Rabat – Children from Jerusalem participating in the 17th edition of the summer camp organized by the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency (BMAQ) toured several of Rabat’s key institutions and historic landmarks on Thursday morning before joining the camp’s summer school that evening at the Skhirat seaside resort, south of the capital.
The tour, held on the second day of the camp, began at the Mohammed VI Football Academy, where the children visited its facilities and learned about the services it provides to Morocco’s national football teams across all age groups, for both men and women.
The group then explored the narrow streets and historic lanes of the Oudayas district, following paths that lead to the Bouregreg River. The river, which separates Rabat and Salé, is flanked by a mix of historic landmarks and modern architectural icons, including the Mohammed VI Tower and the Grand Theatre of Rabat.
The children also visited the Mohammed V Mausoleum, where they recited Al-Fatiha in tribute to the late King Mohammed V, who led Morocco to independence, and his son, King Hassan II, who oversaw the country’s modernization.
Later, the children joined the summer school, which brings together Palestinian and Moroccan children for workshops on online safety and the responsible use of the internet and digital technologies. The program includes contributions from experts at Morocco’s National Commission for the Protection of Personal Data (CNDP).
Organized under the slogan “Through technology, we learn, express ourselves and create,” the summer school features presentations, workshops and competitions led by the “Hayya” platform team for children and adolescents. Sponsored by BMAQ, the online platform seeks to promote the values and virtues associated with Jerusalem.
Speaking at the opening, BMAQ Acting Director Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui said “the summer school offers children an opportunity to strengthen their values while making the most of the opportunities and possibilities provided by technology.”
He said that beginning the 17th summer camp with the summer school reflects the idea that summer should be about more than leisure and recreation following the suspension of regular classes. It should also provide children with opportunities to acquire useful knowledge and practical skills.
“We make the classrooms of this summer school a platform for promoting values through purposeful educational workshops and activities,” Echarkaoui said, adding that the program combines learning with practical experience and builds on the achievements of the “Hayya” platform through an approach based on learning through fun, games and recreation.
In a speech delivered on his behalf, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid said Morocco, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, continues to serve as “a meeting place for the two brotherly peoples through events and activities that promote brotherhood, tolerance, harmony and solidarity.”
Muntaha Attoun, a representative of Jerusalem’s Directorate of Education and Teaching, expressed her gratitude to King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, for supporting the program for Jerusalem’s children and students. She described the summer school as “a valuable experience that would equip the children with knowledge and skills they could share with others upon their return to Palestine.
The children, for their part, expressed their appreciation to the King and their happiness at taking part in the summer school, highlighting the opportunity to discover Moroccan culture and exchange knowledge and experiences with their Moroccan peers.”
The summer school continues Friday with presentations and competitions led by the “Hayya” platform team. The children will be divided into five teams—Al-Zaytoun, Al-Nakheel, Al-Manara, Al-Atlas and Al-Mizan—with 20 participants in each team.
The program includes a series of activities, including a treasure hunt for keys, writing wishes and displaying them on a model of the “Lighthouse of Peace,” paper-based competitions, rehearsals for the story “The Arrogance of Air,” and digital challenges through the “Hayya” application.
The activities are designed to promote brotherhood, unity and teamwork; strengthen the children’s pride in their Moroccan and Jerusalem identities and their sense of hope; develop skills such as critical thinking, patience, observation and self-confidence; and nurture their talents in acting and creative expression.
This year’s “Lighthouse of Peace” camp brings together 50 boys and girls from Jerusalem, aged between 11 and 14, accompanied by supervisors from the Holy City. Before traveling to Morocco, the participants completed a preparatory program in Jerusalem featuring sports, artistic, cultural and educational activities.
Since the summer camp program was launched in 2008, a total of 850 children from different neighborhoods of Jerusalem have benefited from the initiative, accompanied by 85 supervisors. The participants have visited various parts of Morocco and experienced firsthand the strong solidarity expressed by Moroccans toward the Palestinian people.
