🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Marrakech's tourist success reshapes the city's identity and lifestyle
via Le Matin2 min read
In his latest book, My Seddik Rabbaj explores the transformation of Marrakech, particularly focusing on the Sidi Youssef Ben Ali neighborhood where he grew up. He describes a childhood marked by freedom, contrasting it with the current generation's need for more to achieve happiness. Rabbaj observes that modernity has significantly altered Moroccan lifestyles, leading to a more Westernized way of living. While acknowledging progress, he laments the decline of traditional values like solidarity. He notes that mass tourism has contributed to these changes, but emphasizes that globalization, disseminated through media, is the primary driver, making Moroccans feel they live in the world rather than just Morocco. The author discusses the transformation of the medina, with original inhabitants moving to the outskirts as riads are converted into tourist accommodations and Airbnb rentals. He offers a nuanced perspective, suggesting that selling these riads at high prices allows heirs to live comfortably and that renovating one riad can help preserve several neighboring ones. Rabbaj acknowledges the displacement of long-term residents but views change as an inherent part of life. Addressing public discontent over real estate speculation and rising prices, Rabbaj believes the state has tools to regulate these dynamics, citing examples from Spanish cities that manage foreign investment. He stresses the importance of education in fostering acceptance of differences and preventing identit
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The exhibition "États de passage," curated by Achraf Remok and presented at the Villa des arts in Rabat as part of the Institut français du Maroc's cultural season, explores the experiences of a new generation of artists. These artists, who have studied in cities like London, Brussels, or Paris and work between locations such as Rabat, Marseille, Zurich, or Casablanca, maintain strong ties to their origins. The exhibition highlights their mobility, diverse influences, and how they integrate multiple cultural heritages without being confined to a single identity. Thirteen artists, including Amina Azreg, Hanane El Farissi, Hiba Baddou, Hind Moumou, Joséphine Vallé Franceschi, Kamil Bouzoubaâ-Grivel, Maïssane Alibrahimi, Margaux Derhy, Rida Tabit, Sabrine Lahrach, Samy Snoussi, Yasmine Hadni, and Zineb Mezzour, born between 1985 and 2000, are featured. Their works, spanning photography, experimental cinema, painting, digital arts, installation, embroidery, and sculpture, explore themes of memory, displacement, transmission, and belonging. Many artists trained at international institutions like the Royal College of Art in London or La Cambre in Brussels, while others developed their practices independently. Some live between Morocco and Europe, while others work in less central artistic locations. Margaux Derhy's work, for example, involves a collaborative embroidery workshop in Sidi R'bat, where women participate in the artistic choices, fostering economic autonomy and preservin
Must ReadThe Norwegian Football Federation NFF announced it has raised 4.5 million Norwegian kroner, equivalent to over 400,000 euros, for Médecins Sans Frontières MSF operations in Gaza. This sum was generated from the full proceeds of the 2026 World Cup qualification match between Norway and Israel, played on October 11, 2025, in Oslo, supplemented by additional contributions. The net profit from the match was 522,000 Norwegian kroner, or approximately 47,000 euros. The NFF then added one million kroner from its own funds, bringing its direct donation to 1.5 million kroner, about 135,000 euros. A major Norwegian economic actor, whose identity was not disclosed, contributed an additional three million kroner, increasing the total amount mobilized to 4.5 million kroner. NFF President Lise Klaveness stated that the federation aimed to convert potential match profits into humanitarian support for the civilian population in Gaza, choosing MSF for its daily on-the-ground medical and emergency aid. Lindis Hurum, Secretary General of Médecins Sans Frontières in Norway, welcomed the contribution, noting its importance given the significant medical and humanitarian needs after more than two years of conflict, and confirmed it would support the organization's operations for affected populations.
Morocco has recovered nine fossils, approximately 72 million years old, returned by French authorities as part of bilateral cooperation on cultural and natural heritage protection. The fossils were seized in February 2025 by French customs services in Menton, southern France, during an attempted illicit trafficking operation. They were intercepted in an express freight truck traveling between Spain and Italy. The recovered lot includes nine Late Cretaceous fossils, dating back 66 to 72 million years, comprising dinosaur teeth, teeth of extinct marine reptiles, and specimens from species related to crocodile ancestors. All these fossils originate from the Moroccan geological basin. The Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication stated that this restitution resulted from close coordination between Moroccan and French authorities, aligning with both countries' efforts to combat illicit trafficking of cultural property and preserve Morocco's natural and geological heritage. This operation highlights the increasing importance of protecting Moroccan fossils, which are frequently sought after in international markets due to their scientific and heritage value. Authorities emphasize that these remains are national heritage, and their preservation is crucial for research and future generations. This restitution reaffirms Morocco and France's commitment to international cooperation in heritage protection.