Morocco's Abdulkader Al Shawi Writes a Story for Himself

Morocco's Abdulkader Al Shawi Writes a Story for Himself
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Morocco's Abdulkader Al Shawi Writes a Story for Himself

Morocco's Abdulkader Al Shawi Writes a Story for Himself

Le Fennec Publications has released a new book by Moroccan writer Abdulkader Al Shawi. The book is, as described by the writer, a self-visualization entitled “Al Tayhaa.”

On the book's back cover, Al Shawi wrote: “My guide in this book is clear. I mean I wrote it without planning or organization. There weren't any precedencies that made me chose. My incentives are so foggy. I know that the reader won't blame me if I told him that I wrote this story to myself to narrate its writing isolation. Therefore, in the final pages, I found myself totally convinced with what I wrote in the first pages – with the introduction I didn't write. The conclusion of this conviction is, and I am quoting Manuel Alberca here: ‘This is me, and not me. I resemble to myself but I am not me. But, be careful, because I might be me.’”

Commenting on the book, critic and translator Ibrahim Al Khatib noted that it is not a narrative or critical text, or a political analysis, but a “recurrence of a writing record recalling past memories, approaching the lives of some writers and examining their ups and downs, along with exploring the backgrounds of many positions and meetings. It also investigates the contexts of some of the writer's published books, or looks into the emotional resonance of various trips he had embarked on.”

“The book features a foreword, which, according to the writer, is not an introduction. But it reviews the background of writing about the past, in which the writer wonders about the connection between writing and lying and honesty, and its association with the time of writing, which is now,” added Al Khatib.

“The book features independent paragraphs with no titles or punctuations that separate their spaces. Their order is not chronological, as indicated by the dispersed dates and the non-organization of the narrated facts.”

Al Khatib noticed that the book, with its diverse material, is a “back and forth trip in the life of Abdulkader Al Shawi and its major events, that extend from his childhood in Bab Taza, his education in Tétouan then in Rabat, before starting his career in Casablanca, his pursuit of politics and writing.” It also takes “a look at the writer's relationships record, and the list of his friendships known for their geographical richness, whether in Morocco or abroad.” The book can be described as a “sequel or a narrative addition to his memories and readings.”

Al Shawi was jailed for 15 years, between 1974 and 1989, because of his political activity, before serving as the Moroccan ambassador to Chile. He wrote and published his first poetic texts, stories and literary articles in Moroccan and Arabic magazines and newspapers in 1968. Then, he published many works about literary and intellectual studies, in addition to many narrative works he debuted in 1986 with “Kan wa Akhawataha,” followed by “Dalil Al Onfowan” (1989), “Bab Taza” (1994), “Al Saha al Sharafiya” (1999), “Dalil al Mada” (2003), “Man Qal Ana” (2006), “Boustan al Sayida” (2018) and “Marabe' al Salwan” (2020).



A Look at UNESCO and Its Work as the US Decides Again to Leave the Cultural Agency

This photograph shows the logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris on January 17, 2025. (AFP)
This photograph shows the logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris on January 17, 2025. (AFP)
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A Look at UNESCO and Its Work as the US Decides Again to Leave the Cultural Agency

This photograph shows the logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris on January 17, 2025. (AFP)
This photograph shows the logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris on January 17, 2025. (AFP)

With the support of international partners and $115 million in funding, the UN cultural agency UNESCO recently helped rebuild the Iraqi city of Mosul after it was devastated by the ISIS group.

The restoration of the historic city's iconic Al-Nouri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret was just one of many programs run by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is in the spotlight because the United States is leaving it once again, reported the Associated Press.

The decision to pull US funding and participation from UNESCO will deal a blow to its work preserving cultural heritage around the world. US President Donald Trump exited the agency during his first term, accusing it of promoting anti-Israel speech. The administration of US President Joe Biden had rejoined UNESCO in 2023 after citing concerns that China was filling the gap left by the US in UNESCO policymaking.

Here’s a look at the work UNESCO does:

World Heritage Sites UNESCO names World Heritage sites, including landmarks like the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty, and gives them special protection under its World Heritage Sites program.

Its World Heritage Committee each year designates sites considered “of outstanding value to humanity” and intervenes when sites are in danger of destruction or damage. The program provides countries with technical assistance and professional training to preserve the sites.

A World Heritage site designation is coveted and seen as a boost to tourism.

Another UNESCO convention created in 2003 protects “intangible” heritage such as folk songs and traditional dances, crafts and cooking in its lists.

Holocaust Education: Like the rest of the UN, UNESCO was created in response to the horrors of World War II, and particularly Nazi crimes. Amid concerns that the agency’s Arab members have used UNESCO to pass anti-Israel resolutions, UNESCO has worked in recent years on Holocaust awareness projects. That includes educational materials and organizing visits to former Nazi concentration camps.

Empowering Girls: UNESCO works to improve literacy, with a special focus on girls in countries hit by war or disasters who get little or no schooling though programs such as the Malala Fund for Girls’ Right to Education. In Tanzania, for instance, over 2,500 girls benefited from the creation of safe spaces in 40 secondary schools. The agency provides teacher training and materials and encourages programs for girls to pursue careers in science.

Climate Change: One of the agency's goals is coordinating climate knowledge and improving international education about how global warming occurs and affects people around the world. Over 30 UNESCO programs are designed to help its members adapt to climate change and favor sustainable development.

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: UNESCO adopted in 2021 what it calls “the first and only global standard-setting instrument on the ethics of artificial intelligence.” Applying to all 194 member states, the recommendation emphasizes the protection of human rights and dignity, grounded in principles like transparency, fairness, and human oversight of AI systems.

Operating without the US: UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay said the US decision to leave was expected and that the agency has prepared for it. While the US had previously provided a notable share of the agency’s budget, UNESCO has diversified its funding sources.

“Thanks to the efforts made by the organization since 2018, the decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, so that it now represents 8% of the organization’s total budget compared with 40% for some United Nations entities,” Azoulay said.

She added that the agency's overall budget has increased and that it has the steady support of "a large number of member states and private contributors.”