MOROCCO - POLITICAL STUDY TOUR

MOROCCO - POLITICAL STUDY TOUR TOUR ÜBERSICHT START: Casablanca ENDE: Rabat DAUER: 14 days / 13 nights TRANSPORT: Private Bus / Public Transport UNTERKUNFT: Middle Class Hotels (3-4 stars), one night in an activists' camp ZUSCHLAG FÜR EINZELZIMMER: 400 SPRACHE: English / some meetings in Arabic or French with translation NORMALPREIS 1.989 ERMÄSSIGT 1.489 Leistungen Inclusive: 13 nights in middle-class Hotels (3-4 stars) or Guest Houses Half-board English-speaking tour guide team All transportation during the tour, incl. airport transfer Water and Snacks Exclusive: Flights (Alsharq TRAVEL can assist with flight bookings) Travel Insurance (Alsharq TRAVEL can assist with travel insurances) Tipps and personal spendings

Morocco is often described as a country of colourful markets, old cities with winding alleys and a breath-taking nature between coast, mountains and desert. Behind these stereotypical postcard motives, there is a vibrant society demanding for democratic freedoms, social and environmental justice as well as economic development. Besides shedding light on the historical and contemporary political context of these developments, our tour will focus on the challenges of the people on the ground and their strategies of coping with a diversity of issues. Short Flashback: Moroccan civil protest and activism in recent years Propelled by the regional uprisings in 2011, often referred to as Arab Spring, Morocco experienced a wave of demonstrations and protest in 2011 and 2012. The Moroccan government under King Mohammed VI. reacted by pushing forward a national referendum on political reforms, supposedly curbing the power of the king and granting minority rights to the Amazigh people. Nevertheless, for many Moroccans these concessions did not suffice and protests for further democratic reforms continued, though on a smaller scale. At the same time, Morocco has also witnessed an increasing number of protests for the right to natural and agricultural resources. In the north, south and centre of the country, people gathered and took to the streets to protest against land and water dispossession as well as environmental degradation as real existential threats. Another starting point for large-scale uprisings has been the Rif in northern Morocco, a mountainous region mostly inhabited by people of Amazigh origin. Protests started in October 2016, after the horrific killing of the fish vendor Mohcine Fikri, crushed in a garbage truck while trying to retrieve his confiscated merchandise. Women, children and elderly subsequently took to the streets to protests against the harsh political, economic and social marginalization of their region. Protests in Imider, in South-Eastern Morocco, have been going on for seven years already. The place is known for a big silver mine, exploited by the Moroccan company SMI, of which the royal family is the main shareholder. Local communities have been claiming that the silver mine has drained their water reserves and devastated their agricultural output. Regardless of context and validity of all these different popular demands, Moroccan authorities have repeatedly answered with authoritarian and oppressive measures. Political and human rights activists have been arrested and, in part, convicted to harsh prison sentences which has again caused continuous popular uproar. Tour Map Image:

Content Text Fortsetzung nach Highlight: Meetings and discussions with local activists and communities Through meetings with local actors, civil society members and representatives of international organisations, we will learn about the challenges of local populations for political, environmental, social and economic justice from a close-up perspective. Some of the questions accompanying us throughout the tour will be: How do local communities cope with environmental degradation and scarcity of natural resources? How do Moroccan civil society, local and international NGOs advocate for environmental and social justice? What role do Moroccan women play in the fight for environmental justice? Of course, all meetings, discussions and inputs will be explained in a broader context of historical and current developments in Morocco as well as the political, socio-economic and cultural realities on the ground. Cultural and Nature Highlights during our tour While our main focus of the tour will lie on social activism in Morocco, we will nevertheless have the chance to visit some of the mustsee cultural and nature highlights of the country. In Casablanca, Marrakech and Rabat we will find the time to explore the old city centre and markets, visit famous buildings, art galleries and religious monuments. Our route will further bring us to the famous Oasis of Ourzazate and the magnificent Atlas Mountains, where we will have the chance for an easy trekking tour in the beautiful Haute-Atlas and visit the picturesque mountain towns of Azrou and Ain Louh. Last but not least, we should not forget to mention the fabulous food and renown hospitality and warmth of the Moroccan people, both of which we will enjoy during our tour. Reiseroute Und Programm Der Reiseverlauf: Day 1: Casablanca : Arrival

