Tag: North Africa Records

MOROCCO: First Arab Nation to Play a Wafcon Final : The Atlas Lionesses of Morocco

The Atlas Lionesses wrote a page in the history of Women’s football as they became the first Arab nation to play a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.

Morocco’s Women National Football (MWNF) team has been making headlines as their popularity has grown since last year’s Wafcon (Women’s Africa Cup of Nations) final, in July 2022.

Hosted by Morocco, the Wafcon tournament marked the rise of the Atlas Lionesses as they became the first Arab nation to play a final for this tournament, when they faced off against South Africa.

As they prepare for this year’s 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, it is worthwhile to look back on the MWNF team’s great accomplishment last year and what it means for the rest of the world.

The Atlas Lionesses’ Eye-Catching Adventure At Wafcon 2022

With Football having been traditionally viewed as a men’s game in the region, the MWNF team captured the hearts and imagination of girls and women from the Arab region as they achieved a milestone at the 2022 Wafcon.

Although South Africa ended up winning the title, the Atlas Lionesses gained recognition for their impressive skills and outstanding performances, securing the 7th rank in Africa and the 72nd place in the FIFA global ranking.

Before reaching the final, the MWNF team had beaten Botswana and Nigeria in two spectacular football matches, allowing them to secure a ticket to participate in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which will take place in Australia and New Zealand.

Impressing many football personalities, the team’s remarkable performance also saw the rise of a number of star players in the team as Ghizlane Chebbak, Fatima Tagnaout, and Zineb Redouani were listed among the “best eleven” by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). 

In addition to that, Morocco’s captain Chebbak was named the best player of the 2022 Wafcon and received the “Woman of the Tournament” award following the match against South Africa.

Commenting on the Atlas Lionesses’ performance at last year’s Wafcon, MWNF coach Reynald Pedros expressed his eagerness to reach new heights with his team: “We will continue to work. This is just the beginning of a new adventure.”

Recognition by international media

Various local and regional news outlets put the spotlight on the MWNF team’s achievements, acknowledging their contribution to Morocco’s football development, alongside the Atlas Lions’ incredible performance at the last men’s World Cup.

For instance, International football’s governing body FIFA described the year of 2022 as “Morocco’s miracle year of continental and international success” and emphasized the women’s team’s role in paving the way for Moroccan football to become a leading global symbol.

For Africa News, women’s football may be at a turning point as its popularity is growing exponentially, proven by the attendance record of the final Wafcon match which counted around 50,000 supporters at the Prince Moulay-Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The article also acknowledged Morocco as “the first North African country to host the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in the 24-year history of the continental competition.”

Earlier this week, the Atlas Lionesses headed to Australia ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the only representative of the Middle East and North Africa region in this prestigious global tournament.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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Morocco women football team

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MOROCCO

MOROCCAN Women shake up the world of Gnaoua Music

Young Moroccan women are bringing new and inclusive energy to the centuries-old art of Gnaoua, a spiritual musical repertoire traditionally reserved for men.

Also known as “tagnaouite”, it gained worldwide recognition after it was listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2019.

“Why shouldn’t women be part of this dynamic?” asked Asma Hamzaoui at the Gnaoua World Music Festival in Essaouira, a southern coastal city steeped in the musical tradition.

The 26-year-old Casablanca native is one of the first women to perform Gnaoua, which blends African rhythms with spiritual chants and poetry.

Her father, a Gnaoua master, initiated her into the artform at a young age.

“I’ve accompanied him to his evening gatherings since I was seven years old,” recounted the young woman, who in 2012 formed the group “Bnat Timbouktou”, or The Girls of Timbuktu.

“I gradually learned to play the guembri, a three-stringed lute made of camel skin. My father made sure that I learned as much as possible before I flew solo.”

The all-female ensemble wowed the festival-goers — with Hamzaoui on vocals and the guembri, and four musicians on qraqeb steel castanets.

They played alongside the Amazones d’Afrique, another all-female group, from Mali.

‘Feeds the spirit’

“It’s exceptional to have women playing Gnaoua music, which shouldn’t be reserved for men,” said Hamza Tahir, a member of the audience. “They bring fresh air into this music.”

