The Chinese Cultural Center in Rabat has launched a series of programs to celebrate Chinese Culture Week. The event highlights Morocco’s and China’s growing friendship and raises awareness for China’s “Belt and Road Initiative.” The program is at the heart of China’s mission to open cultural centers around the world. The cultural space in Rabat is the 36th and newest center. It was inaugurated in the Agdal district of Rabat on December 18th, 2018.
The week-long event started on June 21, 2019, with a shadow puppet workshop for children and is called “China Beyond Your Imagination.” Similar to other Chinese centers, Rabat’s will host a program inclusive of art exhibitions, shows, lectures, and forums. The aim is to promote the cross-cultural exchange between Morocco and China.
The cultural center has an exhibition hall, theater, and classrooms for language, painting, music, and dance. The library hosts more than 300 books donated by the China International Publishing Group (CIPG). The Group would like Moroccans to access free books and discover Chinese culture in their language. “We hope the China Cultural Center in Rabat will play a major role in promoting communication between the two peoples under the Belt and Road Initiative,” said cultural liaison Li Jinzao.
“We hope the China Cultural Center in Rabat will play a major role in promoting communication between the two peoples under the Belt and Road Initiative,” said cultural liaison Li Jinzao.
In the past few years, China and Morocco have been featured in the news for their continued collaboration and partnership. In 2016, Morocco opened the doors for Chinese visitors to enter Morocco without an official visa. The move inspired airline companies to offer direct flights between Bejing or Shangai to Casablanca. An agreement to establish Chinese institutes in Morocco was also discussed.
The Confucius Institute of Language and cultural center opened in Tangier in March 2017. The Belt and Road Studies was approved to be built by northwest China’s Ningxia University and Morocco’s University of Hassan I. Additionally, a decision to launch Tangier Tech in March 2017, a $1 billion dollar project between Morocco and China was consummated. The move aims to create a smart city by 2027. The plan will include hosting 200 Chinese companies.
China and Morocco also signed a MAD 140 million contract on March 19th, 2019 to finance joint public projects together. Given China and Europe have a strong trading relationship, the move to work with Morocco is forward thinking and strategic.