Think Forward.

Morocco's immeasurable archaeological wealth and the rewriting of history... 9964

Aziz Daouda, 9 mon.

- Politics - History - Science -

3.3 min read.

Morocco has just decided to equip itself with a new archaeological museum, and it's thinking big. It will be the largest of its kind in Africa, covering an area of 25,000m2. It's both enormous and flattering. Some people will talk of excess, or simply fail to see the point. To this we must quickly retort: think again. If Morocco has always been considered to be of great archaeological interest, this interest has never been greater, except since the latest finds: the oldest homo sapiens fossil at Jbel Ighoud, not far from Safi; the oldest surgical procedures and treatments at Tafoghalt, near Berkane; the Bronze Age remains recently discovered near Wad Laou, on the prehistoric site known as KachKouch, not far from Tétouan; and the necropolis south of Tagounite near Zagora; those of the ornaments dated between 142 and 150 thousand years ago, uncovered in the Bizmoune cave near Essaouira; those of the 12-hectare farm near Oued Beht, a size never before known in North Africa, dating from the end of the Neolithic period, bearing witness to great wealth and highly evolved know-how. The list is extremely long. The clumsy notion that archaeological research and excavations are a luxury or the preserve of a few experts for their own pleasure is absolutely wrong. The importance of archaeological research to the writing of history is not debatable. It is fundamental. The remains and traces of the past help to complete, correct or confirm historical accounts. Fossils, structures and artefacts discovered on archaeological sites are all tangible evidence, providing an objective and nuanced view of vanished civilisations, particularly when they have left no written trace. Archaeology provides information about ways of life, culture, beliefs and human interaction, as well as the techniques used and the degree of evolution of vanished civilisations. It is essential for preserving and appropriating the national heritage, and hence that of humanity. It provides a milestone in human evolution and helps to explain what we are today. As the transmission of knowledge is crucial, archaeological research provides us and future generations with indisputable evidence of pride and identity. It is therefore essential for writing and rewriting history, which it cleans of the biases that some historians may have inserted here and there through ignorance or lack of evidence, and those that ideologists, for more or less laudable reasons, may have deliberately introduced as misleading orientations or aspects. The findings in Morocco call into question what successive generations have learned about their history and origins. Although it has been proven that the role of local populations in exchanges and in the construction of Mediterranean civilisation was extremely important, unfortunately we continue to peddle a biased history that ignores these contributions and archaeological evidence, which have now been proven beyond doubt. Since 1985, Morocco has had a National Institute of Archaeological and Heritage Sciences (INSAP). And it's not for nothing or by chance that archaeological research here is closely linked to heritage. Heritage means tangible evidence in the case of tangible heritage, and transmissible evidence in the case of intangible heritage. As it happens, Morocco is immensely rich in both. The researchers at INSAP are not going to contradict what has been said here, nor Ibn Khaldun, whom we venerate without respecting his doctrine. Today, it is essential to revisit the narrative that links the origins of Moroccan populations to any migration from elsewhere, and even less so from the east of the country; just as it is time to emphasise the evolution of these populations and their undeniable contributions to Mediterranean civilisation and therefore to the world. The people of this region have not been subjected to the civilisations of the region, they have made a great and important contribution, and this must be taught in our schools. Ignoring this truth creates deficiencies, particularly in the perception of identity. Nations need a historical frame of reference if they are to flourish. Some build it up out of nothing, whereas in Morocco it is there and self-evident. These truths could not be clearer. They must form the basis of our identity. The problems from which a certain fringe of the population suffers, particularly young people in search of an identity, and who unfortunately today are caught up in imported ideologies that can embrace dangerous extremism, can only be solved by rewriting history objectively, based on facts and historical evidence, from the most distant to the closest. Young people, particularly during adolescence and early adulthood, ask themselves profound questions about who they are, what they want to become and what place they occupy in the world. These questions are influenced by many factors, including of course family, culture, friends, personal experience and social environment, but they are also inevitably influenced by the history of the country in question. The further back in time this history goes, the more it is a source of pride and serenity. In this constantly changing world, where social networks and pressures of all kinds play a significant role, this quest for identity can be complex and sometimes a source of anxiety. Dismay can lead people to seek comfort elsewhere. Some may go so far as to think they are stepping back into an imaginary time and constructing a fictional world for themselves, watered down by ideologues serving obviously implausible causes. The investment in such a major archaeological museum has therefore come at just the right time to fill an extremely serious cultural gap, bringing together in a welcoming venue of respectable size a wealth of evidence of Morocco's rich history. Historians, for their part, should take up the question of identity in order to make up for the shortcomings and eliminate the biases. However, it is imperative that institutions take up the issue vigorously. First and foremost, the Ministry of Education must take the measure of the importance of revising the curricula and content of the history courses taught in our schools, without forgetting to train a significant number of specialists to improve research in such a cardinal field.