Inspired by Bnat Timbouktou’s success, rising star Hind Ennaira developed her passion for tagnaouite in her hometown of Essaouira.

Its fortified citadel on the Atlantic coast is a breeding ground for the mystical musical tradition, in which religious hymns invoke ancestors and spirits.

Originally practised by enslaved people and dating back at least to the 16th century, Gnaoua has gone from being practised largely in private gatherings, where therapeutic rituals accompanied the music, to public events such as concerts and festivals.

“The city of Essaouira is the cradle of tagnaouite,” said Ennaira, who was taught to play the guembri by friends. “It is beautiful heritage that feeds the spirit. It is important for young people to value it.”

Ennaira put her own touch on the tradition by bringing in a guitarist and drummer to accompany the traditional ensemble.

“At first, there were some differences because they were not used to working with a woman,” she said. “But after some challenging exercises, they adapted to me and we became complementary.”

‘Jimi Hendrix’ style

Yousra Mansour — the front woman of the band Bab L’bluz (“The Blues Gate”), which fuses Gnaoua, rock and blues — also encountered challenges entering the music scene.

“There were two constraints for me: first, the fact that this field is usually reserved for men, but also how we interpret traditional music,” the musician told AFP.

“It is not very accepted or even tolerated by some of the stricter individuals.

“We replaced the bass with the guembri and the guitar with the awisha (a small guembri) and created a kind of ‘power trio’ in the style of Jimi Hendrix with reimagined traditional instruments,” explained Mansour.

The 32-year-old vocalist passionately defends women’s freedoms, saying that “as a woman, I have not had an easy life”.

“There was a lack of women in this field. When I see Asma Hamzaoui or Hind Ennaira, they are magnificent,” she said.

“It is not easy to evolve in a predominantly male universe, but we see changes emerging.”

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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Friends taught Moroccan Gnaoua artist Hind Ennaira to play the guembri, a three-stringed lute made of camel skin (Photo: AFP)

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MOROCCO

SYRIAN-AMERICANS: Refugee-Powered ‘NaTakallam’ Launches Professional Arabic Language Courses

  • New course offers four tracks specific to journalism, humanitarian work, health care and business
  • “Arabic for Professionals” carricula are proofed by Arabic academics from top universities

Six Syrian refugees in the US have crafted the “Arabic for Professionals” course launched on Wednesday by NaTakallam, a refugee-powered social enterprise that provides language learning, translation and interpretation services.

The course’s contents have been proofed by Arabic academics from top universities, such as the American University of Paris, according to a press release by NaTakallam.

Tailored for upper-intermediate and advanced Arabic students, “Arabic for Professionals” offers four tracks specific to journalism, humanitarian work, health care and business.

“The program is the outcome of conversations about common teaching challenges among NaTakallam language partners, especially when it comes to Arabic in practice,” said Carmela Francolino, NaTakallam’s talent and community manager.

“After defining the general profiles of our students and their needs, the necessity of structured courses for intermediate and advanced students was clear, as were the topics we needed to focus on,” she said.

Combining synchronous and asynchronous learning, “Arabic for Professionals” provides flexibility to fit busy schedules. The curricula are divided into several units, including exercises to reinforce each point and ten one-hour private lessons with an experienced tutor.

In addition to a focus on Modern Standard Arabic, a lingua franca used across the Arabic-speaking world, the one-on-one tutoring sessions offer students the opportunity to practice what they have learned in spoken dialects of Levantine Arabic.

Multiple pilot students have noted that the blended structure of the course provided an impetus for them to continue learning the language after their progress had stalled.

“For NaTakallam, whose core mission is to showcase the talents of displaced and conflict-affected people, it is especially meaningful that our language partners are not only teaching this curriculum but have created it in its entirety,” said Aline Sara, co-founder and CEO of NaTakallam.

Besides the new Arabic for Professionals program, NaTakallam offers an Integrated Arabic Curriculum, a 25-hour course that teaches Modern Standard Arabic and Levantine Arabic concomitantly, as well as one-on-one language tutoring in Arabic, Armenian, French, Kurdish, Persian, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SYRIAN / AMERICANS

EGYPT: Yasmine Sabri Becomes Egyptian Cinema’s First Female Superhero

Dalila’ will join ‘Mousa’ as part of director Peter Mimi’s action-packed cinematic universe, ‘The Underdogs’.

