3/13/2006 - Establishing new contacts with Morocco
From 23rd to 27th February a group of ten staff members and volunteers from European AFS partners (AUT, BFL, BFR, EGY, ESP, GER, HUN, ITA, NOR, POR) went to Casablanca, Morocco and met the volunteers and board members of AIM, Association Interculturelle Marocaine.
The objectives of the visit that was funded by the YOUTH programme of the European Commission and coordinated by EFIL, were to get to know AIM and its volunteers, evaluating possible EVS/CSP placements in Morocco, learning about Moroccan formal and non-formal education systems and discussing cooperation opportunities between AFS partners and AIM.
The local volunteers, guided by Boubker Mazoz, former AFSer to the USA 1969/70, prepared a very dense and interesting programme for the participants, accompanying every single moment with special attention, welcoming atmosphere and showing the best side of their host friendly culture.
The participants and AIM volunteers had the chance to meet the Vicepresident of the Region Casablanca (in the amazing court yard of Mechouer), the Director of the Regional Academy of Education (a kind of regional Minister), the Secretary of State in charge of Youth, a representative of the EU delegation in Morocco and the regional coordinator of the National Initiative for Human Development.
Apart from the official meetings with local and national authorities, the participants visited different NGOs: Bayti (NGO dealing with street children), Achouala (coordinating NGO for different neighbourhood associations), Al Mouatana (NGO promoting active citizenship and participation), Association de Jeune Conter le SIDA (NGO promoting AIDS prevention among young people), Action Jeunesse (local association organising activities for young people in its neighbourhoods). Due to a strike of teachers and students, the visit to the public high school «Mohammed VI» was replaced by the visit of the private school «Le cedre». In Rabat the participants visited the Centre for Cross Cultural Learning founded by another former AFSer Mr Abdelhay Moudden and his wife. All the participants agreed on possible and concrete cooperation between the centre and AIM/AFS.
The core of the visit was the meeting and the round table with the participants and the AIM volunteers. Future collaboration opportunities were discussed and the AFS participants helped the local volunteers to draft a concrete and realistic plan for the next steps. Evaluation of participants and hosts were really positive and let imagine a common path together in the near future.
The results of this meeting will be included in the final report and will be presented at the next HOO meeting in May 2006.
 |
Printer Friendly |
