On the occasion of the opening of the 10th International Festival of Cinema and Common Memory of Nador (FICMEC), Najat Vallaud-Belkacem returned to her origins, to the city where she was born and grew up until she was 5 years old. , before flying to France.
The Festival of Cinema and Common Memory of Nador paid tribute, Tuesday, November 16, to the former French Minister of National Education, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, who received the International Prize ” Memory for Democracy and Peace“. A moving moment for this lawyer by profession, who did not fail to thank the organizers of the festival.
” I have the impression of reliving my whole life, that it was still yesterday that I was in the Rif mountains, a little girl running behind her older sister. It is a lot of emotion to come back to these moments that have built me. Because even if we go to other countries, we leave a little of our heart here. I would like to thank the festival organizers very much for having considered that I could be legitimate to receive this Democracy and Peace Prize. The latter, which can only be established in the world by ensuring better sharing of wealth, because it is inequality that creates frustration, resentment and unhappiness.“, Declared Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.
During his stay in Nador, the former French minister visited several schools in the region which were founded by the “Wahdzma” Association (Yes we can – oui on can). Questioned by MoroccoLatestNews, the one who was also Minister of Women’s Rights and spokesperson for the government in the government of Jean-Marc Ayrault, expressed her joy to return to her hometown and her origins, and spoke about the situation of national education in Morocco.
“I am very happy to be here. As you know I am from this region where I was born, where I grew up until the age of 5 before joining France, where I worked and held positions of responsibility, in particular Minister of National Education. And since I’m back in my home region, I absolutely wanted to see schools. But I also wanted to see schools open to everyone, which are free. I know that education is sometimes expensive. And I am for free education, ”she said.
Visiting a school set up by the “Wahdzma” Association, and which offers language courses, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem expressed his support for this initiative at the microphone of MoroccoLatestNews, insisting on the importance of learning languages. languages from an early age.
“We are here in a school that offers French and English language courses in particular, free of charge, every week for the benefit of children. I find it absolutely extraordinary. I hope they can develop further and that there will be other schools like this that will develop, ”she said.
And to add: “Today, I think that learning a living foreign language is really essential for children, and that it can be learned from a young age. It is when we are little that we manage to catch the sounds, the language. It will be very important for their future professional life regardless of the profession they exercise. Today we must know how to speak, either French, English, German, or whatever. But you have to have a language other than your native language. I hope all these children I have met will hold on, learn well and succeed in their lives.
Morocco’s great strength is its people, especially its youth
Former French Minister of National Education, from 2014 to 2017, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem held several positions of responsibility in France. She was Deputy Mayor of Lyon (2008-2013), then Vice-President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council, General Councilor of Rhône (2008-2014), Spokesperson for the French government (2012-2014), before d ” occupy for the first time the post of Minister of Women’s, City, Youth and Sports Rights (2012-2016).
Born in Béni Chiker, in Nador in 1977, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem left Morocco very early, but did not take his eyes off her origins or the evolution of her native country.
“In general, I see that Morocco is obviously making progress. On many subjects that I knew in my childhood, things are better today than then, including for example, land use planning. You see how the city of Nador has changed. There are much larger investments being made in many areas that were once very rural areas.s, ”she said.
On the issue of Education in Morocco, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem believes “that there is better in this area too. But, unfortunately, everyone still recognizes today that children in rural areas are not doing the things they would like to do. Sometimes it’s private education that costs money that their families don’t have, ”she noted. That said, the lawyer considered that the ” Morocco’s great strength remains its population, especially its youth “.
” We must not doubt that. There are several countries in the North that dream of having a young population. Countries which, for their part, are aging and which will run out of manpower. And which will therefore also lack heads, intelligence, innovation and creativity. And so, when you are in a country like this (Morocco), with this youth, you have to invest in it. And I believe that it is the royal will, thing which is very good She said.
To conclude, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said that he was ” very favorable to the national human development initiative (INDH) “, Considering that”all of this is going in the right direction, always doing more, to ensure that our children do long studies, research, innovate, set up businesses and find a job ”.
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