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Moroccan-French animator Mounia Aram won the Cultural Innovator Award at the 2022 Black in Animation Awards Show.
The award testifies to Aram’s work in further developing animation media across the African continent while using experimental methods and concepts in her work to tell a unique story.
Aram received her award from a juried committee of professionals from Disney, Netflix, and Nickelodeon.
The Black in Animation Awards state “The Cultural Innovator Award is given to the person who has centered the voices of black people in animation in an innovative way as a content creator or influencer.”
Born in Casablanca and raised in France, Aram studied oriental languages at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris before joining ShoPro Entertainment, a company specializing in Japanese animation-based in San Francisco.
The animation specialist founded the Mounia Aram Company in 2019, a distribution and production company specializing in animation and African culture. Aram has accumulated nearly 20 years of experience in the animation field.
Her work also consists of advising companies in their distribution and development strategies across the African continent as well as mentoring young African talents in animation.
In 2020, Aram was elected a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in charge of the Emmy Awards. She also joined the Geena Davis Institute last year as Africa council chair.
Hamse Warfa presently serving as Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development, in the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (MEED) is leaving for a position in the Biden administration.
As a senior advisor in the U.S. State Department, Hamse will play a role in promoting democracy abroad and addressing refugee resettlement.
Hamse first came to the U.S. from Somalia when he was a teenager in 1994. He studied political science and organizational management, and built a career in both the public and private sector.
In 2014, he published his autobiography, America Here I Come: A Somali Refugee’s Quest for Hope.
As a Bush Fellow in 2016, Hamse founded BanQu, a blockchain service to provide access to credit and bank services for refugees. He also founded a consulting group to address poverty and economic opportunities for marginalized people.
Morocco has been continuously creating opportunities for women to integrate many fields and take the lead in positions that were once designed only for men.
Moroccan women are now represented in all fields, from sports and arts to politics and economics.
Indeed, the list is very long of inspiring, canonized Moroccan women whose bravery and infectious passion for social change remain central to the country’s history. For now, however, let’s just revel in the New Year spirit and celebrate the power of women in Morocco by looking back on the achievements of female Moroccan changemakers who made headlines in 2021.
Women in politics
This year, Moroccan politics welcomed seven new ministers in the Aziz Akhannouch government, making a third of the government’s representatives.
Nadia Fellah Alaoui, who is now the Minister of Economy and Finance, was the first woman to be appointed as the Minister of Tourism in the previous, Saadeddine El Othmani-led government.
Minister Delegate Ghita Mezzour has made a name for herself through her active engagement in Big Data, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity.
Other women at the forefront of government include: Fatima Zahra Ammor as Minister of Tourism and Handicraft, Fatima-Zahra Mansouri as Minister of Housing, Aouatif Hayar as Minister of Women, Family, and Social Integration, and Leila Benali as Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development.
Nabila Rmili, who stepped down from her new position as Minister of Heath a few days after her appointment, retains her role as the first female mayor of Casablanca. Meanwhile, Asmaa Rhlalou, a journalist and the former deputy of the National Rally of Independents party (RNI) in the House of Representatives, and Fatima-Zahra Mansouri are the mayors of Rabat and Marrakech, respectively.
Moroccan women in science
Two Moroccan scientists and researchers at Mohammed V University, Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli and Farida Fassi, have made it to the list of top 50 scientists worldwide according to the international 2021 AD Scientific Index. They hold 33rd and 38th place respectively.
El Moursli, a professor of nuclear physics, holds the highest-ranking in Morocco, Africa, and the Arab League, while Fassi, a professor of physics at the Faculty of Sciences, follows closely in second-ranking across the regions.
In 2015, El Moursli received the L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science for her contribution to proving the existence of the Higgs Boson. She is the first Moroccan woman to receive the prestigious award.
Professor Fassi contributed to the research of High Energy Physics, as well as to the Worldwide Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Computing Grid, which sets out to solve the problem of data storage for the LHC.
Moroccan women as global influencers
Sanae Lahlou was selected as a Young Global Leader in 2021 by The World Economic Forum (WEF).
