On this occasion, the Moroccan thinker and researcher Hassan Aourid praised the numerous achievements made for the benefit of the Amazigh language in the Kingdom, including, in particular, the establishment of the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture and the integration of this language into the media.
These achievements also consist, adds Professor Aourid, in the recognition of the official status of the Amazigh language, in addition to the high Royal decision to declare 14 January of each year as the Amazigh New Year and an official paid holiday.
After confirming that Amazigh is considered a common denominator and heritage for all Moroccans linked to the Moroccan personality, the Moroccan thinker highlighted the importance of preserving the Amazigh language and paying greater attention to it.
He noted that Amazigh is considered one of the most important pillars of the Moroccan identity and personality, which requires strengthening its knowledge and learning, pointing out in the same context that many words and terms used in the Moroccan Darija have Amazigh origins, which reflects the deep roots of this language.
Mr. Aourid also emphasised "the need for the Amazigh language to be at the service of national identity, just like the Arabic language, and for the unifying framework to be patriotism".
For his part, the President of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, Mustapha Ijaali, confirmed that declaring the Amazigh New Year a national holiday and an official paid holiday reflects the high care that His Majesty King Mohammed VI gives to Amazigh as a main component of the authentic Moroccan identity, rich in the multiplicity of its tributaries.
Mr. Ijaali stressed the importance of the Amazigh tributary in addition to the various other tributaries that have merged and fused together over the ages to create the unique Moroccan personality, rich in its diversity and strong in its openness.
He pointed out that Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez was one of the first Moroccan universities to establish courses for Amazigh studies, both at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, and also opened a special department for the Amazigh language.
Mr. Ijaali continued that Fez University also includes training programmes taught in the Amazigh language and has given special attention to this language at the level of research and final-year projects, making it one of the research axes in the laboratories accredited at the university level.
For his part, the researcher at the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture, Mustapha Saghir, gave an overview of the electronic platform launched by the Institute for learning the Amazigh language remotely, "MOOC IRCAM".
He confirmed that this platform, which allows free access, was designed according to an educational and pedagogical vision that takes into account the regional specificities of Amazigh in its three expressions (Tarifit - Tamazight - Tashelhit).
He continued that this platform is characterised by ease of use and contains multiple lessons for learning and acquiring basic knowledge and skills related to the Amazigh language, and enhancing communication skills.
As for Zouhair Souirti, a neurologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Fez, he in turn praised the numerous achievements made for the benefit of the Amazigh language and strengthening its presence more in the media.
In the same context, he emphasised the need to strengthen interest in it and promote its teaching and writing, as it is a common heritage for all Moroccans.
The organisation of this seminar, which bore the slogan "Amazigh Sciences and Culture and the Question of Identity", comes within the framework of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez’s celebration of the Amazigh New Year 2975.
