Embassy, Consulates General of Morocco in France Pay Tribute to Pioneers of Moroccan Immigration
Paris - The Embassy of Morocco in Paris hosted a ceremony on Thursday evening to pay tribute to the pioneers of Moroccan immigration in France in recognition of their exemplary journeys and contributions to building lasting ties with their homeland and host country.
Thirty Moroccans who immigrated to France between 1952 and 1962 and currently reside in or around Paris were awarded a medal of merit engraved in their name on this occasion.
“We are very pleased to welcome our elders and to receive them here in their home, so that we may once again acknowledge their journeys and life paths, honor them, and remind them how important they are to Morocco, their country of origin, to France, their host country, and to the relationship between the two”, Ambassador of Morocco to Paris Samira Sitaïl emphasized in a speech delivered on this occasion.
As members of the first generation of immigrants who played a decisive role in both France’s economic growth and Morocco’s development, the individuals honored, in Sitaïl’s view, reflect the Kingdom’s multifaceted identity.
“This diversity which is part of our identity, of our history, and of which we’re proud is represented here. We are Hassanis, Muslims, Berbers, Jews, Arabs, Andalusians and Africans, all at once” she said, referring to the multiple components that make up the national identity.
The ceremony, held in coordination with similar events organized by Morocco’s Consulates General across France, was attended by Samira Sitaïl, the Kingdom’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Samir Addahre, President of the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) Driss El Yazami, Director of Royal Air Maroc for Europe and the Americas Amine El Farissi, as well as numerous figures from civil society, community organizations, and the Moroccan diaspora.
Editorial team/le7tv