She is now the director of consulting firm Mazars’ Africa Business Unit in Morocco. Lahlou works to connect African Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and creative start-ups by expanding their growth opportunities and transforming them into African and global champions.
Another Moroccan to make the headlines for her activism and commitment to provide girls around the globe with proper education is Iman Hammam.
Super Model Hammam was the first to receive the She’s the First (STF) inaugural Powerhouse of the Year Award. She is also the ambassador of STF, an organization that sponsors girls’ education in developing nations.
First Moroccan woman as General Manager of Microsoft Morocco
In November 2021, Salima Amira was appointed General Manager of Microsoft Morocco.
With 17 years of experience as a leader in competitive environments, such as Inwi and IBM, Amira firmly established herself in a field historically dominated by men when she became the first woman to hold the position of General Manager of Microsoft Morocco. The Casablanca subsidiary was founded in 1993.
Amira graduated from the Mohammadia School of Engineers in 2003 and from the Ecole des Ponts ParisTech in 2010.
Moroccans as Most Powerful Businesswomen in the MENA region
In February 2021, Forbes magazine featured four Moroccan women in the Middle East’s Power Businesswomen 2021 list.
Nezha Hayat was the first Moroccan to appear on the list, ranking eighth in the list of 50. Hayat is the CEO of Morocco’s Capital Market Authority and the president of the Africa Middle East Regional Committee at the International Organization of Securities Commissions.
The founder and CEO of AKSAL Group, Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch ranked 19th. Married to the current Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, Salwa is an accomplished businesswoman. Her company is engaged in social community work and implemented a social project to support cultural, educational, and health projects across Morocco.
Rita Maria Zniber, the chairman and CEO of Diana Holding, occupied the 33rd rank. With over 50 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Zniber’s company scope mainly includes agriculture, olive growing, poultry farming, trade, and distribution.
She is also the founder of the Rita Zniber Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports abandoned children in Morocco.
The 36th ranking went to Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun, the director of Holmarcom Group and the CEO of Oulmes, the largest mineral water company in Morocco. In 2019, the Moroccan businesswoman was appointed by the United Nations’ Secretary-General to join the Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) alliance.
Women in cinema and arts
The Moroccan artist Meriem Bennani was the first Moroccan in the history of the Paris Fashion Week to assume the artistic direction of the fashion show.
Bennani decorated the show space and operated the Miu Miu livestream through displaying artwork and a series of artistic interventions starring her own mother and highlighting a fine line between virtual and real life.
Born in 1988 in Morocco, Bennani attended Cooper Union College in New York where she studied visual arts.
During the lockdown last year, Bennani teamed up with documentary filmmaker Orian Barki to animate a series of videos posted on Instagram titled “2 Lizards.”
In September 2021, Morocco hosted the first female-only organized Short Film Festival in Marrakech. The event was co-organized by Moroccan artist Ramia Beladel and French national Thais Martin.
In her work, Beladel illustrates subjects of everyday life in a multi-layered way. Her aim is to make the viewer imagine and interpret her artwork without being hindered by the historical reality.
In another film accolade, in October 2021, Moroccan actress Sandia Tajeddine won the Best Actress award at the 2021 Jordan International Film Festival.
Born in 1994, the actress began her career in theater at seven years old in school plays and camps. She graduated from the Rabat-based Higher Institute of Dramatic Art and Cultural Activities in 2017 and has since played challenging roles in many films and series, such as “Banat El Assas,” “The Punch,” and “Yacout W Anbar.”
These are just a few examples of Moroccan women who made the headlines this year.
source/content: moroccoworldnews.com
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Significant Achievements by Moroccan Women in 202 / pix; moroccoworldnews.com
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, today launched the Great Arab Minds initiative. The initiative will be driven by and headquartered at the Museum of the Future, the Emirates’ new global scientific landmark.
Great Arab Minds is the Arab world’s largest movement designed to search for exceptional talents among Arab scientists, thinkers, and innovators across key fields, aiming to highlight and celebrate leading thinkers in the region and inspire young people with their example. It will work with regional and global partners to develop and maximise the positive impact of their ideas and work. The five-year initiative will focus on fields including physics and mathematics, software and data science, economics and higher education and research.
