Morocco Dispatches 272 Religious Leaders for Ramadan 2025 Support Abroad
Doha – As each year with the approach of Ramadan, the Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad mobilizes religious leaders to support Moroccan communities across North America and Europe.
This year, the foundation is deploying 272 religious leaders from February 27 to April 1, to provide spiritual guidance and cultural activities throughout the holy month.
The delegation comprises a diverse group of qualified religious scholars and leaders, including 38 university professors, 39 preachers with doctorates, 44 with master's degrees, and 60 with bachelor's degrees.
Additionally, 60 preachers will conduct both sermons and Quran memorization sessions, while 31 imams will lead Tarawih prayers.
The distribution of these religious leaders across 13 countries reflects the concentration of Moroccan communities abroad, with France receiving the largest contingent of 75 preachers.
Other significant allocations include 40 in Germany, 38 in Spain, 33 each in the Netherlands and Belgium, 27 in Italy, 10 in Canada, and 6 in the United States. Smaller delegations will serve in Sweden (4), England (2), Norway (2), and one each in Hungary and Iceland.
The initiative is part of the Hassan II Foundation's long-standing commitment to maintaining cultural and spiritual connections with Moroccan expatriates.
Read also: Imams, Mosques, and Moderate Islam: Morocco's Soft Power Play in Africa
Established in 1990 by the late King Hassan II and currently presided over by Princess Lalla Meryem, the foundation operates as a non-profit institution with legal status and financial autonomy.
Since 1992, it has been supporting associations and mosques in organizing various activities, including seminars and Quranic recitation competitions for children.
This program goes in line with Morocco's broader religious diplomacy efforts, which include initiatives such as the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams and the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema.
The foundation will present the detailed program at a meeting in Rabat on February 25, with 50 delegation members expected to attend.
Operating with a staff of over 700 people, including more than 600 abroad, the Hassan II Foundation continues its mission to help Moroccan expatriates maintain fundamental ties with their homeland while addressing challenges related to their emigration.
The foundation's strategic importance is recognized by law, with its Delegated President's appointment governed by organic law No. 02/12 in accordance with Articles 49 and 92 of the Constitution. Tags: moroccan religious leadersramadan 2025Religious diplomacy
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
an hour ago
- Morocco World
Senegal Reaffirms Support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan for Sahara at UN Meeting
Rabat – Senegal has once again confirmed its strong support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan as a solution to the Western Sahara dispute. The statement came during a speech by Senegal's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Diamane Diome, at the UN's C24 (Special Committee on Decolonization) session, taking place in New York between June 9 and 20. Diome said that his country 'wishes to reaffirm its steadfast support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative, which the Security Council has described as serious and credible in its successive resolutions since 2007.' He noted that more than 118 UN member countries, including three permanent members of the Security Council, now support this initiative. France, the United States, and, most recently, the United Kingdom, have expressed their support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative. The ambassador also pointed to Morocco's progress in promoting human rights in the region, especially through the work of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) offices in Dakhla and Laayoune. In addition, the diplomat spoke about Morocco's major investments in its southern provinces, which are part of the new development model aimed at boosting sustainable growth, protecting the environment, and promoting local culture. These projects are helping improve living standards and human development indicators in the region. Senegal also commended Morocco for fully respecting the ceasefire agreement and for cooperating with the UN peacekeeping mission MINURSO. Ambassador Diome called on other parties to also respect the ceasefire, as outlined in Security Council Resolution 2756. He further urged more cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme to better protect the rights of people living in the Tindouf camps, including their freedom of expression, access to aid, and the need for proper registration in line with international humanitarian law. The Senegalese diplomat welcomed the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for the Sahara to restart the political process. He encouraged all involved parties to return to roundtable talks to reach a realistic and lasting political solution. Diome concluded by reaffirming Senegal's full support for Morocco's sovereignty and territorial integrity and recalled that Senegal opened a consulate general in the southern city of Dakhla on April 5, 2021. Tags: autonomy plansenegalWestern sahara
