Rick’s Café – Casablanca Comes to Life

As the gentle sounds of the piano fill the air, smiling waiters chat to diners and see new customers to selected tables, amidst the oriental screens and palms of the dimly lit restaurant, one cannot help but glance over at the wooden bar in anticipation of seeing Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart having a drink together. This is not too much of a farfetched thought after walking into Rick’s Café, which has been replicated to the finest detail to resemble the Rick’s Café from the legendary movie, “Casablanca”.

Jewish Pilgrimage in Safi – A Lesson on Tolerance

At one point in its history, Morocco was home to around 300,000 Jews and many Moroccans continue to embrace their Judeo-Moroccan heritage, as is evident by the hundreds of Jewish pilgrims who recently gathered in the Moroccan coastal town of Safi and were welcomed by local Muslims. With religious tensions reaching fever pitch in Jerusalem and other areas, this attitude of tolerance and acceptance, with Muslims and Jews praying together, is something out of the ordinary.

Fouad Bellamine – The Magic Stroke of an Artist

Moroccan contemporary artist, Fouad Bellamine, was born in Fez in 1950 and was raised amidst varied artistic and creative influences in the Medina of his home town. Bellamine came from a family of skilled craftsmen, and he learned many of his painting techniques from his father who was a talented artist. From an early age he was intensely interested in light and space, an interest which influences his work to this day.

Royal Institute of the Amazigh Culture

Situated in the Kingdom of Morocco’s capital city, Rabat, the Royal Institute of the Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) is an academic institute devoted to the safeguarding and promotion of the Amazigh (Berber) culture and languages. The institute was founded with full legal capacity and financial independence, under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, on 17 October 2001.

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