Date: 21 June 2013
Country: Morocco, Rabat
MDI Moroccan stakeholders, policy makers, media actors, media educators and civil society representatives gathered in Rabat to define the concept of diversity in the country’s current political, social and cultural context.
They have gathered at the conference “Media diversity: For professional journalistic practices that reflect the reality and the richness of the Moroccan Society”, organized jointly by the Media Diversity Institute (MDI) and its partner National Union of the Moroccan Press.
In 2009 when MDI started the work in Morocco, the only association with the word ‘diversity’ was ‘political pluralism’ and to the certain point, regionalization. Four years later and with more than 1200 Moroccans who have directly benefited from MDI Inclusive Journalism programmes, the country is at the crossroad.
The country finds itself at the crossroad in terms of a response to the political changes in the region, constitutional changes which welcomed ethnic, religious, cultural ‘and other diversity’ and media reforms which are going through the public debate allowing Moroccans to have their say in what media they want and need in the future.
The conference “Media diversity: For professional journalistic practices that reflect the reality and the richness of the Moroccan Society”, organized jointly by the Media Diversity Institute (MDI) and its partner National Union of the Moroccan Press (NUMP) and funded by the EU, British Embassy in Rabat and the Swiss Development & Cooperation Agency (SDCA), was an opportunity to interpret the constitutional definition of ‘diversity’ which, since left open, is prone to interpretations.
Opening the conference, Ms Dagmar Schmidt the representative of SDCA said: “The Freedom of information and expression is a cornerstone of human rights and a core element of any democratic state. That is the reason why Switzerland, through its partnership with the Media diversity Institute, has chosen to work with authorities and journalists, from conventional and new media, to try and create a real debate about their role and responsibility in building inclusive, responsible and independent media products that guarantee the freedom of press.”
Younes Mjahed, NUMP President, praised “diversity as the means to unity, crucial for the societies such as Moroccan – rich in social and cultural diversity – yet, with some ethnic and territorial issues which still present a challenge to the country’s authorities, such as Sahara or full respect for human rights”.
Diversity Charter
Dr Abdelouahab Errami, Journalism Professor from High Institute for Communication Studies, which hosts the best journalism school in Morocco was talking about diversity as means to unity too.
He in particular focused on the role of media in reflecting Moroccan diversity, and the need for inclusive journalism as the way to provide participation in public debates by all citizens and on all issues relevant to them.
Dr Errami has been leading MDI-supported development of a Diversity Charter, which has been on public debate for more than a year.
“Diversity Charter is going to be a starting point for media industry, media regulators and media trainers, if we want to truly try to aim at participatory democracy where media are going to truly have a role to play in public debates”, says Dr Errami.
The Conference on 21st June held in Rabat was a bridge between Phase II, which was mainly focused on including as many citizens into public debate on the future of the Moroccan media, to Phase III which will focus on adaptation of Diversity Charter by all relevant stakeholders as well as on Inclusive media content production to set examples to traditional and new media outlets in Morocco.
The third phase will be implemented through the project “Promoting Freedom of Expression, Diversity and Inclusion in Morocco” which was signed between the MDI and SDCA representatives in Rabat.
Within this project in the next three years, MDI and local partners in Morocco will provide debate among key stakeholders and influential decision-makers on media and diversity, cement inclusive journalism in the media sector through training, policy work and commissioning, and build civil society organisations’ ability to carry out media advocacy campaigns.
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MDI Continues its Engagement in Morocco
