Friday March 19, 2010: THE COMING OF AGE OF THE IMAZIGHEN QUESTION
![wmc 20 image[1].jpg](http://www.wmc20.org/images/wmc 20 image[1].jpg "wmc 20 image[1].jpg")
The Coming of Age of the Imazighen Question
Friday, March 19, 2010
Time 9:30-4:00PM For many years, the Moroccan Amazigh community struggled for official recognition. Recently, a series of events, including an intense grassroots campaign by activists and several historic government decisions, have resulted in the “coming of age” of the Imazighen question. These developments, such as the establishment of the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (“IRCAM”), sweeping educational reforms, and the issuance of the Amazigh Manifesto, have had significant linguistic, artistic, and socio-political implications. In this event, Washington Moroccan Club and the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture have partnered to present a series of panels exploring these different aspects. Experts in Amazigh language and culture will shed light on the Imazighen question as it matures in this second decade of the 21st century.
George Washington University Elliot School of International Studies,
Room: RLinden Family commons, 6 floors1957 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052 -
near metro station: Foggy Bottom
Moderator and Event Chair: Dr. Abdelaziz Abbassi, Linguist, Author, and Consultant
Welcoming Remarks by Driss Benmhend, Event Co-Chair
Keynote Address by Dr. Ahmed Boukouss, President of IRCAM: The Amazigh Issue in Morocco
PANEL 1: SOCIOLINGUISTICS (10:00-12:00)
Fatima Agnaou, Pedagogical Researcher, IRCAM
Teaching Amazigh in Morocco: A Continuous Challenge
Prof. Khalid Ansar, Researcher, IRCAM
The Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture and the Standardization of Amazigh and Its Writing System
Dr. Fatima Sadiqi, Board Member of IRCAM
Native Culture in the Global Context: The Role of Women
Dr. Ahmed Chaabihi, Research Director of IRCAM
The Transition from Oral to Written Amazigh Literature and Translation
PANEL 2: AMAZIGH ARTS (1:30-4:00)
Hamid Kachmar, Event Co-Chair, Artist and Lecturer, Howard University
Toward a Reading of Amazigh Art: An Amazigh Art and Book Show
Mustapha Jlok, Anthropologist/Cultural Heritage Researcher, IRCAM
Amazigh Cultural Heritage
Prof. Belaid El Akkaf, Amazigh Musicologist, IRCAM
Aspects of Amazigh Music
For more information, please contact Dr. Aziz Abbassi abbassiaziz@hotmail.com, Driss Benmhend dbenmhend@yahoo.com, or Hamid Kachmar hamidkachmar@yahoo.com
Please RSVP to dbenmhend@yahoo.com
To all the brothers, sisters and friends of the Imazighen, I would like to congratulate you with this website and raising the Amazigh question.
I am an Amazigh myself and I am so happy of the Royal decree acknoledging the The Imazighen in Morocco.
I like to think that Alhamdulillah, I am Muslim, Amazigh and Moroccan. I do believe that Morocco is 1 from Tangier to Gouira and not to be devided.
I say to those who are envious of this Beautiful and blessed land, 'If you can not say anything nice, shut up' and if you can not help this land, we do not want you, with Allah's help we can help ourselves'.
Coming back to the Amazigh question, I would appreciate if I am updated on all the events that take place as there is so much I can learn from you.
Also, if you have any leterature to learn the language, I would be very much interested in receiving it.
I am based in the UK and would be more than glad to be an associate member.
God Bless you all, Ameen!
ABAB