Tangier, August 19, 2024
On the final day of the first phase of the Jerusalem Children’s Camp in Tangier, participants of the “Yaqub Al-Mansur Al-Muwahhidi” session enjoyed memorable moments at “Mnar Park,” a popular amusement park. They explored various play and entertainment areas, including a ride on the flying trains, which offered them a breathtaking view of Tangier from above. The experience was truly enchanting, filling everyone’s hearts with joy and delight.
This is precisely “the goal of this beautiful experience, sponsored each year by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, for the benefit of the children of Jerusalem,” said Murad Al-Ashhab, the camp coordinator. He added, “These children do not always have the opportunity to enjoy themselves on such a grand scale, as is evident from the joy on their faces.”
In the elevated city of Tangier, the children of Jerusalem spent eight days filling the surroundings with their melodious voices as they sang the national anthem of the Kingdom of Morocco alongside the Palestinian national anthem. They danced to the tune of “Ana Dami Falastini” and sang “Nidaa Al Hassan” with their Moroccan peers in the Diplomatic Forest.
The children enjoyed their trip to the OstrichTower and the various spaces of Tangier’s old city, just as the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta delighted in his journeys across the world, which he immortalized in written works passed down through generations of readers and scholars. Meanwhile, the city of Tetouan evoked for its Jerusalemite visitors the image of their own city’s bustling streets and markets, such as Bab Al-Amoud, Bab Al-Khalil, Bab Al-Asbat, and others.
Upon their arrival in the city of Chefchaouen, the Platestinian Children were welcomed by its vibrant colors and charm, as if they were stepping into paintings crafted by an artist eager to share with the young visitors the tales of “Sayyida Al-Hurra,” who took refuge in the mountains and built the city’s legacy on the values of freedom and devotion to faith and homeland.
Murad Al-Ashhab says: “I visited these same places last year during the 14th camp session, and each time, I experience the same feelings of awe for this country, its history, and its glories. Most notably, there is this overwhelming sense, shared by both young and old, of freedom and the profound meanings of honor, valor, and the generosity of the Moroccan people.”
With similar sentiments, participating children Nada Al-Salaymeh, Youssef Sidawi, and Sabah Rafif expressed heartfelt appreciation for the overwhelming warmth and affection they received from Moroccans at every place they visited. Amira Al-Khatib, a camp instructor, added: “We extend our deep gratitude to Morocco and to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, for this generous gesture that will remain forever engraved in the minds and hearts of the children of Jerusalem, never to be forgotten.”
It is noteworthy that the second phase of the 15th session of the summer camp for the children of Jerusalem will run until August 25 in Rabat. The program features a range of activities, including visits to various official institutions, and will conclude with a closing ceremony at the historic Chellah site in celebration of Youth Day. The event will also include the participation of Moroccan children benefiting from the national camping program in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region
