The Belgian association “Play4Peace” held its first forum in Morocco on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at the Hiba Foundation in Rabat, under the theme “Sport and Culture as Levers for Personal and Professional Development of Youth.” The event was organized in partnership with the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME), the Belgian Embassy in Morocco, the Hiba Foundation, and the Moroccan National Olympic Committee (CNOM).
Representing the CCME, Ms. Ghislaine El Abid, highlighted the significance of this initiative, particularly through the impact of athletes of Moroccan origin on the ties between their host countries and their country of origin.
Ms El Abid, emphasized the importance of studying how the actions and discourse of these public figures “promote intercultural dialogue, reduce stereotypes, and advance messages of peace and unity.” She then mentioned “some emblematic figures” such as Moroccan international footballer Achraf Hakimi and Ibtissam Bouharat, a professional female boxer in Belgium and one of the first women of immigrant background to join a Belgian professional club.
“These high-level athletes can serve as role models for younger generations and help in combating stereotypes. Their voices—and their paths—are heard,” she added. “International competitions can also be described as bilateral cooperation that strengthens not only the bonds between peoples but also between countries,” she affirmed.
Addressing the dimension of empowerment that these dynamics can catalyze, Ghislaine El Abid gave the example of Moroccan-born boxer Ilhame Raguig, a four-time world champion, three-time European champion, and 13-time French champion. “She has also founded a foundation to defend and protect women’s rights against gender-based discrimination and all forms of discrimination in a broader sense,” she explained.
“In the case of Ilham Raguig, it’s not just a message of defending rights, peace, or dialogue, but also a personal fight at a deeply significant and symbolic moment, during which she battles a cancer recurrence. It’s a message of hope and victory, added Ghislaine El Abid.
According to the organizers, this forum “is part of the new integrated vision for development for the benefit of Moroccan youth. It aims to strengthen cooperation between Belgium and the Kingdom of Morocco in the fields of sport and culture, and create a bridge of solidarity through sport and culture between Belgium—particularly Brussels—and Morocco to promote young talents.”
With Yabiladi
