More than 700 guests attended the 11th annual Kahlil Gibran “Spirit of Humanity” Awards gala on April 23rd. it was hosted by the Arab American Institute Foundation (AAIF). The event was sponsored in part by the Moroccan American Center. The black tie affair began with opening remarks from Assistant to the President Valerie Jarrett who transmitted greetings from president Obama and a promise to treat this community and all communities on an equal footing.
It is afternoon and I am at the Mclean Community Center in VA to attend an event. As soon as I set a foot in the room, I am already exchanging hugs with faces I had not seen for months if not years, and hellos with individuals I meet for the first time. In the middle of the room, there are tables lined up with about 32 kids, age ranging from 2 to 14 years old, who are drawing with crayons. Some of them are demanding that their parents check on their work for approval while others are adamant that their parents do not even peek at their crafts. MBTV was busy interviewing kids and capturing these moments. On the far left corner of the room, there is a table with juices, water, and various types of cookies.
Hamid Kachmar, a Moroccan born painter is now featured in an exhibition entitled "Intricacies" at the Parish gallery in Washington, DC.
Mr. Kachmar is a multifaceted, internationally trained artist of indigenous Moroccan Amazigh ancestry.His materials and techniques evoke metaphors, moods, and expressions from where he grew up and what he experienced during his studies and travels.
Part of the Arabesque Festival at the Kennedy Center, B'net Houariyat, who are five women from the region of Marrakech in Morocco, who sing and dance, performing traditional music of Houara, of the Hammada, together with Berber dances and styles like the Aita and the Chaabi, performed recently at The millennium Stage to a raving audience.
Washington Athletic Club (WAC) won Washington International Soccer League's (WISL) Terrill cup for the second time with a decisive 4 - 0 win. WAC's supporters who managed to attend were indeed entertainment. The game overall was exciting and fun. First-half was even with very few chances created by both teams. The first half ended in a 0-0 draw. The second-half, however,was a complete different story...
After three years of preparation and a ten million dollars budge, the Kennedy center for the performing Arts, kick-started its Arabesque Festival; Arts of the Arab World. The opening was a grandiose and a colorful affair. Many members of the Moroccan American Community were present at the opening Gala....
MENA Music, which is an effort to enhance mutual understanding between the USA and the North Africa and Middle East through music has produced the Andalusian Music Festival 2009 at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City , Jordan Hall in Boston, Music Center at Strathmore in Washington, DC and Rialto Center for the Arts in Atlanta. The Featured artists, this year , include Orchestra of Tangier (led by the legendary master Ahmed Zaitouni), Ahmed Merbouh (the most promising emerging vocalist of Morocco) and Lotfi Bouchnak (the leading Andalusian musician of Tunisia).
A fundraising at Morocco's ambassador's residence for Mr. salman Belayachi who is preparing for a walk of a thousand miles, starting from Laayoun and ending his walk in Tangier. Mr. Belayachi said that the purpose of the walk is to engage directly with the citizens along his path and stressing the values of citizenship, active participation in public life, discarding negative feelings, regaining hope and taking responsibility for one's faith.
He said that even the smallest productive actions start a domino effect for Human development. The fundraiser was heavily attended and donations were above what was expected by Mr Belayachi and his " Le citoyen Marocain" team that converged on the nation's capital from New York, Texas, Florida, Maryland and other states. Members of several associations such as the Moroccan American Coalition (MAC), Washington Moroccan Club (WMC), SOS Morocco, the Moroccan Society of Houston(MSH), Friends of Morocco worked hard to make the event successful. View High Resolution Version
Ten Moroccan girls and their two female coaches participated in a Sports Visitors program for the office of SportUnited, a program organized by US Dept of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The group spent twelve days in the U.S. improving their soccer skills, learning to be leaders, and meeting with their American contemporaries. View Standard Resolution Video
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In a music and poetry function at the opening of Global Media Center in Virginia , Andalusian music virtuoso A. El Youssoufi gave a performance that enchanted the audience made it the highlight of the evening, among the number of poems read by various poets, the most notable was Mr. Mohamed Said El Ouafi 's poem titled - Leaders of "the Tarazani" Kind !- which enticed a strong reaction from the audience. " music, literature and poetry are important to safeguard our culture. This was a special evening and we wish the new Center much success "said Mr. Sobhi Ghandour, Al-HiwarCenter director and co-host of the evening.
Part of wave of celebration for Pres. Barack Obama's inauguration, the Arab American Institute (AAI) organized a dinner/ show/ ball that was partly sponsored by the Moroccan American Center and drew a capacity crowd from around the country. Various celebrities attended, including a brief appearance by Queen Noor of Jordan who told the audience that Obama's inauguration brought "a new hope and possibility
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MoroccoBoard TV 's Town Hall Meeting between community members and the Moroccan American Coalition (MAC). The Town Hall meeting introduced the coalition to a larger audience, opened dialogue and doors of communication between MAC and the community.
In the city of Denver and at the same time as the Democratic convention, the Moroccan American Coalition, after a tense session, full with arguments, debates and suspense, where results were announced and voided to conduct another election and a recount, was officially born. It was tense, exciting and at the end, it resulted in an elected board that will take the rein of the Moroccan American Community's upcoming challenges.
MoroccoBoard TV will be taping another Community Town Hall Program at the White House Studios in Washington, DC on Saturday, 11th of October, at 2PM. The program will have a panel of experts, including representatives from MAC, and a community audience. The program is Live to tape.
Virginia Moroccans gathered at the Westin Hotel ballroom for a night of fun and dance with Moroccan Pop singer Senhaji. However, when the singer came into the ballroom, he appeared to be in a state of intoxication.
Human Rights and the Council of Moroccans living Abroad with Ahmed Herzenni , President of the Human Rights Advisory Council
A routine meeting with the Moroccan Community turned into a tense shouting match with a group of individuals that almost derailed the meeting.One fellow charged the stage to within inches of the officials, another one accused Mr. Herzenni of being a sellout and stormed out of the room, another questioned the position on the stage of the official portrait.
Children with a personal connection to Morocco (children with Moroccan parents or grandparents, children who have visited or lived in Morocco ...etc) were invited to submit artwork on the theme “My Morocco”. The Kids, ages 4 and 12, drew upon their personal experiences living in and visiting Morocco, or family stories or traditions that illustrated what Morocco means to them.
After four years covering Washington and the US for The Moroccan Press Agency MAP. Mr. Kaddour Fattoumi, Sabah Lebbar and Sophia Lhamzaoui are returning home. They have lived within and covered the life of the Moroccan American Community while posted here. In this small event, they are bidden Farewell and thanked for a job well done.
More than 700 guests attended the 11th annual Kahlil Gibran “Spirit of Humanity” Awards gala on April 23rd. it was hosted by the Arab American Institute Foundation (AAIF). The event was sponsored in part by the Moroccan American Center.
He said that even the smallest productive actions start a domino effect for Human development. 