Morocco World
3 hours ago
- Morocco World
Belgium Opens New Visa Application Center in Rabat
Doha – Belgium inaugurated on Thursday a new center for processing visa applications in Rabat. The facility, located at TLS-Millenium Business Centre, complements an existing center in Casablanca, expanding services for Moroccan visa applicants. The opening ceremony was attended by several officials, including Joris Salden, Director General of Consular Affairs for Belgium's Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, along with Gilles Heyvaert, Belgium's Ambassador to Morocco, and Bassem Missaoui, TLS Contact's Director General for North and West Africa. In his address, Salden noted that the new center represents an important step in improving access to consular services. He stated that his mission within consular diplomacy is to ensure transparent, professional, reliable, and accessible service. 'This center aligns perfectly with our strategy to bring our services closer to citizens,' Salden said. He explained that the Rabat TLS center will initially be dedicated exclusively to students to simplify the visa application process for those pursuing education in Belgium. 'We are pleased to welcome these students for high-quality training in Belgium, which helps strengthen the historical ties between our two countries,' he added. Previously, students enrolled in higher education programs in Belgium had to visit the embassy in Rabat to complete a study questionnaire and travel to Casablanca to submit their applications. Now, students can complete all procedures in Rabat on the same day: file submission at TLS Rabat, followed by a questionnaire at the Belgian Embassy. 'From now on, a single procedure will be sufficient, which represents a significant simplification of the process,' Salden pointed out. He went on to explain that implementing a digitalization system allows for more efficient processing of applications, while requiring a new work approach based on dedicated software and digital infrastructure. Ambassador Heyvaert stated that this initiative aims 'above all to guarantee quality services and ensure applications are processed within reasonable timeframes.' The ambassador noted that 'Morocco is a strategic country for Belgium, just as Belgium holds a strategic position for Morocco,' continuing that visa policy 'is part of the relationship framework that helps strengthen ties between the two countries.' Missaoui of TLS Contact recalled that since 2016, TLS has proudly worked with Belgium to collect visa applications, initially in Casablanca. 'Today marks an expansion of operations,' he said. The company is committed to ensuring optimal reception conditions that match the high service standards and quality of welcome it intends to offer visa applicants, Missaoui affirmed. The Belgian Embassy in Morocco processes more than 20,000 visa applications annually, a figure that continues to rise. Read also: France Expands Consular Services to Morocco's Southern Provinces
Ya Biladi
4 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
China to eliminate tariffs on African exports, Morocco among beneficiaries
China has announced plans to eliminate all tariffs on goods from 53 African countries it maintains diplomatic ties with, including Morocco. The move, announced following a meeting between senior Chinese and African officials in Changsha, is part of a broader economic pact aimed at boosting African exports to the Chinese market. The initiative will extend duty-free access beyond least developed countries (LDCs) to include middle-income nations. «It enables middle-income countries like Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco... to be able to now enter the Chinese market duty-free» Hannah Ryder, head of the Africa-focused consultancy Development Reimagined, told Reuters on Thursday. The move is expected to boost access for value-added African products to the vast Chinese market. Morocco, with its growing industrial base, particularly in automotive and agri-food sectors, stands to benefit. It is worth noting that Moroccan exports to China reached $1.3 billion in 2024, a figure expected to rise under the new plan. En 2024, les exportations marocaines vers la #Chine se sont élevées à 1,3 milliard de dollars. Avec la nouvelle mesure de zéro #tarif, ce chiffre va continuer d'augmenter. — Ambassade de Chine au Maroc (@ChineAmbMaroc) June 13, 2025 The Chinese foreign ministry also pledged additional support for LDCs to ensure they are not disadvantaged by the new arrangement. The measure could help rebalance trade, which remains skewed in China's favor. Last year, China recorded a $62 billion trade surplus with Africa.
