On the eve of Ramadan here in Rabat, Morocco, people from all different walks of life, of all different backgrounds, and with all kinds of stories, gathered at Dar el Medina to share, connect, and celebrate. The one connecting factor? Roots Academy! Roots director Youssef El Berrichi invited around 60 people to come together and share a feast before the fasting during the holy month of Ramadan begins. It was an evening filled with laughter, joy, friendship, and a celebration of the accomplishments of Roots staff, affiliates, and students alike.
to attend included continuing Roots students and staff, Roots students culminating their programs with the academy, the vice-dean of ENS and other representatives from University Mohamed the 5th, with whom Roots has recently struck up a partnership, partners from Fondation Orient-Occident, the president herself of Middlebury College, and more.
the room filled with the sounds of several languages and laughs from all corners. As everyone got to know those seated around their table, Roots’ staff was busy preparing for the ceremony and dinner ahead. After a recitation of the Holy Qur’an, Mr. El Berrichi kicked things off with a presentation on the history of the academy, sharing his own journey and all of the dedication and hard work it has taken from so many people to get Roots Academy to the place it is in now. Mr. El Berrichi introduced many of the honored invitees of the evening and expressed his gratitude for their varied contributions to the academy. The sounds of singing and the traditional instrument, the oud, concluded the first portion of the evening.
Roots Academy wouldn’t be here, so the evening’s event highlighted all of the hard work from students in many different classes. Everyone was presented with a certificate celebrating their studies to date, and the students who had concluded their final class and would unfortunately be leaving the academy were presented with a trophy of sorts, a wooden plaque with their name on behalf of Roots. Every individual student had a moment to be appreciated and honored in front of their fellow classmates.
after final remarks from Eva and Youssef El Berrichi, the courses of the dinner began rolling out! Beginning with tea and small Moroccan pastries, guests were then treated to a large salad assortment and three separate traditional dishes, including couscous, chicken, and a sweet and savory meat dish with prunes. The tajines were all placed in the middle of the table and shared between the guests, a sentiment that is indicative of broader Moroccan society, as well as, of course, the community that has been built and continues to be cultivated within the Roots Academy family.