Aziz Daouda

Directeur Technique et du Développement de la Confédération Africaine d'Athlétisme. Passionné du Maroc, passionné d'Afrique. Concerné par ce qui se passe, formulant mon point de vue quand j'en ai un. Humaniste, j'essaye de l'être, humain je veux l'être. Mon histoire est intimement liée à l'athlétisme marocain et mondial. J'ai eu le privilège de participer à la gloire de mon pays .

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The Radiance of a Lady 60

Boucharfou, 3 h.

- Lifestyle - Poetry - Romance -

0.4 min read.

Your love illuminates my heart, And you have forbidden me to reveal this honor. How can the light of your brilliance be dimmed When it radiates from everywhere? It shines like a sapphire, a diamond, or a jewel, And dazzles everyone with your blonde beauty. You do not believe in my love, In turn, While I can love no one else but you; This is my destiny, this is my faith. You are my heart and my soul, You are my destiny, you are my law. I cannot bear it when you are far away, beautiful woman, You who soothe my heart in flames. In you, I find all my vows, You who make my days happy. Dr. Fouad Bouchareb Inspired by an Andalusian music piece, "Bassit Ibahane" December 13, 2025 https://youtu.be/wlvhOVGyLek?si=5tt6cm0oChF1NQJJ

Mustapha Hadji, African Ballon d’Or: From the Silence of the Pastures to the Voice of the Stadiums... 93

Aziz Daouda, 5 h.

- Politics - Society - Sports -

3.4 min read.

