Ramallah –September 13, 2023
Participants in a cultural event held by Bayt Mal Al Quds Asharif Agency today in Ramallah, in parallel to the Palestinian international book fair,seized this gathering to express feelings of solidarity and sympathy with the victims of the quake that hit some Moroccan regions, leaving casualties and material damages.
During a conference to present the Agency publications on the theme “Moroccans of Bayt Al Maqdiss: the importance of investigation and documentation in protecting the shared memory”, Palestinian officials from the sector of culture, historians, researchers and writers extended their sincere condolences to His Majesty King Mohammed VI and to the Moroccan people during this ordeal.
The participants in the conference, held in the presence of Morocco’s ambassador in Palestine Abderrahim Mouziane and the acting director of the Agency, Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui, expressed deep faith in Morocco’s capacity to overcome this crisis thanks to solidarity and cohesion between all categories of the Moroccan people.
After the participants read the Fatiha for the rest of the soul of the quake victims, the acting director underscored that culture and arts will remain development engines in all countries, noting that governments earmark resources to the sector and regulate it by adopting laws to make it possible for culture to play its role in shaping the national identity and protecting its civilizational heritage.
He also congratulated the knights of word and the Palestinian martyrs from academics, poets, writers and artists who sacrificed their life so that the Palestinian Kuffiah with its typical stripes and colors remains a symbol of the pride and renaissance of the people.
On his part, the Moroccan ambassador in Ramallah Abderrahim Mouziane congratulated the Palestinian culture ministry for the fair good organization and quality, stressing that “culture is one of the most outstanding soft weapons in defending the Palestinian cause, as books, drama, songs and the Palestinian anthem are symbols of the Palestinian personality.
He also praised the Agency for having its own pavilion in this fair to exhibit its books written with the contribution of Palestinian researchers, professors and authors on the relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and Palestine, noting that these publications have a great scientific value.
Bayt Mal Al Quds Agency’s participation in the fair was also hailed by the poet Abdessalam Al Attari, the representative of the Palestinian culture ministry, underlining the old bonds and ties in the field of knowledge between the Moroccan and Palestinian people, dating back to the Moroccans’ presence in Bayt Al Maqdiss.
Palestinian historiographer Hussam Abu Nasr underscored the Palestinian culture ministry’s keenness to consolidate the Arab culture legacy, including the Moroccan-Palestinian relations, by holding conferences.
For Jamal Al Maghribi, who is in charge of the Moroccan waqf in Al Quds, holding the book fair is crucial to encourage reading, especially among young people and children.
During this event, several of the Agency’s publications were presented, including “Moroccans in Bayt Al Maqdiss” by historian Dr. Nazmi Al Juaba, “Moroccans and the blessed Buraq wall: truths and lies” by Dr. Nasser DaoudArrifai and “passport to Al Quds”, by Dr. Nadir Salha.
During the event, abstracts from the poem collection “Alf Rissala waRissala li Mawlati” by Al Quds poem Mouataz Qotb, were read out. The collection is a 2023 publication of Bayt Mal Al Quds Asharif.
A host of researchers, authors and poets in addition to photographers and journalists were honored for their contribution in documenting the Moroccan-Palestinian shared memory.
The event was held at the Salma Al Jioussi hall on the fringes of the Palestine international book fair in the presence of Bishop Souhail Diwani and researchers, authors, poets and students in addition to outstanding Palestinian figures.
