Tag: Records of Morocco

Winners of 2022 Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA)

The award saw a high turnout from authors around the world, with more than 3,000 applications submitted from more than 55 countries, including 20 Arab countries.

Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) announced on Monday the winners for its 16th edition across seven categories, selecting six literary figures, intellectuals and translators, along with Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina, for top honours.

Over the years, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award has managed to expand and become one of the most prestigious events in the Arab world, allowing for the development of cultural dialogue and the creation of new opportunities for authors and translators around the world.

This year’s winner in the young author category is Tunisian professor Mohamed al-Maztouri with his book Al Badawa fi al She’er al Arabi al Qadeem (Bedouinism in Ancient Arabic Poetry).

“The author of this book, Mohamed al-Maztouri, presents a serious academic study of bedouinism in ancient Arabic poetry,” the Zayed programme commented.

Adding that Maztouri “discusses its diverse concepts and many manifestations, describing it as a culture with special landmarks and a lifestyle inseparable from its place, environment, and geography.”

From pre-Islamic times the Arabian Peninsula has been home to world-class poetry that is deeply connected to values of bravery, nobility, eloquence and at times sensitivity.

Throughout the centuries, poetry’s popularity has only grown in the region, attracting new audiences in both the Arabian Peninsula and other Arab countries in North Africa and the Levant.

Today, the trend has been further boosted by Emirati initiatives and competitions.

The translation award went to Egyptian translator and author Ahmed Aladawi for his translation of the American author, George Makdisi, book “ The Rise of Humanism in Classical Islam and the Christian West” into Arabic.

Each winner receives a life-changing prize of AED 750,000 (USD 204,190/GBP165,220).

Winners will also be honoured in a ceremony at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair later this year.

The Cultural Personality of the Year winner will be presented with a gold medal and a certificate of merit, as well as a Dh1 million prize.

source/content: thearabweekly.com

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Full list of winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2022:

Literature

Maq’ha Riche, Ain Ala Massr (Eye on Egypt: Cafe Riche) by Maisoon Saqer. Published by Nahdet Misr Publishing

Children’s Literature

Loghz al Kora al Zujajiya (The Mystery of the Glass Ball) by Maria Daadoush. Published by Dar Al-Saqi

Young Author

Al Badawa fi al She’er al Arabi al Qadeem (Bedouinism in Ancient Arabic Poetry) by Mohamed Al-Maztouri. Issued by the Faculty of Literature, Arts and Humanities at Manouba University and the GLD Foundation

Translation

Nash’at al Insaniyat Einda al Muslimeen wa fi al Gharb al Maseehi (The Rise of Humanism in Classical Islam and the Christian West) by Ahmed Aladawi. Published by Madarat for Research and Publishing.

Art and Literary Criticism

Al Sarid wa Taw’am al Rooh: Min al Tamtheel ila al Istinaa (The Narrator and the Soulmate: From Acting to Faking) by Mohamed Aldahi. Issued by Le Centre Culturel du Livre.

Arab Culture in Other Languages

The Arabian Nights in Contemporary World Cultures: Global Commodification, Translation, and the Culture Industry by Muhsin J. Al-Musawi. Cambridge University Press.

Publishing and Technology

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

source/content: thenationalnews.com

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EGYPT / MOROCCO / SYRIA /TUNISIA / U.A.E.

Two Moroccans Mouna Abbassy and Sophia Alj on Forbes’ ‘Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands’ List

Forbes selected Mouna Abbassy and Sophia Alj for two of its prestigious rankings.

Forbes has featured two Moroccan businesswomen on its “30 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2022” and “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2022” lists. The two successful, celebrated business leaders are the Founder of IZIL Mouna Abbassy and the co-Founder of Chari.co Sophia Alj.

This week, Forbes released the two lists simultaneously. The magazine’s list of “30 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands” featured companies operating in six MENA countries, with the UAE hosting 13 of the successful businesses. 