Mustapha Hadji's record of achievements fits into a few lines, but each one carries immense weight in the history of African football, Moroccan youth, and especially for Mustapha himself. African Ballon d’Or in 1998, key architect of Morocco's epic run at the World Cup in France, respected international, elegant playmaker, discreet ambassador for football and the youth of Morocco's pre-desert interior. Titles, distinctions, numbers. And yet, reducing Hadji to his record would miss the essence: a rare human journey, almost cinematic, that begins far from the spotlight. For before the European pitches, before the anthems and trophies, there was a douar near Guelmim. A harsh, rugged region where childhood unfolds to the rhythm of the sun and the herds. The wind is dry and fierce. The horizon stretches endlessly. Children there gaze at the Atlas and the majesty of its summits at every moment. The soil is hard and rocky. Like many children his age, Mustapha became a shepherd as soon as he could walk, as soon as he could be independent. He quickly became the guardian of what his family and douar held most precious: goats and sheep. He learned patience, solitude, and observation early on. Qualities that would later make him a unique player, able to read the game before others, sense the ball, and adjust his movement. The turning point came with family reunification. Destination: France. The shock was immense. Change of language, climate, social codes. At school, Mustapha struggled to fit in. He didn't understand everything, spoke little, often withdrawing into himself. But where words failed, the ball became his language. It was on neighborhood fields that his talent began to shine. Instinctive, fluid football, almost poetic. No calculations, just the joy of playing, of finally expressing himself, of showing what he was capable of. Around him, kind eyes lingered. Coaches, educators, humanistic figures who saw beyond academic or linguistic struggles. And above all, there was a father who rose early to work and a mother who watched over them. A constant, demanding, protective presence. She guided, encouraged, reminded them of the importance of work and discipline. It was in her genes. She knew where she came from. Nothing was left to chance. From there, the ascent became unstoppable. Club by club, Mustapha Hadji refined his game. He wasn't the strongest or the fastest, but he understood football. The ball adopted and loved him. He played between the lines, made others play, elevated the collective. His style stood out in an era dominated by physicality. He imposed a different grammar: that of intelligence and creativity. 1998 marked the pinnacle. The World Cup in France revealed Hadji to the wider public. Morocco captivated, impressed, came close to a feat. Hadji was its technical soul. Months later, the African Ballon d’Or crowned this singular trajectory. Continental recognition, but also a powerful symbol: a child of Guelmim becoming a reference in African football. Without ever denying his roots, he elevated them in his story. He always evokes them with nostalgia and gratitude. After the heights, Mustapha Hadji didn't turn into a flashy icon. He remained true to a certain sobriety. That of the Moor descending from the man of Jbel Ighoud. Like his 40 million compatriots, he embodies 350,000 years of history, no scandals, few bombastic statements. Rare elegance, on and off the pitch. Later, he would pass on knowledge, support, advise, always with the same discretion. Mustapha Hadji's story deserves more than a one-off tribute. It calls for a series, a long-form narrative. Because it speaks of exile and integration, transmission and merit, raw talent shaped by effort and human guidance. Above all, it reminds us that behind every trophy hides a child, often silent, who learned to turn fragility into strength. In a modern football world sometimes afflicted by amnesia, Mustapha Hadji's path remains a lesson. A lesson in play, but above all a lesson in life. During the 4th African Days of Investment and Employment, dedicated to football as a vector for socio-economic inclusion, held at the Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences - Souissi, in Rabat, Mustapha was invited to the stage by Dounia Siraj, the icon of sports journalism, another example of success from innovative, committed, confident youth. She masterfully directed a ceremony where she had to, among other things, give the floor to Fouzi Lakjaa and Midaoui. She did so without flinching, with a steady voice and dignified posture. Mustapha spoke and shared his story. The words were powerful, precise, and true. The posture was dignified. The audience was moved. The many young students listened in awe. They were living a unique moment. Rare inspiration. Mustapha, smiling, recounted. The words flowed in a breathtaking narrative. That's when I spoke up to challenge Moroccan cinema. Doesn't this unique story, like so many others, deserve to be told in a film, in a series? Mustapha's words and expressions are so powerful that, translated into images, they could show all emerging youth the values of work, seriousness, self-confidence, and commitment. The Marrakech Festival had just closed the day before. As Mustapha spoke, I dreamed of seeing a film about Mustapha Hadji win the Golden Star... at a future edition. Moroccan cinema should play that role too. That of perpetuating the Kingdom's youth successes. Cinema must tell us, and especially the youth, these great stories of achievement in countless fields—and God knows there are many. Don't the stories of Nezha Bidouane, Hicham El Guerrouj, Said Aouita, Salah Hissou, Moulay Brahim Boutayeb, Abdelmajid Dolmy, Si Mohamed Timoumi or Achik, Nawal El Moutawakel deserve to be told in books, in films? Those of Jilali Gharbaoui, Mohamed Choukri, Abdelouhab Doukkali, Abdelhadi Belkhayat, Tayeb Seddiki, Tayeb Laalj, Fatna Bent Lhoucine, Fadoul, Miloud Chaabi, Haj Omar Tissir (Nesblssa), and many more—don't they deserve to be brought to the screen? Thank you, Si Mustapha, for being a great player, a national pride, and above all for continuing to do what you do with brilliance: motivating and inspiring our youth, sharpening our national pride through this renewed education, the pillar of a sovereign Morocco that lifts its youth toward a prosperous and enlightened future.

Law 30-09 on Physical Education and Sports in Morocco: An Obsolete Brake on Sport Development... 125

Aziz Daouda, 7 h.

- Politics - Society - Sports -

2.8 min read.

