Culture, Islam, publications of works on migration in Europe in all its aspects, meetings with youths in host countries and in Morocco, conferences in Europe but also in Morocco involving academics and Moroccan universities on Moroccan migratory questions, but also the African ones, followed by proposals and books. This has been the year 2017 for the Council of the Moroccan Community Living Abroad (CCME).
The culture and religion of our fellow citizens living abroad has become a key issue since more than a decade in their host countries. Particularly, considering the birth of the gruesome beast of terrorism which trivializes racist and xenophobic speeches designing Muslims as the scapegoats in the western world. With the rise of nationalisms in a part of European countries emphasized since the so-called crisis of refugees mainly from Muslim countries devastated by civil wars, settled immigrants in Europe for decades have suffered the consequences of policies of religious, identity and cultural exclusion.
Terrorist attacks in Europe by individuals claiming perpetrating their appalling acts in the name of their vision of islam during the last decade, have all of a sudden been labeled "Muslim immigrants" by the most extreme movements in Europe. But also the all-news channels and virtual media, which by their lack of hindsight and enslaved by a a disastrous policy of urgency » commit errors from which there is no coming back.
There are moments in History where hesitancy is not allowed. And HM the King's speech at the 2016 Throne Day was historic and courageous in a world where words seem to have lost their sense. In his address to the Nation HM the King deconstructed the speeches and the foolishness of these criminal gangs claiming themselves muslims. The King called the Moroccans living abroad not to forget the essence of their identity and their religion which is an Islam of peace and openness..
The CCME has since, this Royal speech, which will last in History, made of the issues identity-religion-culture one of its main axes of engagement through including fundamental meetings in Morocco and Europe and partnerships for the indispensable training of Ulema in Europe. A vital didactic work for our fellow citizens abroad living mainly in Europe.
« Islam, identity, culture » this is the triptych to which the CCME « devoted itself » in 2017. Especially in Spain, France, Belgium and Germany, where one of the most important meetings of nearly 150 Ulema has been held. Active in European countries but as well in Morocco particularly through cultural events that tell the story of Migrant Travelers; Leila Alaoui, a young photographer who traveled the world seizing moments of humanity killed in a terrorist attack in Ouagadougou; the pioneers settled in Europe since the post-war period; students from all over the world, for their part, were able to travel to Morocco to better understand their European comrads of Moroccan origin; groups from Europe and Africa also came to the Council to share their experiences on the migration issue.
CCME