Organized in December 2008, the “Encounters with Moroccan women from near and far” was the first illustration of this approach, and has since become an eagerly-awaited event, with over 400 participants from more than twenty countries taking part in 2008 and 2009. For the third edition of these meetings, the CCME decided to organize regional meetings with Moroccan women from around the world, to get closer to the specificities of each region: in Europe, where the meeting took place on December 18 and 19, 2010 in Brussels, and in the Americas, where the meeting was organized on May 14 and 15, 2011 in Montreal.

The international meeting on Moroccan retirees, held in May 2009, in partnership with twelve retirees’ associations, and the First Forum of Young Moroccans from around the world, organized with the Ministry Delegate in charge of the Moroccan community abroad (Ifrane, July 27-28, 2010), are all events designed to take into account the growing diversification of the Moroccan population.

Convinced of the extent of the cultural expectations of immigrants, and in particular of the younger generation, CCME contributes to strengthening Morocco’s cultural offering by publishing music CDs, translating and publishing works by Moroccan authors from abroad, supporting cultural events organized by Moroccan associations, promoting the presence of Moroccan artists from abroad at various festivals in Morocco, supporting the presence of Moroccan artists from abroad at international fairs, etc.

The CCME also helped mount four exhibitions on the history of immigration, which were presented in ten Moroccan towns and cities, particularly in the main emigration areas, after their circulation in Europe. An exhibition on relations between Morocco and Europe since the 11th century was presented in Brussels, Rabat and Antwerp, before a stopover at Paris’ Hôtel de Ville in September 2011.

In February 2012, the CCME was present for the fourth year running at the Salon international de l’édition et du livre (SIEL) in Casablanca, in a joint stand with the Conseil de la concurrence, the Conseil national des droits de l’Homme and the Instance centrale de prévention de la corruption. The four institutions wanted to celebrate with the public and exhibitors this great popular festival of culture and citizenship.
A partner of the Conseil consultatif des droits de l’Homme in 2009, CCME paid tribute in 2010, with its partners the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry in charge of the Moroccan Community Living Abroad, to Moroccan writers from around the world, guests of honor at the 16th edition of SIEL. In 2011, for the 17th edition of SIEL, the theme of the CCME stand was “Literatures – Migrations – Mediterranean”.
In the same spirit of strengthening Morocco’s cultural offering, the Council took part in the Salon du livre de Maghreb de Montréal in March 2011. It took part in the 26th edition of the Geneva International Book and Press Fair in April 2012, at which Morocco was guest of honor. Then, in the last quarter of 2012, CCME took part in DABA Maroc, Morocco’s cultural and civic season in the French Community of Belgium and Brussels.

The fact that populations of Muslim faith and culture are taking root in Europe raises unprecedented issues. The Council has launched an in-depth study of the issue by organizing three international symposia: in Fez (The legal status of Islam in Europe, March 2009), in Casablanca (Islam in Europe: what model? June 2009) and in Strasbourg in partnership with the General Secretariat of the Council of Europe (Islam in Europe: management training, religious education and teaching of religious facts, March 2010). These colloquia bring together European academics, representatives of public authorities and Muslim associations. Four agreements have been signed with specialized Moroccan academic institutions, and close partnerships are underway with similar European institutions.

Believing that the development of relevant public policies capable of keeping pace with changes in emigration requires the establishment of a national research agenda, the Council has carried out several actions in this field. It has supported scientific colloquia organized in Morocco by Moroccan research teams, organized an international colloquium on language learning in immigration, another on new paradigms in the social sciences on immigration, signed agreements with several Moroccan universities and the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco (in partnership with the MCMRE) with a view to opening documentation centers there, and so on. CCME is also working towards the creation of a national research fund on emigration.

Two surveys have been carried out, the latest in partnership with MCMRE, on the expectations of Moroccans in Europe.

To fulfill its dual role as a consultative and forward-looking institution, CCME carries out a series of studies on Moroccan public policies, as well as on international migration dynamics and the debates they generate, both in Morocco and in countries of residence. At the same time, and thanks to the involvement of observer members, a number of hearings have been held with the main departments and institutions – public and private – concerned with migration issues. Seminars and colloquia were organized on various issues related to the Council’s mission (Moroccan athletes, Moroccan journalists, the contribution of Moroccan associations abroad to co-development, the impact of the economic crisis on Moroccan migrants in Spain and Italy, illegal migrants in Morocco, etc.).

CCME also pursues a policy of follow-up and partnership with international institutions involved in reflection and action in the field of immigration.

In March 2009, CCME organized the First International Meeting of Emigration Councils. The meeting resulted in the creation of a liaison committee and a secretariat provided by CCME. The second meeting is scheduled to take place in Spain. The meeting provided an opportunity for a wide-ranging exchange of experience in the field of citizen participation by émigrés. A study presenting international experiences in this field was drafted by the CCME research team. The Dahir establishing the Council entrusts it with the task of drawing up opinions on the composition of the future Council and on the modalities of participation by Moroccan émigrés in the democratic life of the nation. The preparation of these opinions is to be preceded by a wide-ranging consultation process, which the Council is required to carry out with stakeholders from Moroccan communities abroad, political players and the institutions concerned in Morocco itself.

The organization of a seminar on constitutional reforms on June 18 and 19, 2011 in Casablanca, the day after His Majesty the King’s speech announcing the July 1 referendum, has enriched the debate on the citizenship of Moroccans living abroad.
The seminar provided an opportunity to present two ground-breaking studies. The first is entitled “Representation and political participation of citizens living abroad: an overview of national experiences. Modalities and limits”. The second is a comparative study of the place given to immigration and expatriate communities in the constitution of the country of origin. It covered 45 countries.

Convinced of the need to amplify the contribution of Moroccan skills abroad to Morocco’s development, CCME has organized several meetings with dozens of highly qualified Moroccan executives (Montreal, Barcelona, Toulouse, Lyon, etc.). In March 2010, in partnership with the MCMRE, it organized a seminar on the contribution of Moroccans around the world to the debate on the National Charter for the Environment, with over fifty Moroccan experts living abroad.

An international seminar on the contribution of Moroccan skills around the world was held in Rabat in March 2012. The seminar was an opportunity to present the results of a ground-breaking study carried out by CCME on public policies and associative actions to mobilize skills undertaken in Morocco over the last twenty years.