The list includes 18 nationalities in total, with Egyptian businesswomen topping the list with 11 entries, followed by Lebanese with 4 mentions.

The “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands” list highlighted the achievements of successful female founders and co-founders of tech platforms and apps. This year, 17 nationalities were represented in the list. 

The 20 featured businesses operate in 13 sectors and are prominently based in the UAE (13), Egypt (2), and Saudi Arabia (2). 

Mouna Abbassy

Moroccan businesswoman Mouna Abbassy ranked 10th in the “30 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2022” list. 

In 2012, Abbassy founded IZIL, an “all-natural skincare line.” The brand offers hair, skin, and body products, inspired by old Moroccan beauty recipes. 

IZIL is based in the UAE with clients in Gulf countries, the US, and the UK. The brand’s e-commerce sales to the US and the UK markets recorded a 40% and 50% growth in 2021. 

Last year, IZIL opened new offices in Dubai as it launched a Moroccan Hammam and Spa in the Dubai Mall. In terms of social media outreach, the brand currently counts 346K followers on Instagram and 136K followers on Facebook. 

Sophia Alj 

Sophia Alj ranked 8th in the “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2022” list. 

She is the co-founder of Morocco’s popular e-shop and startup Chari.co, which she founded with her husband Ismael Belkhayat in 2020. 

The Chari application connects retailers to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies.  

In March, the startup acquired Axa Credit for $22 million. A year prior, Chari purchased Moroccan bookkeeping and credit platform Karny.ma which serves roughly 40,000 retailers. The startup concluded the deal after receiving $5 million in seed funding. 

As it continues to expand into Francophone African markets, Chari.co has the potential to obtain unicorn status by reaching a valuation of $1 billion. 

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO

Egypt’s Ahmed Shawky to Chair Cannes Festival’s FIPRESCI Jury

Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky was chosen last week to head the jury of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) competition at the 75th Cannes International Film Festival.

Though Egyptians have been part of the FIPRESCI jury panel competition in the past, this is the first time one will chair the panel.

Shawky will head a panel that includes a number of film critics from all across the world: Mariola Wiktor (Poland), Nathalie Chifflet (France), Emanuel Levy (USA), Simone Soranna (Italy), Jihane Bougrine (Morocco), Magali Van Reeth (France) Bidhan Rebeiro (Bangladesh) and Youssoufa Halidou Harouna (Niger).

Launched in the 1920s, the FIPRESCI committee is among the most influential film criticism committees internationally. The committee is responsible for awarding the best film at numerous festivals, including at Cannes since the festival’s launch in 1946.

The upcoming Cannes International Film Festival is scheduled to take place between 13 and 24 May 2022.

Shawky is an Egyptian film critic, programmer and screenwriting developer. He writes about film for numerous Egyptian and regional publications. He has also published six books about Egyptian cinema. 

A FIPRESCI board member and the vice president of the African film critics’ federation (FAAC), Shawky is also as a programmer for many film festivals.

Shawky was appointed an acting artistic director of the Cairo International Film Festival in 2019, and a year later he was appointed its artistic director.

Shawky is also one of two Egyptian names to head the 75th festival’s juries, with the other being Yousry Nasrallah who will chair the Short Film Jury, a panel in charge of selecting one of nine films in competition for Short Film Palme d’Or.

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

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EGYPT

13 Moroccan Groups Among North Africa’s Top 20 Companies

Morocco’s telecom operator Maroc Telecom is the largest company in North Africa with a market valuation of $11.8.

13 Moroccan companies feature among North Africa’s top 20 biggest firms in terms of market capitalization, according to a report by African Business, a pan-African business-oriented business magazine.

Leading the charts is Maroc Telecom, Morocco’s leading telecommunication firm, with an $11.8 billion valuation.

Despite topping the list of North African companies, Maroc Telecom slipped from the list of the top 10 companies on the continental ranking. The Moroccan firm’s market capitalization fell from $13.5 billion to $11.8 billion between 2021 and 2022, according to a report by African Business. 

