FRENCH & MOROCCAN MINISTERS OF CULTURE R. DATI & M.BENSAID SIGNED 9 AGREEMENTS

USPA NEWS - Rachida Dati, French Minister of Culture, Visits Rabat, Morocco ss part of her visit to Morocco, Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture, during a two days trio 16-18 February 2025. She was accompanied by Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaïd, Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, and in the presence of seven Presidents and Directors of French public institutions, held several meetings in Rabat with key figures from the Moroccan cultural, artistic, and film scene. Ms. Dati visited the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, where she toured the Chaïbia Tallal exhibition, organized by the National Museum Foundation (FNM).
The Minister then traveled to the International University of Rabat (UIR), which has been hosting the Video Game Creator certification program since January, delivered by the French school ISART Digital, recognized as the 2nd best school in the world for video games. She announced the continuation of cooperation in this sector and Morocco's participation in a French-speaking video game residency program. This is not a report, yet, our reporter gathered communiques and photos from the French embassy in Morocco and Hit Radio, Hiba Foundation, for this clip

French Minister of Culture, Ms. Rachida Dati, travelled to Morocco for a two days trip, to visit Morocco, in Rabat the capital and the South, in Sahara from Sunday, February 16 to Tuesday, February 18.
The trip of the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, themed: “strengthen cultural bilateral cooperation between France & Morocco”, brought together Moroccan cultural leaders and Institutional, and their French counterparts, traveling within a French delegation, and community leaders in the South of Morocco, (Sahara, Laayoune, Dakhla) to discuss key common cultural initiatives.

Mrs Rachida Dati, expressed gratitude to the organizers and emphasized the French government’s support for French-Moroccan cultural bridge between the two communities.

DAY ONE, 16 February, 5:30, 6:45, At Hit radio Studio, Rabat (Capital of Morocco)
The Minister Rachdia Dati, started up her trop by visiting the Hit Radio premises and interview on set
Mrs. Rachdia Dati, French Minister of Culture, addressed her speech to her counterpart, Mr. Minister, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, as well as Mr. Younes Boumehdi, President of the Hiba Foundation, and founder of Hit Radio, Mr. Marwane Fachane, and the French ambassador in Rabat, Mr. Christophe Lecourtier.Hit Radio is the Leader Music Radio, in Morocco Founded by French Moroccan Younes Boumehdi,
HIT RADIO

The French minister of Culture was honored and warmly welcomed, accordingly to the legendary Moroccan hospitality at a special evening gala as it also celebrated the Ceremony for awarding the insignia of Officer of Arts and Letters to Ms. Fadila El Gadi stylist, and Mr. Brahim El Mazned, director of the Visa For Music festival. The event, themed:
Mrs. Rachdia Dati, French Minister of Culture, addressed her speech to her counterpart, Mr. Minister, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, as well as Mr. Younes Boumehdi, President of the Hiba Foundation et sonn directeur Mr. Marwane Fachane, and founder of Hit Radio, and the French ambassador in Rabat, Mr. Christophe Lecourtier.

Minister Rachida Dati made the remarks while presiding the ceremony of awarding Moroccan dignitaries from the cultural Moroccan over the Music, and Fashion.
"It is a pleasure to be by your side this evening for this first moment of my trip to Morocco. I wanted this meeting to be under the sign of the arts, creation, cultural industries, entrepreneurship, and youth. I would like to thank the Hiba Foundation, which organized this evening that allows me to meet you in such a pleasant setting.” Rachida Dati stated as she introduced her speech.
“This evening gives me the opportunity to address you first, you artists, creators, cultural entrepreneurs: you are the daily actors of this extraordinary vitality of creation that drives Morocco, and this thirst for culture that brings our two countries together.” She noted

The Minister Dati highlighted the buckling Moroccan creativity, enlightening the heritage, mixing traditions and modernity “I am happy to be able to address this message of enthusiasm and admiration for your creativity in your presence, Minister, because we share the same conviction: in Morocco, as in France, to respond to the desire to create and undertake in the cultural field, ambitious public policies are needed.”
Minister Rachida Dati concluded by complimenting the Moroccan, in line with HM the King Mohammed VI, who deployed modern national cultural directives over the youth, in that matter, since he took over his father.
“I would like to commend your commitment, Minister, to multiplying the potential of the cultural sector throughout the Kingdom of Morocco, thanks to the attention that His Majesty Mohammed VI pays to cultural issues. I am thinking in particular of the planned opening of 150 cinemas, the new Maisons des Jeunes (Youth Centers), the vitality of Moroccan music and literature, or the launch under your aegis, Minister, of the Moroccan Forum of Cultural and Creative Industries." She emphasized.

