Marrakech, Morocco

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the meeting of the United Cities and Local Governments(UCLG) in Marrakech, Morocco. It was a wonderful trip and one that was different than any I had ever made.

Marrakech (مراكش marrākiš), or Marrakesh known as the "Pearl of the South," is a city in southwestern Morocco in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Marrakech is a Berber word; it could mean the country of God (murt 'n akush), but this is unproven as there are many other interpretations. Marrakech is located at 31°37′60″N, 8°0′0″W Marrakech has the largest traditional market (souk) in Morocco and also hosts the busiest square in the entire continent of Africa, called Djemaa el Fna. Like many North African and Middle Eastern cities, Marrakech has two main divisions: the old city (médina) and the modern city. Marrakech is an unbelieveable city with so much life and activity. Walking down a narrow street in the Medina(town square) gives you the feeling of going back in time. Things seem to be the same as it was centuries ago. It is the most exotic place I have ever visited and blends a modern city with the historic past. I was naturally concerned with the reception that we would receive, since Morocco is a Muslim country. It could not have been better and I think I learned, once again, not to believe everything you hear on the news. They were very welcoming and I had the opportunity to meet several public officials from Morocco. I also met the Mayor of Beirut, Lebanon and he has been working on rebuilding his city since the recent bombing from Israel. He told us that Beirut has around 400 bridges and that over half were destroyed. There is an international movement concerning Social Inclusion and I attended a committee meeting on this issue. They were quite interested in the Inclusive Communities Program of the National League of Cities and I hope to be engaged with them in the future. I'll post some pictures and some additional comments in the upcoming days.