Maroc Telecom ranked 13th in Africa, down from 8th in 2021, the report noted.

With a market capitalization of $10.3 billion, Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco’s largest bank, came in second place on the list of the top 20 largest companies in North Africa.

On the continental level, Attijariwafa Bank fell from the 15th to the 19th in 2022 even as its capital grew by $0.4 billion in the past year, reflecting strong growth in Africa’s business landscape.

Morocco’s Banque Centrale Populaire ranked as North Africa’s third-largest company; the Moroccan banking group was meanwhile ranked 32nd in Africa, with market capitalization having fallen from $5.652 billion to $5.622 billion in the past year. 

LafargeHolcim Maroc construction group ranked fifth in the North African market and 39th in Africa. The group’s market capitalization stood at $4.623 billion, up from $4.167 billion in 2021

The final Moroccan bank to feature on the list of the top 20 largest companies in North Africa is Bank of Africa in 6th place in North Africa and 42nd across the entire continent. The banking group’s market capitalization in 2022 is valued at $4.238 billion, up from $3.563 billion a year before, the report indicates.

Other Moroccan companies featured in the regional ranking include construction materials manufacturer Ciments du Maroc and energy company TAQA Morocco. The two firms are respectively ranked 7th and 8th in the North African market.

Food manufacturer Cosumar Maroc is ranked as the ninth-largest company in North Africa and 61st in the whole of Africa. Meanwhile, Mining company Managem, and Morocco’s national port operator, Marsa Maroc, ranked in the 11th and 12th ranks respectively.

The final Moroccan companies to appear in the ranking in 13th, 15th, and 17th place are Wafa Assurance, Afriquia Gaz, and Total Maroc respectively.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (edited)

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13 Moroccan Groups Among North Africa’s Top 20 Companies

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MOROCCO

Morocco’s Youness Mustafa Gharbi Wins Quran Recitation Skill, Scent of Speech (Otr Elkalam)’ Category in the ‘Saudi International Holy Quran Competition ‘ 2022

Gharbi is one of a number of Moroccans who have won similar prizes.

Youness Gharbi is the latest in a list of other Moroccans to have claimed a prize for his Quran recitation skills, this time in Saudi Arabia.

Visually impaired Gharbi won the  “Otr Elkalam” competition on Wednesday, with a prize of SAR 5 million ($1.3 million).

He received his prize during a ceremony celebrating the completion of the international Quran reciting competition whose name is Arabic for the fragrance of speech. 

The Chairman of the board of directors of Saudi’s general entertainment authority , Turki Al-Seikh, delivered the prize to Youness Gharbi and another British contestant Mohamed Ayoub who came in second place. 

Mohamed Ayoub received an award of a little over half a million dollars.

In the call to prayer category, a Turkish contestant came in first place, Muhsin Kara, receiving SAR 2 million ($533,200), while another Turkish contestant Albijan Celik came in second place, winning a prize of SAR1 million ($266,600). 

Saudi contestant Anas Al-Rahili came in fourth place with a SAR250,000 ($66,650) award.

During the ceremony, the event organizers announced that the “Otr Elkalam” competition will open its doors for international Quran reciters during Ramadan next year. 

The “Otr Elkalam” competition was organized by the Saudi government’s General Entertainment Authority this month, to coincide with  Ramadan.

Moroccans are no strangers to winning  Quran reciting awards. In 2020, Five Moroccans won a Quran reciting competition award in Abu Dhabi during a virtual ceremony. 

Nearly all prizewinners of the Abu Dhabi competition were Moroccans.

Moroccan Fatima-Zahrae Mrabet claimed the first place in the women’s “All Nationalities” category, and Moroccan Kaoutar Zribi and Chaimae Lchab trailed behind respectively in second and third place.