The initiative is backed by an AED100 million fund and will be administered from the Museum of the Future, with a committee of four Emirati Ministers who will develop a system to identify and highlight the extraordinary thinkers and talents that the initiative will support. The fund will support local and global partnerships in fostering research, development and innovation.
In a series of tweets, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said, “Today we launch a new project to search for 1,000 Great Arab Minds in the fields of physics and mathematics, software and data science, economics and higher education and research. Great minds built Arab civilization – today I believe we have the talent to build a better world.”
He added, “We will accelerate the Emirates’ role as an incubator for fostering Arab and global talent. We built the Museum of the Future as a global hub for scientists, thinkers and innovators – it is the ideal headquarters for a fund to develop the potential of our region’s finest minds.”
The Committee leading Great Arab Minds is chaired by Mohammad Al Gergawi, President of the Museum of the Future, and the membership of Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency; and Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.
More details about the Great Arab Minds project will be announced over coming weeks, including information about each of the paths as well as processes for nomination and registration.
Natasha Karam (aka) Natacha Karam. Film Actress. Hollywood Actress.
Born in Saudi Arabia to a Lebanese father and a Northern Irish mother, actress Natacha Karam is making a name for herself in Hollywood as a character on “9-1-1 Lone Star,” the latest series created by multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winning writer Ryan Murphy.
Born in Jeddah, Karam grew up between Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Dubai, where she began acting.
After moving to Los Angeles, her television career kicked off with small acting stints on “Homeland” and “Silent Witness,” before she was cast as Sergeant Jasmine “Jaz” Khan in the military action drama series “The Brave,” which ran for one season.
The 27-year-old acts alongside the likes of “Lord of the Rings” actress Liv Tyler and “Aladdin” star Mena Massoud, who plays her fiancé.
source/content: arabnews.com
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The drama follows the heroics and personal lives of firefighters and other emergency responders. (AFP) / arabnews.com
Yazeed Al-Rajhi (aka) Yazeed Mohamed Al-Rajhi. Rally Driver. Saudi Businessman.
Saudi rally champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi has been honored for winning the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas title for the first time in his career.
The 40-year-old racer received his award during a prize-giving ceremony at the Carrousel du Louvre, in Paris, after becoming the first driver from the Kingdom to achieve the title in the highest rallying class, along with co-driver Michael Orr of Ireland.
The ceremony in France was attended by 800 driving champions, rising stars, and guests from around the world who saw Jean Todt, ex-president of the International Automobile Federation, hand Al-Rajhi the trophy.
Having claimed the title with Toyota Hilux, Al-Rajhi also thanked official sponsor Abdul Latif Jameel Motors for its unlimited support throughout the season.
His achievement was not only a personal one but also a landmark for Saudi motorsport, as he became the first driver from the country to be honored at the level by the FIA.
source/content: arabnews.com
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Yazeed Al-Rajhi is the winner of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas title for the first time. (Frédéric Le Floch/DPPI) / arabnews.com
The findings are shifting scientists’ research on early human civilizations to the North African region.
Morocco has been at the center of several recent discoveries that have made headlines, both locally and internationally. The discoveries allowed archeologists to uncover some of the most fascinating secrets of ancient civilizations. Below are 6 of the most recent Moroccan discoveries.
Oldest rock carving in North Africa
Research professors at Moroccan and Spanish universities discovered rock engravings dating back to the Paleolithic age, which was roughly 2.5 million years ago, at the Camel Cave in the province of Berkane.
According to the Department of Culture of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Communication, the engravings are about 12,000 years old, corresponding to the last ice age, which also affected Morocco’s northern region.
The national discovery was part of a scientific agreement between the National Institute of Archeology and Cultural Heritage (INSAP) and the Mohammed I University of Oujda on a collaboration project regarding the prehistoric human communities in the Orient.
Old Macaque Fossil
A team of scientists from Moroccan and Spanish universities discovered a macaque fossil in Guefait, a town in the province of Jerada, in the eastern region of Morocco.
According to the Catalonian news outlet Catalan Diari Mes, the fossils, which date back to about 2.5 million years, are assigned to the genus Macaca, a gregarious Old-World monkey of the subfamily Cercopithecinae.
