Moroccan Night on March 24 offered traditional food, music and dancing, as well as a speech from the country's ambassador to the United States that provided insight into Morocco's history, economics and foreign relations.
In his speech, Ambassador Aziz Mekouar gave what sophomore Omar Bennis described as "a good image for Muslim countries that have been stereotyped since 9/11."
Bennis, in the Kogod School of Business, is one of the three organizers of Moroccan Night, which began as an idea conceived in an SIS Cross Cultural Communication class.
"We wanted to represent our country at AU, and we wanted to be the first to do it," said Loubna El Ouardighi, a student in Kogod who helped organize the event. "It was designed to be promotional, like a tourism advertisement."
In a short video montage shown at the beginning of the program, viewers were taken on a journey through Morocco, from the mountains to the flats and from soccer to textile factories.
Mekouar said the video showed only one part of the county.
"[It] showed the first-world side of Morocco, but there is also a third-world part of Morocco," he said. "The goal is to bring the third world up alongside the first world."
Morocco signed a free-trade agreement with the United States in June 2004, which Mekouar, who gave a speech about it at the event, said he hopes will bring more economic development and job opportunities to the country.
Mekouar's speech attracted Kogod student Courtney Dray to Moroccan Night. Dray said she could relate the speech to a class she is taking on exports and imports.
In his speech, Mekouar said Morocco is becoming one of the leading Arab countries in offering women's rights. A law created in 1956 was revised to make men and women equal parties in family matters.
Danika James, a senior at Howard University, attended the event for a class she's taking in international business.
"It's good exposure to the Moroccan culture, with the jewelry, food and music. It was definitely more than I expected," James said.
Live music was provided by Sounds of Morocco, a group of Berber musicians from the south of the country, after the speech while guests ate a traditionally prepared couscous dish. Jewelry and Moroccan art and handcrafts were for sale by Bazaar Atlas, located in Northwest D.C.
The event was presented by the School of International Service Undergraduate Cabinet and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco.