Moroccan men equally distinguished themselves at the ceremony, with Anas Mhamdi ranking first in the men’s “All Nationalities” category and Abdellah Bela ranking third within a different category.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO

Moroccan Origin Nora Bloza Entrepreneur of Saudi Dates from Madinah , Makes them Available in Hesse, Germany

Nora Bloza, Founder & CEO – Nakheel Fruits gmbh, Germany

 Dates have always been omnipresent in Nora Blouza’s life. The 37-year-old is from southern Morocco, where her late grandfather once owned a date plantation. “Dates would always be in the house,” she told Arab News.

When Blouza’s Dutch-Moroccan husband came to Germany due to his work in 2018, she followed him with their three children after having lived in the Netherlands for 17 years.

“Originally we planned to just stay for three years,” she said. But the coronavirus pandemic thwarted the family’s plans.

It was during Ramadan last year that her daughter brought up a topic that gave Blouza a new idea. “She reminded me of the high amounts of dates people consume, especially during Ramadan, of the many different types and tastes.”

It was then that Blouza had the idea of launching her own date business in Germany and importing large amounts. Although she was raised on dates, the business itself was something new to her.

As Blouza is Moroccan, her home country and its neighbors Algeria and Tunisia were the first that came to mind as potential suppliers, but none of them met her criteria.

“Saudi Arabia has many different and often unique types of dates,” she said. “Ajwa, for example, is something that only grows in the city of Madinah.”

Blouza undertook research and found a supplier that suited her ideas best: Nakheel Alya, a company in Madinah.

Despite that, it “met my criteria,” said Blouza, who fulfilled her dream and launched her business, Nakheel Fruits, in August 2021.

Boxes of different products such as natural dates, date cookies, and dates covered in chocolate and filled with almonds or walnuts, fill the company’s warehouse in Eppstein, a town in the state of Hesse at the edge of the Taunus mountains.

“We mostly supply supermarkets and individual clients that order our products via our website,” said Blouza

While individual clients are from all over Germany, the supermarkets are mostly from Hesse, with demand rising during Ramadan.

She hopes that her business will grow and expand nationwide. “My dream is that we will develop further and that German customers will discover the quality and diversity of Saudi dates and date products.”

www.nalya.de

source/content: arabnews.com (edited)

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When Nora Blouza’s Dutch-Moroccan husband came to Germany due to his work in 2018, she followed him with their three children. (Supplied)

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GERMAN / NETHERLANDS / MOROCCAN

Humanitarian Awards Global Celebrates Morocco’s Lamia Bazir

Moroccan activist Lamia Bazir is once again awarded for her efforts in promoting youth and women’s empowerment in Morocco.

Humanitarian Awards Global has recognized Lamia Bazir’s efforts in promoting youth and women’s empowerment by selecting her for the list of  “Most Distinguished Change Makers: Women in Africa” for 2020-2021.

The list celebrates African women who excelled in sectors such as humanitarianism, entertainment, politics, business, science, and sports. 

The distinguished list includes renowned women in leadership positions such as the former Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Director of WHO Regional Office for Africa Matshidiso Moeti, and President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan. 

Bazir obtained her bachelor’s in International Relations from Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane before completing her dual master’s degree in International Development at Science Po Paris and Columbia University. 

In 2012, she founded a social venture aimed at empowering women in the Atlas Mountains by supporting women’s leadership as a catalyzer for the region’s sustainable development.

Two years later, Colombia’s School of International and Public Affairs applauded her efforts by awarding her the “Harvey Picker Prize for Public Service” prize. 

From 2014 to 2017, the Moroccan activist served as an officer at the head of the government’s office, where she worked on a poverty reduction cooperation program with American partners. 

In 2018, she was appointed as Executive Director of the National Observatory for the Rights of the Child to advance children’s rights in Morocco. 

A year later, the African youth awards selected her as one of the 100 most influential young leaders on the continent.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (edited)

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Humanitarian Awards Global Celebrates Morocco’s Lamia Bazir

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MOROCCO

Moroccan Taekwondo Athletes Win Silver and Bronze Medal in the Spanish Taekwondo Open, Alicante

Three Moroccan Taekwondo champions participated in the Spanish Open this year.