Promulgated in 2010, Law 30-09 aimed to modernize Moroccan sports governance, regulate the associative movement, and pave the way for professionalization. Fourteen years later, its record is mixed: while it established a formal structure, it has always been said that it fails to meet the demands of modern sports and lacks incentives and encouragement. Today, it is accused of being a **structural brake** on Moroccan sports due to its rigid, ill-adapted, and partially unconstitutional framework. Worse still, launched well before the royal letter to the sports assemblies of 2008, the project underwent no adjustments to align with royal directives. The authors likely believed it sufficiently addressed the letter's content and saw no need to withdraw it. The questioning, already sharp since its promulgation, has intensified in light of the 2011 Constitution, which elevates physical activity to a citizen's right and requires the State to promote high-level sports while fostering associative participation. The approach of the 2030 World Cup, moreover, demands urgent legislative adaptation. During the 4th edition of the African Days of Investment and Employment, dedicated to football as a vector for socio-economic inclusion and organized by the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences-Souissi in Rabat, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, stated bluntly that Law 30-09 had run its course and that a new version was needed to support the country's sporting development. The main issues first stem from a **discordance with the 2011 Constitution**. Designed before this fundamental revision, Law 30-09 does not explicitly guarantee the right to sports as a citizen's right. It limits associative freedom through a discretionary approval regime, contradicting the constitutional principle of freedom of association enshrined in the 1958 Public Freedoms Code, which remains in force. Similarly, it assigns the State a vague role in regulation and funding, undermining federations' autonomy and exposing them to administrative paralysis. It is also clear that there is **ambiguity in the status of professional athletes**. Despite constitutional recognition of the right to work and social protection, the law defines neither a clear sports contract nor specific protections. This legal vacuum fuels recurrent conflicts between clubs, players, and federations. A **disconnect with modern sports** is also evident. Tied to a bureaucratic and centralized vision, the law ignores international standards and performance- or objective-based governance mechanisms. Professionalization remains incomplete: clubs lack stable legal structures, economic models are precarious, and private investors are discouraged. The role of local authorities remains unclear, despite advanced regionalization, making sports investments dependent on local wills rather than a coherent national framework. The law's rigidity hampers rapid contracting, flexibility for infrastructure, and federations' independence. It generates administrative delays for public-private partnerships, the absence of status for sports companies, and difficulties integrating international norms, thus blocking attractiveness for private capital. One can thus suspect its **incompatibility with FIFA requirements and the 2030 World Cup**. Criticism extends to the education sector with a certain **inadequacy with educational reform**. While Morocco invests in school and university sports, the law omits any systemic integration between schools, universities, clubs, and federations, as well as pathways between mass and elite sports. The law unduly mixes amateur and professional sports, without distinguishing associative management from clubs' commercial activities. Another weakness lies in the definition of concepts and thus the clear assignment of resulting responsibilities. It subjects the associative fabric, the pillar of the sports movement, to excessive oversight, creating legal insecurity and constant workarounds. Finally, it conceives sports as an educational or cultural activity, ignoring its economic potential: sports jobs, sponsorship, broadcasting rights, specific taxation, and job creation. Conceived in a pre-constitutional context, Law 30-09 is today **obsolete, rigid, and partially unconstitutional**. It hinders governance, professionalization, and the sports economy at a time when Morocco is projecting itself toward major global events. The situation thus leads to the need for a new law: modern, aligned with the Constitution, the intent of the 2008 royal letter, the demands of modern sports in line with international bodies, and responsive to the imperatives for the 2030 World Cup, while inventing a new mode of management and administration detached from political timelines. A mission-oriented administration is widely desired. The new law must align with the constitutional framework by clearly defining concepts, enshrining sports as a citizen's right, protecting associative freedom, and clarifying the State's role (framing, funding, audits, performance contracts). It should distinguish between amateur and professional sports, between clubs and associations, and establish full professionalization: professional athlete status, mandatory sports companies for clubs, regulation of private investments. It must enable sports integration into the national economy via a dedicated tax framework, specific investment code, sectoral recognition, and modernization of sponsorship and TV rights. It must harmonize with FIFA 2030 requirements through greater flexibility, regulate infrastructure, and secure major projects. The new law should define the State's responsibilities in training frameworks and required levels, making academic training the foundation of a national system capable of meeting practice demands and society's true needs. It must also specify the role and responsibilities of regions and local authorities in mass sports, proximity infrastructure creation, and supervision—a sort of municipalization of mass physical activities. This long-awaited new law is **urgent, strategic, and essential** to align Moroccan sports with international standards and national ambitions.

The Radiance of a Lady 164

Boucharfou, 11 h.

- Lifestyle - Poetry - Romance -

0.4 min read.