Founded just two years ago, in September 2021, Sciences Maroc quickly emerged as the first association dedicated to Morocco within the Sciences Po institute. Two years ago, Azzedine Lahlou, an 18-year-old student at Sciences Po, laid the first stone of an ambitious building, the Sciences Maroc association. His vision was clear and bold: no longer seeing Morocco as a simple tourist destination, but rather as a dynamic, modern player with great potential. Through Sciences Maroc, his mission is to propel the values of the Kingdom to the top and defend the national cause on the international stage. An ambition for the future Asked about his motivations, Azzedine Lahlou confides his desire to present the country in a new way, in line with the aspirations of his youth. He wanted to go beyond tourist clichés to place crucial themes at the heart of the student debate: South/South cooperation, the role of Morocco in Africa, the Morocco/EU partnership, geostrategy in the Mediterranean, and many others. Its objective was to promote the image of a Morocco in full evolution, a breeding ground of opportunities, and to enrich the understanding of the Sciences Po student community. “I created Sciences Maroc with the aim of raising awareness among international students of the contemporary realities of Morocco and its exceptional potential. This work at the university level is of particular importance, because future world leaders could well be currently on the benches of schools such as Sciences Po. It is our responsibility to provide them with a complete, precise and modern vision of the dynamics of our country through reflection and debate. My objective was to present to the Sciences Po student community this Morocco in full evolution, rich in opportunities for the future and focused on the future,” the young student confided to us. Reflections and discussions In 2021, Sciences Maroc organized a series of events with renowned speakers, both national and international. Personalities such as former heads of state Moncef Marzouki (Tunisia) and François Hollande (France), high-level diplomats such as ambassadors Abdelmalek Kettani and Karima Benyaich, but also former ministers Marwan Muasher (Jordan), Miguel Angel Moratinos (Spain), and Amr Moussa (Egypt) contributed to enriching debates. The founder of Sciences Maroc underlines the importance of inviting international personalities to bring varied perspectives. Through this initiative, he wanted to illustrate Moroccan youth open to the world, able to understand regional issues and cooperate with diverse cultures. The speakers, representing a multitude of nationalities, contributed to this inclusive vision. “I was particularly keen to invite international figures to take part in the debates and share their perspectives. My objective was in fact to make the association as inclusive as possible and to avoid getting locked into a Moroccan-Moroccan debate. Whether in terms of the choice of our speakers or our member selection policy, the idea has always been to show the image of Moroccan youth open to the world, willing to understand the problems of its geographical region and determined to cooperate with all people and all cultures. Our members also included many nationalities, including Argentinians, Americans, French, Saudis, Italians, Chinese, Belgians, Algerians and Tunisians,” explains Azzedine Lahlou. Limitless perspectives As for future prospects and ambitions, the young association leader admits to not having a clear plan, but he resolutely expresses his desire to contribute to the development of his country. His experience at the head of Sciences Maroc convinced him that Moroccan youth can redefine possibilities by abandoning complexes. Although his term as president ended in September 2023, he hopes to continue his journey with the same motivation and energy that pushed him to found his association. The road to the future looks promising, driven by the conviction that Moroccan youth are an inexhaustible engine of change and innovation.
source: leseco.ma
