Multicultural Cooperation for Fruit Tree Planting

Moroccan Jewish people’s material and moral conditions and cultural identity are important as a subject of study at this time given the significant role that Moroccan Jewish heritage plays in the tributaries that form the Moroccan identity.

According to today’s successful cultural development options, the Jewish dimension in Morocco’s history and heritage is at the heart of some cities’ territorial strategies in improving their attractiveness, including the city of Tiznit.

In fact, throughout the Kingdom’s history, the Moroccan Jewish people have been able to cultivate a collective identity, culture, and heritage in intimacy with Muslims within the framework of a shared destiny and future.

Morocco's geographical location, position, political dynamism, and economic attractiveness have made it the home of the convergence of civilizations. Its evolutionary path imprints the features of synergy, coexistence and acculturation between a myriad of religious groups and cultures.

The tolerant spirit that characterized some periods of Morocco's history, made Moroccan Jews even more involved in the politics and economy of the country. Not only that, they also had a distinguished presence in public life. They promoted notable cultural and intellectual Moroccan traditions, making the Kingdom a model to follow by nationstates in the region. Thanks to this harmony, the Moroccan Jewish model is cherished in the system of Jewish thought in general. And, this denies the claim of the absence of the Jewish groups from Morocco’s world of thought.

Efforts to dust off this multi-disciplined Jewish contribution have been relatively modest considering the richness of material available in collective memories and popular culture. The sustainability of Moroccan Jewish people’s experiences and skills in business, crafts, and trade is being valued and studied, causing a revival of culturally significant crafts and sites.

Based on the foregoing, a group of local researchers and experts conducted a scientific symposium in Tiznit due to its history as a stronghold of lively Jewish community since the end of the 19th century, investigating the topic as follows:

• Highlighting selections from the history of the Jewish people in Souss by presenting cases and models of jurisprudential calamities between Jewish people and Muslims in order to study and document the historical structure that created the conditions for involvement of Moroccan Jewish people in the world of thought and culture

• Looking at aspects of the social history of Jewish people in Oued Noun—Guelmim and Yefren—to demonstrate manifestations of cultural continuity and renewal as seen through similarities in traditional women’s outfits, jewelry making, and cultural celebrations (i.e., weddings, circumcisions) between Jewish people and Muslims

• Examining the manifestations and idiosyncrasies of Moroccan Jewish cultural heritage and its approximation to current generations through local Jewish literacy (A Boy from Ifrane by Judeo-Moroccan novelist Asher and excerpts from a paper on Jewish funeral rites).

• Reuniting researchers in the field of Moroccan Jewish studies, and putting together updated documents on the developments related to this field of specialization by making recommendations and sharing upcoming publication titles.

This article was completed with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)Dakira Program, and the High Atlas Foundation is solely responsible for its content, which does not necessarily reflect the views of the USAID or the Government of the United States.

On February 2, I attended the 2022 ECOSOC Partnership Forum on behalf of the High Atlas Foundation,  along with HAF President Ben-Meir. The theme was “Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) While Advancing the Full Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” and it covered a variety of strategies for achieving this goal. These strategies include an emphasis on collaboration through partnerships, an increase in multilateralism, a better understanding of the importance of multi-stakeholders, and a priority in ensuring that everyone’s voice can be heard. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the aggressive goals in the 2030 Agenda even more difficult to achieve. However, the common theme throughout the forum was that if there is effective collaboration between all stakeholders, whether it be through the United Nations, businesses, non-profit foundations, or academia, sustainable change is possible. It is important to understand that every stakeholder is part of the journey to reach the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

One goal that the ECOSOC Partnership Forum highlighted is the importance of bridging the digitalization gap. During the event “Bridging the Gap: Addressing the Vacuum in Multilateral Governance of Digital Technology to Close the Digital Divide and Support Efforts to Leave No One Behind,” Ms. Wardarina, Dr. Clovis, Ms. Vogliano, Mr. Parminder, and Ms. Ruth discussed what is causing the digitalization gap and potential solutions for it. The issue with digitalization is that the technological wave hits developing countries in bits. Because this industry develops so rapidly, it is hard for developing countries to catch up. This part of the forum highlighted potential solutions for this divide. The experts suggested that the world should strive to make technological changes more inclusive and increase the responsiveness of multilateralism in the technological sphere. Multilateralism has the potential to increase digital equality and ensure that everyone has proper access to the digital world.

More ideas were discussed during a second event,“Building Back Better from the Bottom Up: Collaboration with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for SDG Implementation”, which featured experts Ms. Akustina, Dr. Farid, Ms. Patricia, and Dr. Chantal. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were hit hard by the pandemic, specifically those that are women-operated. In order to help SMEs increase their resilience, the government must be supportive. There must be a place for SMEs to be able to voice their struggles and have solutions readily available for them. One way in which governments can help SMEs is to lower the taxes imposed on them and to offer developmental services.

“Partnerships, UN Reform and a New Multilateralism to Build Forward Better,” another event hosted by Daniel , Patti , Nudhara, and Grant, discussed the importance of creating new solutions for increasing sustainable development. In order for these solutions to work, every entity must be involved and engaged. It is also important that everybody has a seat at the table in order to offer a diverse set of ideas and support better informed decision-making. This way, many solutions can be formulated from multiple perspectives.

During the event “Financing for the SDGs in the Era of COVID-19,” Mr. Navid , Mr. Adedeji , H.E. Ms. Charlotta , Ms. Romina, Ms. Harpinder , H.E. Mr. Walton, and Ms. Aish discussed the importance of developing a framework to meet the 2030 Agenda after COVID-19 proved to be a major setback. This is especially the case in smaller countries where there is greater dependence on imports. The speakers noted that in order to overcome this obstacle, debt relief will be a critical factor and structural reforms must also be made.

The High Atlas Foundation has been and will continue to be a driving force that will help the United Nations achieve the SDGs for the 2030 Agenda, as they are increasing sustainable development in the non-profit sector. For each tree that the foundation plants, they will help create a cleaner environment, craft more opportunities for women in Morocco, develop stronger  inter-religious partnerships, and establish a bright future for the youth. The High Atlas Foundation will help to ensure that COVID-19 does not stop sustainable development.