FRENCH MINISTER RACHIDA DATI’S TRIP THEMED “DYNAMIC OF THE STATE VISIT OF PRESIDENT MARON ON October 2024”

The French Minister’s visit is part of the dynamics of the State visit of the President of the Republic on October 28 and 29, during which a joint declaration was signed on the "reinforced exceptional partnership" between France and Morocco as well as two agreements specific to the cultural field: a new bilateral roadmap and a letter of intent on video games.

Minister Rachida. Dati's visit layed the first foundations for the implementation of the commitments made between French and Moroccan cultural stakeholders during the State visit.
In Rabat, accompanied by a delegation of several operators from the French Ministry of Culture – National Center for Cinema and the Animated Image (CNC), National Library of France (BNF), National Audiovisual Institute (INA), French Institute (IF), National Monuments Center (CMN), National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) – the Minister will sign several bilateral agreements that will allow for the concrete launch of cooperation in the fields of cinema, gaming, archives and heritage.

Ms. DATI also travelled with her Moroccan counterpart, Mr. Medhi Bensaid, to the cities of Tarfaya, Laayoune and Dakhla (South of Morocco, Saharas’s border. There, she happened to meet various cultural, associative and educational actors that France wishes to support in their projects.
France recognized recently the Moroccan Sahara

DAY TWO- 17-19 February, 10:30 a.m, 3:30 pm, At Tarfaya, Laayoune, Dakhla (South of Morocco)
French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati continued her journey from Rabat, the capital, to southern Morocco, Laayoune and Dakhla. She said her trip was "historic" because she was going to the disputed non-autonomous territory of Western Sahara, and that she welcomed her rather unique visit because it "demonstrates that the present and future of this region are part of Moroccan sovereignty." "This is the first time that a French minister has come to the southern provinces." The Minister of Culture also announced a future French cultural center in Laayoune. (source AFP)

Western Sahara, a vast desert area, is a former Spanish colony, controlled by Morocco at around 80% but claimed for 50 years by the Polisario Front separatists, supported by Algeria. At the end of July 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron gave strong support to an autonomy plan for the territory "under Moroccan sovereignty" proposed by Rabat, breaking with the traditional French position in favor of the UN process, and causing a serious crisis with Algiers. Indeed, Emmanuel Macron, in a message addressed to King Mohammed VI, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne, affirms that "the present and future of Western Sahara are part of Moroccan sovereignty". "I therefore affirm to you the inviolability of the French position on this national security issue for your Kingdom. France intends to act in accordance with this position nationally and internationally," adds the presidential message.

DAY THREE, 19 February, 11:00, 12:45, Art Museum & Contemporary MVI-National Museum Foundation, Rabat (Capital of Morocco)

The Minister Rachida Dati, visited the Museum Modern and Contemporary MVI and the Chaïba Exhibition at the National Museum Foundation. She then visited the
Video game section at the International University of Rabat (UIR). After that, Both French and Moroccan Ministers of culture, Mrs Rachida Dati and Mr. Mehdi Bensaid, held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Culture and Youth of Morocco, and signing joint frameworks of bilateral cooperation
A joint press briefing followed this signature session, before visit of the Rabat Cinematheque at noon. The last visit of the Chellah site, a unique historic place, praised touristic site by the tourists and part of the UNESCO’s heritage. This Chellah site is the last step of Rachida Dati’s trip spent in two days Morocco, at 12:45 a.m SOURCE: French Ministry Culture, French Embassy, rabat, Morocco