Actress Yasmine Sabri is suiting up as Egyptian cinema’s first female superhero!

Peter Mimi – the director of famed Ramadan series ‘Al Ikhtiyar’ (The Choice) – is expanding on the superhero cinematic universe he created for his 2021 action film ‘Mousa’ starring Karim Mahmoud Abdelaziz and Eyad Nasser, in which a shy engineering student creates a powerful robot to avenge his father.

Joining ‘Mousa’ as part of Mimi’s ‘The Underdogs’ franchise will be ‘Dalila’, where Yasmine Sabri will star as a badass motorcyclist on a mission for justice. Filming for ‘Dalila’ has already begun, with Sabri currently undergoing intense physical training and motorcycle training to prepare for the film’s intense action sequences (which, if ‘Mousa’ was anything to go by, will be absolutely explosive). The Avengers who?

While Sabri is working on her super stunts, the actress has already wrapped up filming for ‘Bo’ Bo’ starring Ami Karar and ‘Abou Nasab’ starring Mohamed Emam, both of which will come out during the Eid al-Adha holiday.

‘Dalila’ is set to hit movie theatres in 2023, although details on the rest of the cast has yet to be announced.

source/content: cairoscene.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT

ARABIC POEMS, Pre-Islamic Era: Poetry in the Spotlight as ‘Khawalid’ Platform Records 1,000 Historic Poems

The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language has launched the “Khawalid” initiative, an audio platform that aims to record 1,000 selected poems from the pre-Islamic era, in line with the Ministry of Culture’s Year of Arabic Poetry.

Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAFAL, told Arab News that the initiative, which translates to “living forever,” aimed at enriching Arabic content in various media.

He said: “Strengthening the role of the Arabic language is part of the set of goals from which the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language‎ stems.”

One of its goals is to highlight the scientific, cultural and civilizational status of the Arabic language. It aims to create a platform that helps preserve Arabic content in the field of poetry.

Al-Washmi added that it will also make poetry, especially Arabic poems from the pre-Islamic era, more accessible to the public.

He said: “It highlights the value of the Arabic language, which expresses the linguistic depth in Saudi Arabia, to bring it closer to the public and endear them to it, to deepen its status, and to raise awareness of it as an integral part of the identity of the Arab person.”

The initiative will focus on the era that began approximately 150 to 200 years before Islam, and the KSGAFAL will direct work over all stages.

Its task will involve verifying work and its attribution to its author, along with determining the meaning and integrity of the content.

The selection will be limited to poems that are no less than 10 verses, taking into account the diversity of the poets and the selected works.

Al-Washmi said: “‎Poetry in the pre-Islamic era constitutes an important literary material that can be invested in building linguistic knowledge, enriching the artistic and aesthetic experience, and contributing to linking the contemporary generation with its authentic literary heritage.

“‎This initiative confirms the KSGAFAL’s interest in the culture and arts of the Arabic language, in addition to its great care in planning, teaching and computerizing it, striving in all of this to achieve its goals, which are a target of the Human Capacity Development Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives.”

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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ARABIC POEMS / SAUDI ARABIA

MOROCCO: Unveiling the Artistic Journey of Moroccan Painter Houda Gueddari

Gueddari’s art portrays the strength, resilience, and beauty of Moroccan women, in addition to advocating for their equal representation and recognition in society.

Houda Gueddari’s exhibition has captivated art enthusiasts at an ongoing art fair in the vibrant and culturally rich city of Rabat, with the artist’s work unveiling the remarkable artistic journey of a prominent Moroccan painter. Entitled “My Art, My Path,” the exhibition tackles pressing special issues as the artist uses her paintbrush as a weapon to create change.  

In an exclusive interview with the gifted painter, Morocco World News had the opportunity to delve into her creative journey, discovering the personal anecdotes, challenges, as well as triumphs that have shaped her distinctive artistic style.

Between art and a more conventional career

Pursuing an artistic career, however, has not been easy for Gueddari, as she encountered many obstacles along the way. Faced with the pressure of pursuing a more conventional path, the Moroccan artist made a compromise and chose a paramedical career in dental prosthetics that still incorporated artistic elements. 