The species is estimated to have lived for 6 or 7 million years and their remains are commonly found in North Africa, but can also be found in Europe, where they migrated due to the Messinian Salinity Crisis over 5.5 million years ago.
Prehistoric community in the Anti-Atlas
The debitage stone, discovered at the rock site Imaoun, located in Southern Morocco, indicates the existence of a possible prehistoric community.
Levallois lithic material, which represents a sophisticated way of shaping stone tools in prehistoric times, was discovered in the region as a result of excavations carried out there between 2017 and 2018.
As stated in the digital platform for interdisciplinary research on the Canary Islands, Almogaren, the community would have lived about twenty kilometers northeast of the Akka oasis in the Anti-Atlas.
Ancient Marine Lizard
Archeologists in Morocco discovered a new species of Mosasaur, a marine lizard with shark-like cutting teeth, which lived about 72 to 66 million years ago.
Based on two complete skulls and referred jaws, scientists were able to reconstruct the species and reveal some of the unique characteristics.
According to a scientific paper in the Cretaceous Research journal, the marine species measured eight meters in length, unlike most of its relatives, which were unable to grow more than a few meters. It also had “elongate and robust jaws, small teeth, and specialized tooth implantation.”
New artifact suggests Morocco as origin of human culture
Research on ancient jewelry recovered from the Bizmoune cave in the South West of Morocco indicates the ornaments may represent the earliest evidence of advanced human culture.
There have been 33 shell beads recovered, dating back to over 142,000 years, which would place them in the late Middle Pleistocene period, the same geologic time period as the earliest documented emergence of humanity.
An academic paper published by Science Advances stated that the artifacts are considered the first sign of “symbolic behavior” by early Homo sapiens.
Unique dinosaur fossil
Scientists discovered a dinosaur fossil with “bizarre” spikes dating back to about 168 million years ago in Morocco’s Boulahfa in the Middle Atlas Mountains.
The fossil belongs to an Ankylosaurus, a type of herbivore species of dinosaurs that are known for their “ebony armpit that once covered their backs,” according to the Natural History Museum.
The new discovery represents a significant milestone because it is the first time a fossil of this type has been discovered in Africa.
The 40-minute New Year display broke the records for volume, duration and form, and featured a drone show.
Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Festival officially broke three Guinness World Records during its New Year celebrations.
Taking place in Al Wathba, the impressive fireworks show lasted for 40 minutes, and broke the records for volume, duration and form.
As well as the fireworks, there was a dazzling drone show made up of 2,022 unmanned aircraft. The drones formed the faces of UAE leaders, including Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, President Sheikh Khalifa , and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed , Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
The drones also formed the shapes of UAE skyscrapers, planet Earth, the festival’s logo and the words, “Happy New Year 2022.”
source/content: thenationalnews.com
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New Year’s Eve 2021 drone display at Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Ras Al Khaimah ushers in New Year with record-breaking firework drones flying at 1,055.8 meters high (over 1KM) and 452 firework drones simultaneously launching a breathtakingly choreographed ‘Happy New Year’ message in the sky
Spectacular #RAKNYE 2022 fireworks show sets two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles, mesmerising thousands of visitors
12-minute show with over 15,000 firework effects pays glorious tribute to the nation as it marks its 50th anniversary
The dazzling show marked a moment for people to reunite, with visitors arriving to Ras Al Khaimah from across the world to celebrate the New Year
Two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles set for the ‘Most Remote Operated Multirotors/Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously’ and ‘Highest Altitude Multirotor/Drone Firework Display’
Welcoming hundreds of thousands of spectators from around the world, the Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve Celebrations (#RAKNYE 2022) dazzled all with a never-before-seen fireworks display that smashed two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles.
Rising majestically from the Arabian Gulf, the fireworks display featured innovative pyrotechnic drone performances, over 15,000 effects, spanning an area of over 4.7 kilometres. The 12-minute spectacle was specially choreographed to reflect the joy of reunion with six themes set to epic orchestral music.
