The ''Ibtissama'' (smile) initiative was launched on Wednesday in Chefchaouen, with the aim of generalising computer knowledge, and in particular encouraging young people and children to take an interest in this field in order to strengthen their pedagogical and scientific knowledge.

The initiative, organised by the ''Chaouen online'' association, in partnership with the urban commune of the city of Chefchaouen under the banner ''Knowledge for all'', is part of the ''Child and Youth Friendly Commune'' project.

The initiative aims in particular to introduce the targeted categories to the field of computing, to facilitate their integration into the sociocultural environment and their school orientation with a view to accompanying current scientific and technical developments.

The organisers have planned, on this occasion, computer courses for children with special needs through tools that take into account their physiological specificities and their cognitive capacities, through professional supervision.

The initiative also aims to disseminate computer techniques among all segments of the city's population, to encourage them to use the computer and to benefit from the advantages of the Internet.

The programme also provides for the organisation of training workshops for trainees of the vocational training centre, the teaching of Spanish, French and English languages to facilitate communication through different computer means, as well as the organisation of an open day on the theme: ''we answer your questions'', supervised by computer scientists and teachers.

Taking part in the initiative, which will continue until the end of this week, are several personalities from civil society and people interested in the issue of childhood, among others.