But her passion for art remained unwavering. “I couldn’t let go of my dream,” she said. “I continued to seek opportunities to refine my skills, attending workshops and joining artist associations. These experiences opened doors to my first exhibitions and invaluable connections within the art community.”

The year 2016 marked a pivotal moment in Gueddafi’s artistic journey. With determination and vision, she founded the first art gallery in Fez, a space that showcased her own creations as well as supported and promoted fellow local artists.

“The gallery became a vibrant hub of artistic expression,” she reminisced, adding that “it was a joy to witness the dialogue and appreciation it fostered among art enthusiasts and collectors.”

When the COVID-19 crisis hit Morocco, it brought about unanticipated challenges, necessitating the temporary closure of the gallery amid a nationwide lockdown. 

Yet, Gueddari did not allow this setback to extinguish her artistic spirit. “I adapted to the circumstances … I sought alternative ways to share my work with the world,” she said. 

This includes the artist’s active presence on social media, notably her Instagram page with nearly 100k followers. Gueddari’s social media platforms serve as a medium for her to share her paintings, inspirations, and thoughts with art enthusiasts.

International recognition

Gueddari has made a name for herself as a renowned artist in Morocco, especially in the city of Fez where she lives.

In addition, her talent shone on the international stage with various achievements, including being selected as a finalist in a prestigious competition in Dubai. She also received acclaim for her work in Florence in 2022, winning the Leonardo Da Vinci international prize. 

She fondly recalled her participation in the renowned Biennale art exhibition in Venice, Italy, and exhibiting at the Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona.

As travel restrictions were imposed worldwide, Gueddari redirected her focus toward promoting art within Morocco. In collaboration with the Marriott Hotel in Rabat, she orchestrated the ongoing “My Art, My Path” exhibition.

Speaking about her artworks, she said that she draws inspiration from various movements, including cubism and surrealism. “A little bit Picasso, a little bit Dali … I was inspired by several artists, but the truth is I really just try to be myself,” she explained.

Gueddari sees herself as a “committed artist.” She said: “When I paint, I paint my emotions, I lose my life, I paint everything that happens around me.”

Through her art, Gueddari tackles various themes and social issues, including women’s rights and the crucial role they play in Moroccan society. 

“Women play an integral role in society, and their contributions should never be underestimated or undervalued. It is essential to create an environment where women have equal opportunities to thrive, express themselves, and pursue their dreams,” she said.

The “My Art, My Path” exhibition merges traditional and contemporary expressions, embodying the Moroccan artist’s profound connection to her homeland and its rich artistic heritage. “I am very proud to be Moroccan … I am very proud to represent my country as an artist,” she said.

Art as a constant quest for growth, self-discovery

Discussing the obstacles artists worldwide face, Gueddari acknowledged the challenges they have to endure, saying: “The life of a painter demands unwavering dedication and perseverance.”

“It is a constant quest for growth and self-discovery,” she stressed, underlining that these challenges serve as golden opportunities for artists to achieve personal and artistic growth, as well as push the boundaries of their creativity and inspire others along the way. 

Despite the difficulties that artists encounter, Gueddari argued that the artistic journey is extremely rewarding. “The world of art teaches us tolerance, acceptance, openness to the other, and openness to the world.”

Through her work and her online presence, the Fez-based artist actively promotes art in Morocco, seeking to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the artist’s spirit and the nation’s artistic landscape. 

Talking about the future of art in Morocco, she said that she is “very optimistic,” especially since the government has been giving more importance to art and culture.

After her exhibition in Rabat comes to an end, Gueddari will embark on another journey, with plans to hold exhibitions in various Moroccan cities, including Marrakech and Agadir.

When asked about her message to aspiring Moroccan artists, Gueddari shared a heartfelt, encouraging piece of advice. “Never settle for what you already know,” she said. “Embrace versatility, expand your knowledge, and explore different artistic domains. Stay true to yourself, and draw inspiration from other artists.”

source/contents: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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Moroccan painter Houda Gueddari

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MOROCCO

EGYPT: Prominent Egyptian Gynaecologist and Author Abul-Ghar Wins ‘Nile Award in Science & Advanced Technological Sciences’

Prominent Egyptian gynaecologist and author Mohamed Abul-Ghar won on Sunday the State Nile Award in Science and Advanced Technological Sciences.