Moroccan athletes Ayoub Bassel and Nada Laaraj have won silver and bronze medals respectively at the Spanish Taekwondo Open.

Morocco’s National Olympic Committee celebrated the news in an Instagram post on April 3.

The Spanish Open championship was organized on April 2-3 in Alicante, Spain, bringing together Taekwondo champions from around the globe. 

Bassel, 26-years-old, won the silver medal in the over 87 kilograms weight class. But the Moroccan champion lost in the final against Spain’s Ivan Garcia after beating the 2018 world champion, Emre Kutalmis Atesli. 

In February, Bassel secured another silver in the Arab Cup Championship in Fujairah, UAE. The Moroccan athlete has participated in over 15 international tournaments. 

Nada Laaraj, 21-years-old, secured the bronze medal after losing against Spain’s Marta Calvo in the semi-final for the under  62 kilograms weight class. 

Laaraj has won three gold medals in international Taekwondo competitions including in the 2022 Arab Cup Championship, 2019 African Games, and the 2018 African Championship. 

In 2021, she secured a silver medal in the African Championship in Dakar, Senegal. 

20-year-old Rabab Ouhadi represented Morocco in the under 49 kilograms weight class. But she did not succeed in obtaining a medal as she ranked 8th in the women’s section after losing in the first round to Italy’s Martina Corelli. 

The athlete started competing internationally in 2018, participating in the Olympic Games qualification in Hammamet, Tunisia. 

In the same year, she clinched a bronze medal in the French Open in Paris before collecting other silver and bronze medals in regional and international Taekwondo championships. 

In February, she represented Morocco along with Bassel and Laaraj in the 2022 Arab championship in Fujairah where she secured a bronze medal. 

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (edited)

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MOROCCO

Morocco’s UM6P Awarded “Climate Hero” at UN Youth Conference

Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) has been recognized as a “Climate Hero” by the Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (YOUNGO).

The recognition was announced at the UN Youth Conference on Climate Change (COY16).

UM6P is one of two institutions in the world that have obtained the recognition of Climate Hero, the Sustainable Development Department of UM6P said in a statement, noting that it “dedicates this appointment to all Moroccans and foreign residents in Morocco.”

“UM6P Youth Statement” was the only statement letter representing the vision of young people in the Kingdom of Morocco during COY16 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

The declaration, which was elaborated by youth representatives from the UM6P and the local region of Rehamna, featured six themes: climate change, clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, ecomobility, social inclusion, and gender equality.

source/content : moroccoworldnews.com

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Morocco’s UM6P Awarded “Climate Hero” at UN Youth Conference

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MOROCCO

Morocco’s Hannou Oumarouch: Courageous Amazigh Militant and MWN’s Woman of the Year

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Morocco World News launched a symbolic award, celebrating in a series of articles the outstanding achievements of Moroccan women who have left their imprint on society.

Alongside 10 other strong female leaders, Hannou Oumarouch was placed in special recognition at the top of the list. 

Born in 1961, Hannou Oumarouch is a 64-year-old Moroccan woman who lives in Tilmi, 70 kilometers from Tinghir.

Hannou is known for her courage in addressing and defending women’s concerns in the “Ait Hadido” tribe. She has also been active in the Regional Consultative Commission for Equality and Women’s Issues in the region.

Elected to the Municipal Council for the first time under the banner of the National Rally of Independents, she won an electoral seat for the party in the rural commune of Talmi, which is affiliated with Mesmerir in Tinghir province. 

She was asked to join a Regional Council mission visiting China, where she represented Morocco and drew the attention of the Chinese media owing to her typical spontaneity and Amazigh attire.

She became a member of the Provincial Council of Tinghir, at the end of September 2021, and subsequently Hannou was elected as president of the commission in charge of social development and the family.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (edited)

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MOROCCO