Mohamed Chafik
Encyclopedia
Mohamed Chafik is a Moroccan writer and specialist in Berber
language and literature.
Chafik is also considered as one of the major figures in the Moroccan Amazigh Movement. He taught at university, participated in many conferences about the Amazigh case and wrote many books. He is also known as the author and first signer of the 2000 Amazigh Manifesto in which he and thousands of Amazigh activists demanded, from the Moroccan government, the official recognition of the Amazigh language as a national and official language of the kingdom.
Since 1980 he has been a member of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco.
In 2001, Chafik was appointed by the Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, to be the first rector
of the newly created Royal Institute of the Amazigh Culture
. He accepted the job but refused to receive any salary for it.
Chafik is also a member of the Moroccan advisory council on human rights.
In 2002 Chafik received the Principal Award (Laureate) from the Prince Claus Fund
for his academic achievements.
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
language and literature.
Career
He is the author of a Berber-Arabic dictionary (3 volumes).Chafik is also considered as one of the major figures in the Moroccan Amazigh Movement. He taught at university, participated in many conferences about the Amazigh case and wrote many books. He is also known as the author and first signer of the 2000 Amazigh Manifesto in which he and thousands of Amazigh activists demanded, from the Moroccan government, the official recognition of the Amazigh language as a national and official language of the kingdom.
Since 1980 he has been a member of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco.
In 2001, Chafik was appointed by the Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, to be the first rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the newly created Royal Institute of the Amazigh Culture
Royal institute of the Amazigh culture
The Royal institute of the Amazigh culture is an academic institute of the Moroccan government in charge with the development and the promotion of the Berber languages of Morocco....
. He accepted the job but refused to receive any salary for it.
Chafik is also a member of the Moroccan advisory council on human rights.
Awards
He received the chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 1972.In 2002 Chafik received the Principal Award (Laureate) from the Prince Claus Fund
Prince Claus Awards
The Prince Claus Fund was inaugurated in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of The Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs....
for his academic achievements.
External links
- Interview with Mohamed Chafik in TelQuel-Online by Driss Ksikes (in French): "L'Islam prône la Laïcité" http://www.telquel-online.com/181/sujet2.shtml
- Aitsadden.com http://www.aitsadden.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=135&Itemid=96
- http://www.tawalt.com/monthly.cfm
- twaiza.ifrance.com
See also
- Royal Institute of the Amazigh CultureRoyal institute of the Amazigh cultureThe Royal institute of the Amazigh culture is an academic institute of the Moroccan government in charge with the development and the promotion of the Berber languages of Morocco....
- Berber mythologyBerber mythologyThe traditional Berber mythology is the ancient and native set of beliefs and deities developed by the Berber people in their historical land of North Africa...