Minister of Higher Education and Head of the Scientific Research and Technology Academy Mohamed Ashour announced that Cairo University’s Professor at the Faculty of Medicine Dr Mohamed Abul-Ghar and Mansoura University’s professor at the Faculty of Medicine Dr Hassan Abul-Enein won the State Nile Award in Science and Advanced Technological Sciences.

“It is the state’s recognition of scientists’ efforts in advancing the nation and building the new republic and knowledge economy,” Ashour said on Sunday in a press conference at the New Administrative Capital.

Abul-Ghar started, with a group of medical doctors, Egypt’s first-ever centre for in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Abul-Ghar, 82, received the Egyptian National Award for Scientific Excellence in 1999. He also received honourary membership of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology in 2004 and honourary membership in the International Federation of Fertility Societies in 2000. 

Abul-Ghar has also been active politically as he established, with other university professors, the 9 March Movement for the Independence of Universities during the rule of the late President Mubarak. He was also among the spokespersons of the National Association of Change.

Following the ouster of Mubarak in February 2011, Abul-Ghar was among the founders of the left-liberal Egyptian Social Democratic Party.

Aside from his medical scientific career and political activism, the prominent gynaecologist established himself in recent years as a bestselling non-fiction author with a special interest in the modern history of Egypt, specifically the pre-1952 liberal era.

Among his bestselling books are Egyptian Jews in the 20th Century, The Egyptian Legion and The Pandemic that Killed 180,000 Egyptians. 

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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File Photo: Mohamed Abuol-Ghar. / Al-Ahram

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EGYPT

SHARJAH, UAE / LEBANON / TUNISIAN-FRENCH: 19th ‘UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture’ Honours Winners Kassem Istanbouli and Hajer Ben Boubaker in Paris

Kassem Istanbouli, Lebanese actor-director, and Hajer Ben Boubaker, French researcher and sound director, were awarded the 19th UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture at an award ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 26th June 2023.


The event, organised by the Sharjah Department of Culture in collaboration with UNESCO, celebrated the achievements of two winners.


The ceremony was attended by Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture; Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO; Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs in Sharjah; Ahmed Al Mulla, Deputy Ambassador of the UAE to France, and Aisha Al Kamali, Representative of the Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of the UAE in France, along with dignitaries, writers, intellectuals and accredited diplomats to the United Nations (UN).


Al Owais and Ramirez presented the 19th edition of the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture to Istanbouli, winner of the Arab Personality Award, and Ben Boubaker, winner of the Non-Arab Personality Award.

The UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture recognizes recipients’ outstanding artistic achievements celebrating Arab art and culture globally. Core to UNESCO’s anti-racism and anti-discrimination agenda, the Prize promotes peace and dialogue to foster intercultural understanding and celebrate diversity.

For this 19th edition of the Prize, the international jury recognized Mr Istanbouli and Ms Ben Boubaker’s extraordinary contributions to promoting the arts and Arab culture and supporting their local communities.

Kassem Istanbouli is a Lebanese actor and director. Since 2014, he has led the rehabilitation of historical cinemas in Lebanon, including Stars Cinema in Nabatieh, and Al-Hamra and Rivoli in Tyre, abandoned or destroyed during civil war.

Mr Istanbouli is involved with several international projects focused on skills enhancement, youth empowerment and collaborative partnerships. In 2020 he co-founded the Arab Culture and Arts Network (ACAN) to design and implement online cultural activities across the Arab region. The Network includes over 700 organizational and individual members from across the world.

Mr Istanbouli is also director and founder of the Lebanese National Theater in Tyre and the Lebanese National Theater in Tripoli and has been a project manager at the Tiro Association for Arts in Lebanon since 2014.

Hajer Ben Boubaker is a French-Tunisian independent researcher and sound director. Her research focuses on a socio-historical analysis of Arab music and the cultural history of the Maghreb community in France and around the world.