Arrival in Casablanca Day 2: Casablanca: Historical Sights, Demographics and Colonial History Official beginning of the tour: Welcome and introduction to country & tour programme Guided walking tour in the city of Casblanca: Old Medina, city center, Habbous, Mosque Hassan II. Focus on demographics and colonial history. Meeting with Solidarité Féminime, a feminist NGO that works with single mothers in Morocco Dinner with members of the NGO Day 3: Casablanca + Marrakech: Art in Morocco; Economic Situation Morning: visit of Cultural Centre Casablanca, talk with Moroccan artists Visit of AHK Casablanca (German-Moroccan Chamber of Commerce): Briefing on economic situation in Morocco and economic relationship with Europe Departure from Casablanca to Marrakech (250km) Dinner in Marrakech Day 4: Marrakech: Old Town Walking tour in the old town of Marrakech Freetime with advice for sighseeing, shopping etc. Afternoon: Meeting in a local art galery Dinner Day 5: Marrakech + Rural Neighbourhoods: Agriculture, Women Empowerment Tour in the rural and mountainous surroundings of Marrakech Visit of a women agricultural cooperative: talk about women empowerment and activism Evening: Return to Marrakech and Dinner Day 6: Marrakech + Ourzazate: Visit of Desert and Oasis Departure from Marrakech to Ourzazate (196 km) Tour through desert and visit of oasis

Dinner and stayover in a guesthouse in the desert Day 7: Ourzazate + Imider: Solar panel project "Noor, Social Activism Morning: Visit of Solar panel project "Noor", one of the biggest project on renewable energies in Northern Africa Departure from Ourzazate to Imider (134 km) Meeting with activists of the "On the road movement": talk and discussion about social activism in Morocco Dinner and stayover in the activists' camp Day 8: Imider + Midelt (Haut Atlas): Traditional Assembly of Local Communities Morning: meeting with peasant women Noon: Participation in a traditional assembly of local communities Departure from Imider to Middelt (300 km) Midtour Evaluation and Dinner Day 9: Midelt (Haut Atlas): Rural Communities and Villages Hiking tour in the Atlas mountains with local guides Visit of rural communities and villages Dinner and stayover in Midelt Day 10: Azzrou (Moyen Atlas): Sightseeing Morning: Departure to Azzrou (120 km) Visit of Azzrou and Ain Louh Dinner and stayover rin Azzrou Day 11: Rabat: Free Time Departure to Rabat (210 km) Free Time for Sightseeing etc. Dinner in Rabat

Day 12: Rabat: Old Medina Morning: Visit of the city of Rabat Old Medina, Oudayas, city center Free Time with advice for sightseeing, shopping etc. Dinner Day 13: Rabat: Landless Movement Activism Morning: Meeting with activists of landless movements (Guich Loudaya + Douar Oudled Sbita) Free Time with advice for sight seeing, shopping etc. Evening: final evaluation and dinner - official end of the tour Day 14: Rabat Departure from Rabat Reisehinweise Ende: In case the minimum number of participants cannot be reached, Alsharq TRAVEL GmbH reserves the right to cancel the tour. Therefore, we highly suggest to not book the flights until the tour is officially confirmed from our side. Casablanca Casablanca is not only Morocco's largest city but also one of the largest cities on the African continent. It is considered the economic, industrial and financial center of the country, not only due to its large port. Marrakech Marrakech is located at the foot of the Atlas mountains and known as one of the former imperial cities. Tourists love the narrow winding alleys and the main square: Jemaa el-fnaa. Rabat The political capital of Morocco is Rabat. It is the residential city of the Moroccan king and seat of the government. Jetzt anmelden