Tetouan – On Saturday, the Jerusalem children taking part in the 16th edition of the summer camp, known as the “Harat al-Maghariba” edition, visited the city of Tetouan. The visit offered them an opportunity to explore the history of the first Moroccan educational mission, which sent students to Al-Najah School in Nablus, Palestine, in 1928.1928.
On this occasion, the children were shown images of the mission on an interactive screen at the School of Crafts and National Arts in Tetouan. The display recreated the journey of the Moroccan students to Palestine and underscored its influence on relations between the two brotherly peoples, drawing on both oral accounts and historical records.
.
This initiative, organized by the Tetouan Asmir Association in partnership with the Mohammed Daoud Foundation for History and Culture and in coordination with the Regional Directorate of Culture in Tetouan, reflects the enduring values of Morocco’s presence in Palestine—values also embodied in the name “Harat al-Maghariba,” which the current edition of the camp proudly bears.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, students from Tetouan and other Moroccan cities enrolled at Al-Najah School in Nablus. The initiative was launched by Haj Abdel Salam Bennouna (1888–1935), a prominent leader of the national movement in northern Morocco.
The first Moroccan mission to Nablus was dispatched in 1928. Many of its students later played influential roles in shaping Morocco’s political, cultural, and media spheres after independence.
As part of the summer camp program, the Jerusalem children explored the historic streets and alleys of Tetouan. At various cultural sites, they discovered the distinctiveness of Moroccan architecture and traditional crafts, while experiencing firsthand—through the warm hospitality they received—the deep regard Moroccans hold for Palestine and their devotion to Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
The summer camp for Jerusalem children, running until August 26 and hosting 50 participants from Jerusalem, was officially inaugurated on August 12 in Tangier with the “Summer School” program. Organized by the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency (BMAQ), the initiative brings together Moroccan and Palestinian children under the theme: “Let’s Make Electronic Games a Tool for Education, Learning, and Entertainment.”