In 2018, she created and self-produced the Vintage Arab podcast, which explores Arabic musical heritage. At the intersection of research and art, the podcast allows her to keep a foot in each sphere.

Ms Ben Boubaker is a producer and documentary director for France Culture, where her work questions the sound and political memory of immigration. As a researcher, she is associated with the Arab and Oriental music collection at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and continues to write for scientific journals, including “Paris, capitale maghrébine: une histoire Populaire” in October 2023.

Created in 1998 and run by UNESCO at the initiative of the United Arab Emirates, the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize awards two laureates per year — individuals, groups or institutions — in recognition of their contribution to Arab art and culture, or for participating in the dissemination of the latter outside the Arab world.

The initiative contributes towards the Organization’s objective of fostering inclusive, resilient and peaceful societies. The Prize carries a monetary value of USD 60,000, which is equally divided between the two laureates.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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SHARJAH, UAE / LEBANON / TUNISIAN-FRENCH

OMAN to Open Museum on Shared History with Kenya in Lamu province

The National Records and Archives Authority (NRAA) will open a permanent museum-cum-exhibition for records and antiques pertaining to Oman’s historical presence in East Africa next on Friday, February 10. The exhibits also highlight the common history shared by Oman and Kenya in the province of Lamu.

Once restoration tasks are completed and final improvements made, the archival exhibition will be inaugurated in coordination with the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Kenya and the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage.

The project constitutes one of the archaeological and architectural landmarks, and aims to play a variety of cultural roles.

Besides affirming Omani presence in the province of Lamu and the depth of the two countries’ historical relations, the exhibition consolidates noble Omani values and reflects the sultanate’s keenness to preserve various aspects of its heritage, culture and civilisation.

The permanent exhibition is established within the framework of cooperation between the NRAA and the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier by the two countries.

Through the project, the NRAA seeks to spread awareness about Oman’s history and civilisation in East Africa, notably among the local community and visitors to Lamu Island.

In 2017, the NRAA restored some parts of Mombasa Fort in the Republic of Kenya so that the monument could house a permanent museum-cum-exhibition. The facilities are named as follows: ‘Omani House’, ‘Al Mazrouei Hall’ and ‘Fort Museum’. They all serve as testimony to Omani presence in Mombasa.

source/content: muscatdaily.com (headline edited)

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OMAN

MOROCCO Defeats Kuwait 7-1 to Win its 03rd consecutive ‘Arab Futsal Cup’

Morocco wins the Arab Futsal Cup for the third consecutive year, cementing their status as a force to be reckoned with in the world of futsal.

Morocco’s national futsal team achieved a remarkable 7-1 victory over Kuwait in the final of the 2023 Arab Futsal Cup, securing their third consecutive championship title. 

Led by coach Hicham Dguig, the team made history as the most successful in the tournament’s record books.

Before the clash at the Ministry of Sports Hall in Jeddah, Kuwait faced off against Algeria, emerging victorious with a hard-fought 3-2 win, which propelled them into the finals. 

They also faced off against Egypt in the quarter-finals, clinching a 6-2 victory.

The Moroccan team exhibited a remarkable performance throughout the tournament, overwhelming their opponents with a series of commanding victories. Their journey started with a  5-0 triumph over Comoros, followed by a 6-0 win against Lebanon.

In the knockout stages, the Atlas Lions continued their relentless pursuit of victory. They faced Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals, delivering a 5-2 win, and then went on to conquer Libya with an impressive 5-1 victory in the semi-finals. 

Moroccan coach Hicham Dguig’s squad members previously defeated Kuwait 4-2 in the group stage, entering the game with confidence and a clear understanding of their opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.

Morocco’s national futsal team is currently ranked 8th globally and leading the Arab world and Africa in the Futsal World Ranking  (FWR). 

Meanwhile, Kuwait is ranked the third highest-ranked Arab nation and ranked 41st globally.

With their awe-inspiring performance in the final, the Moroccan national futsal team has undoubtedly etched their names in the annals of Arab futsal history. 

This remarkable achievement will not only be celebrated by the team and their fans, but will also inspire future generations of Moroccan futsal players to strive for greatness on both regional and international stages.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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Morocco’s national futsal team

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MOROCCO