Rabat – The Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency (BMAQ) has published the 34th issue of its periodical “Echoes From Al-Quds Committee”, in both Arabic and English. The cover story of this issue highlights the major social assistance campaign carried out by the Agency in Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan 1447 AH.
The new issue recalls the commitments of the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to the preservation of Jerusalem, support for the Palestinian cause, and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, as well as His Majesty’s call for the launch of a genuine peace process. This enduring commitment continues to receive broad recognition and appreciation from Arab, Islamic, and international bodies.
In the editorial of this issue, Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui, Acting Director of BMAQ, writes that the Agency, under the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, continues to fulfill its commitments toward the city and its steadfast inhabitants, guided by a comprehensive vision built on three pillars: social support for vulnerable groups, economic empowerment, and the preservation of the city’s civilizational and cultural identity.
Mr. Echarkaoui explained that during Ramadan 1447 AH, the Agency implemented its annual social assistance campaign with a budget of USD 1 million, which included the distribution of 5,000 food baskets containing 22 essential items, benefiting underprivileged families in Jerusalem and its surrounding villages.
He further noted that this year’s campaign also included the provision of food supplies to charitable kitchens (takayas) and social centers for the preparation of around 20,000 iftar meals—both hot and cold—throughout the holy month. It also encompassed the distribution of Eid clothing to 500 orphans under the Agency’s care, the organization of religious and cultural evenings, capacity-building programs for local associations in traditional crafts with the participation of Moroccan artisans, as well as additional workshops on marketing and e-commerce, alongside medical outreach campaigns for residents of surrounding villages.
In this regard, he stressed that “regardless of the scale of mobilized funds, the Agency’s presence alongside Palestinians, ‘in times of adversity as well as prosperity,’ remains a vital form of support, despite difficult security conditions and limited funding, which since 2011 has been confined to contributions from the Kingdom of Morocco—covering an annual operating budget of USD 3 million and project funding of approximately USD 5 million per year.”
In addition to its regular sections, the new issue features a special dossier entitled “Al-Quds Nights in Morocco: When Culture Becomes a Lasting Human Bridge,” highlighting the Agency’s interventions in support of the cultural and artistic sectors in the Holy City, as well as efforts to preserve its civilizational identity as a spiritual center of justice, peace, and coexistence.
The issue also provides coverage of a range of activities undertaken by BMAQ during the first quarter of this year.
