morocco.
His half-brother, Crown Prince Sultan, stayed nearly a year in the same country recovering from cancer treatments until late 2009.
Concern over the health of the King is major on the world stage. Saudi Arabia controls more than a fifth of the world’s crude oil reserves and is a vital U.S. ally in the region as well as a major holder of dollar assets.
When King Abdullah passes, the question would be whether a conservative or a reformer like him will succeed the monarchy.
Source: Reuters
 Maghreb Arabe Presse Morocco’s Princess Lalla Salma was in Marrakech on Friday to open the “Yves Saint Laurent and Morocco” exhibition at the Museum of the Majorelle Garden. The fashion on display show the late French couturier’s love of the North African country.
During the opening, Lalla Salma toured the 44 creations, documents, pictures and sketches in the first room. Some of the outfits shown are Saint Laurent’s interpretation of the Moroccan caftan and sarouels, which are Moroccan style pants.
In the second room is where the visitor goes outside the Majorelle Garden to see the nature which inspired Saint Laurent.
The third room, called “Ideal Africa” has timeless items made of surprising substances mainly wooden beads, mica and raffia.
This exhibit will eventually move to Casablanca, where it would be open to the public until March 18th.
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
Morocco’s Princess Lalla Salma was in the capital Monday to preside over the closing of the the Lalla Salma Association Against Cancer (ALSC) General Meeting. The meeting took place on the country’s national day for fighting cancer, a cause close to the Princess’s heart.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse During the meeting, Lalla Salma gave awards and training certificates to Moroccans and internationals. The foreign prize went to the F. Hoffmann-La Roche Laboratory for its many researches with cancer, as well as its social activities in Morocco, through various partnerships with ALSC.
The prize was given to F. Hoffmann La Roche’s CEO Dr. Franz B. Humer.
As for the national prize, that went to Professor Said Benchekroun, head of the department of Hematology/Oncology of ‘August 20 Hospital’ in Casablanca.
Prof. Said Benchekroun introduced clinical hematology in Morocco over 20 years ago and has since been active in its development.
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
The sister of the King of Morocco, Princess Lalla Meryem, chaired the opening of the 7th annual Children’s Parliament this past Saturday. The event, held at the Kingdom’s Parliamentary headquarters, focused on the environment as this year’s topic.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse As part of the meeting, Lalla Meryem read a statement from King Mohammed VI to those in attendance. In it, the monarch praised the achievements from the past two years, through the regional sessions and the field studies held by the Children’s Parliament. Those studies were done by monitoring of the actual situation of children’s rights in all constituencies, in towns and villages across Morocco.
The King also commended the actions of the members of the Children’s Parliament, whom have raised environmental awareness through campaigns. He added that their actions would soon lead to the preparation of the National Charter for the environment and sustainable development.
After reading her brother’s statement, Princess Lalla Meryem received praise from Speaker of the House of Representatives Abdelouahed Radi, who applauded her initiatives and efficient approaches in the different areas.
“The Children’s Parliament has a become an institution focusing on the concerns and expectations of the upcoming generations in terms of a democratic participation based on citizenship, commitment to the rights and duties of human beings, and awareness of the virtues of dialogue, openness and tolerance,” said Radi.
The Princess received more praise when child MP Dinia Belmahjoub gave a speech where she hailed efforts made by Lalla Meryem to promote the situation of Moroccan children.
Next, Lalla Meryem began a question session with the ministries of Interior, Justice, Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, Health, National education and Moroccan expatriates.
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
On Monday, the King of Morocco presided over the opening of the Third Horse Fair in El Jadida. He was accompanied by his brother, Prince Moulay Rashid, and cousin Prince Moulay Ismail.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse The fair attracts dozens of participants from the Middle East and Europe, as well as nearly 700 horses. The event aims to both celebrate Moroccan equestrianism and set up jobs related to it.
Before the opening ceremony, the King and the two Princes were given a tour of the fair. They met with the Moroccan Fantasia (Tbourida) and a regiment of the cavalry of the French Republican Guard, which are honored guests this year.
The royals also were briefed on a new exhibition park worth 390 million dirhams, or $48 million, that is being built nearby. The park is expected to hold hundreds of horses, plus administrative offices, exhibition spaces and a children’s park.