A Six-Act Show of Wonders
#RAKNYE 2020 fireworks display was conducted in a six-act sequence starting with the countdown just before midnight setting the stage for an ephemeral theatre of wonder. Ushering in the New Year with a spectacular tower of lights at a height of 1,055.8 metres (over 1 km) taller than any building in the world. This was followed by the ‘Happy New Year’ message written in the sky with firework drones, the sequence lit up the arena in multiple hues. These two sequences broke two new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ for Ras Al Khaimah.
Record-breaking feats
Setting the first GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the ‘Highest Altitude Multirotor/Drone Fireworks Display’ was the tower of fireworks 1,055.8 metres high, taller than any skyscraper in the world.
The second GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title was for the ‘Most Remote Operated Multirotors/Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously’, when 452 drones launched fireworks simultaneously to create the ‘Happy New Year’ visual in the sky.
More than 5,000 hours of work went into preparing for the show that also deployed over 130 sea pontoons and a fleet of hundreds of pyrotechnic drones.
A community event like no other
Many others followed the celebration live on raknye.com.
Ras Al Khaimah had welcomed 2021 with a dazzling 10-minute fireworks show that underlined the UAE’s message of hope, peace and achievements. Ras Al Khaimah also made history with the New Year’s Eve Gala of 2020, which broke the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles for the ‘Most remote operated Multirotors/drones launching fireworks simultaneously’ and the ‘Longest Firework Waterfall.’ The Emirate secured two GUINNESS ORLD RECORDS™ titles for the ‘Longest chain of fireworks’ and the ‘Longest straight-line fireworks display’ with the 2019 New Year’s Eve Fireworks.
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture aka Ithra, presented more than 7,000 programs and won five local and international awards this year.
Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors, the organization said.
In addition, about 4,000 male and female volunteers participated in the center’s local, regional and international events and activities, contributing 13,000 hours of work.
Ithra won five local and international awards in the past 12 months, including the 2021 Cultural Institutes Award in the private sector track by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture.
Ithra was also recognized with three prestigious accolades from MarCom, one of the largest and most respected creative competitions in the world. Among 6,000 entries, Ithra achieved platinum in the ‘Team Achievement’ and ‘Pro Bono’ categories, and gold in the ‘Social Content’ category for its efforts on World Book Day.
The center was also recognized locally by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development with numerous awards, including the first volunteer unit to implement the national volunteering standard, the first center to introduce volunteering in the private sector, and a Gold “Mowaamah” certification, for the accessible ecosystem that the center provides to support those with special needs, in accordance with their required standards and needs.
Ithra’s annual flagship creativity festival, held under the theme Tools — Crafting Creativity, Tanween 2021 attracted more than 25,000 visitors over the course of three weeks.
The festival featured international and local experts in 30 talks, 10 masterclasses, 7 workshops and 4 big experiences. One of the main features of Tanween was the Smartphone Orchestra, which sorted the public based on the data they provided themselves in this interactive and immersive activity. Another highlight featured mass drone swarms that interacted with the audience in one of the largest co-created drone/human light paintings ever made.
Currently on display at the first Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, Ithra Art Prize-winner Nadia Kaabi-Linke’s piece underlines the new Pan-Arab direction of the prize. This is the first year one of the most significant art prizes in the region is open to regional artists, while simultaneously representing a homecoming for the award which was presented at Art Dubai for its first three editions. Consisting of 19 canvasses nearly 20 meters long together, E Pluribus Unum – A Modern Fossil is described as a metaphor for modern times.
Ithra also cemented its reputation as a leading Saudi film producer with roadshows at the 74th Cannes International Film Festival and at the Red Sea International Film Festival, the Kingdom’s first international film fair. Produced under the Ithra Film Productions banner, celebrated Egyptian screenwriter and producer Mohamed Hefzy’s Sea of Sands and Saudi award-winning independent filmmaker Khalid Fahad’s Valley Road are both scheduled for release in 2023. The feature-length documentary film Anti-Cinema, meanwhile, is currently in post-production and is expected to hit the international film festival circuit shortly. Winner of the Ithra Content Commission Initiative, Ali Saeed and Hassan Saeed’s film brings Saudi Arabia’s film history to the big screen.
source/content: arabnews.com
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Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors. (Shutterstock) / pix: arabnews.com