As for the fair, it will run until Sunday, October 24th. About 250,000 are expected to come it, and see horse jumping shows, Tbourida shows and various exhibits.
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
 Maghreb Arabe Presse The King of Morocco was in Casablanca Wednesday to inaugurate a drop-in support center for female victims of violence. The facility is part of King Mohammed VI’s agenda to make women’s issues as important as men’s.
The support center, which cost 6 million dirhams, or $693,000, includes a library, a reception area, a multipurpose hall, workshops, an infirmary, a hosting space, a kitchen and other outbuildings.
It will give legal assistance and psychological support for the women.
The facility is part of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH).
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
In Casablanca Monday, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI stopped by the Oukacha reformatory, which is a school for juvenile delinquents. He did this for his foundation for Inmates Reinsertion. Back in May 2006, the King signed agreements to improve the lives of prison inmates once they have completed their sentences.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse During his visit, Mohammed saw the reformatory’s vocational training center and the workshops. He even to the took the time to award certificates to ten of the best laureates.
His Majesty also toured a school built by the Education Ministry as part of an agreement with the Mohammed VI Foundation for Inmates Reinsertion. He also gave a high school degree to an inmate.
King Mohammed asked several questions during the tour. He asked about the results of the socio-professional reinsertion system, and about the achievements of the post-prison support centers.
At the end of his visit, the King oversaw the signing of a partnership agreement between his Foundation, the General delegation of the penitentiary and reinsertion administration (DGAPR) and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM). The agreement aims to train inmates in certain professional fields so they could earn employment once they are out of a reformatory.
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
During the weekend, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI celebrated the eleventh year of his reign. The festivities, known as Fête du Trône, took place in Tangiers and Tetouan.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse To begin the celebrations, the King did what he normally does on national or religious holidays: pardon prisoners. Last year to mark a decade on the throne, Mohammed excused 25,000 prisoners. This year, however, it was only 980. Five were to be released immediately while the others saw their sentences reduced.
Then the King took to the airwaves to address his subjects with a lengthy speech. In it, he discussed Morocco’s development process and said it could only be done through four major guidelines. The first one, “should make sure the state, under my supervision, plays its strategic role in determining the nation’s basic options, implementing major projects, boosting, organizing and encouraging free enterprise and wisely-managed liberalization,” the monarch said.
He went on to say: “We need to consolidate the nation’s democratic system of governance. In this respect, I have sought to strengthen the rule of law, introduce thorough legislative and institutional reforms, as well as review legislation related to human rights protection. I have also endeavored to expand the scope of freedoms and encourage effective political practices by ensuring the citizens’ active participation in public life and close cooperation with the decision-makers.”
King Mohammed added that the third guideline concerns the pressing need to place the citizen at the heart of the development process. “This is why I launched the National Initiative for Human Development, which has enabled us over the past five years to achieve tangible results in the fight against poverty, social exclusion and marginalization.”
“Under the fourth guideline, our economy should be provided with the necessary ingredients for take-off and development, mainly in terms of infrastructure and planning. This has started to bear fruit with respect to strategy, and in the sectoral and social fields,” the King said, adding that “these infrastructure projects and plans have enabled us to upgrade our economy, boost productivity, enhance competitiveness, increase public investment, and create integrated, regional development hubs.”
 Maghreb Arabe Pressse The next day, in Tetouan, King Mohammed chaired an oath-swearing ceremony. With his brother, Moulay Rashid, and son Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, the King oversaw the graduation of military students, who are to protect and fight for their country.
In a speech, Mohammed highlighted the works of his grandfather – Mohammed V – during World War II. He also named the graduates after General de Gaulle due to the French leader’s “exemplary commitment to the values and ideals of bravery and of dedication to the safeguard of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Next, King Mohammed – along with his brother, son, and daughter Princess Lalla Khadija – chaired the officers’ mess of the Tetouan Royal Guard, a luncheon on the occasion of the oath-taking ceremony by the newly-graduated officers.
Afterward, the King met with several expatriates, mostly from Europe, who were suffering from chronic illnesses.
Source: AFP, Maghreb Arabe Presse
|
|
Recent Comments