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Oujda is a historic city in eastern Morocco known for its rich cultural heritage, diversity, and spirit of coexistence. Located near the Moroccan-Algerian border, the city has long served as a crossroads of cultures, trade, and dialogue between North Africa and the Mediterranean. With a population of more than half a million residents, Oujda is home to vibrant civil society organizations, youth initiatives, and academic institutions that promote social cohesion, intercultural dialogue, and peaceful coexistence. The community values hospitality, solidarity, and mutual respect. Through this initiative, Oujda seeks to strengthen a culture of peace by encouraging civic engagement, youth leadership, human rights education, and community dialogue. The City of Peace designation will support local efforts to enhance safety, prosperity, and quality of life while celebrating Oujda’s traditions of tolerance and cooperation.
Like many cities, Oujda (Oriental Region, Morocco; pop. 500,000+) faces youth unemployment, social inequality, and low civic participation. Our community transforms these via peaceful dialogue, education, and collaboration. Local initiatives by Youth for Peace & Dialogue Between Cultures promote youth programs, cultural exchange, human rights advocacy, and intercommunity cooperation—empowering youth as peace ambassadors. Vision: Establish Oujda as North Africa's regional center for peace, dialogue, and human rights education. Mission: Promote peacebuilding fostering cooperation, nonviolence, intercultural dialogue, and engagement among residents. Goals: - Promote human rights awareness and peace education. - Encourage youth leadership/volunteerism for peace. - Strengthen intercultural/community dialogue. - Support initiatives improving safety, prosperity, quality of life. - Build partnerships with national/international peace networks.
The Oujda City of Peace initiative, based in Oujda, Oriental Region, Morocco (pop. 500,000+), aims to strengthen peace culture, human rights, and cooperation through practical actions led by Youth for Peace & Dialogue Between Cultures. We promote peace education and human rights awareness in schools, universities, community spaces reaching 50,000+ youth for engagement and civic responsibility. We organize dialogues, workshops, cultural events fostering respect, intercultural understanding, social cohesion. The program supports volunteerism, youth leadership in nonviolence, community service, local development. Partnerships with civil society, educators, institutions coordinate peacebuilding and participation. Artistic projects celebrate Morocco's diversity/heritage. Oujda enhances safety, prosperity, quality of life, resilience, and lasting peace.
Youth for Peace and Dialogue Between Cultures – Local youth-led organization promoting intercultural dialogue and civic engagement. Oujda Human Rights Association – Works on human rights awareness, legal aid, and advocacy in the Oriental region. Oriental Region Cultural Forum – Promotes cultural exchange, arts, and festivals to strengthen community cohesion. University of Mohammed First, Oujda – Peace & Civic Engagement Club – Engages students in peace education, volunteerism, and social initiatives. Moroccan Network for Human Rights Education – National network supporting local projects on human rights education and youth empowerment.
Zakaria El Hamel is a dedicated human rights and peace activist from Oujda, Morocco, with extensive experience in grassroots peacebuilding, youth engagement, and community development. He has led initiatives promoting dialogue between cultures and religions, human rights awareness, and social cohesion throughout the region. Zakaria has organized workshops, educational programs, and public campaigns that empower youth and local communities to participate actively in creating a peaceful and inclusive society. His work emphasizes collaboration with civil society, educators, and cultural leaders to address social challenges, strengthen community resilience, and promote nonviolence. Recognized nationally for his commitment, Zakaria’s efforts aim to connect local initiatives with global networks, fostering sustainable peace and inspiring civic participation in Morocco and beyond.
Yes, I approve the guidelines for an International City of Peace and will provide four or more additional approved signatures of community Peace Team members (see next registration field). "A culture of peace is a set of values, attitudes, traditions and modes of behavior and ways of life based on respect for life, ending of violence and promotion and practice of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation. Tenets include: Full respect for and promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; Commitment to peaceful settlement of conflicts; Efforts to meet the developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations; Respect for and promotion of the right to development; Respect for and promotion of equal rights and opportunities for women and men; Respect for and promotion of the right of everyone to freedom of expression, opinion and information; Adherence to the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations; and fostered by an enabling national and international environment conducive to peace." In addition, the Golden Rule - "Do for others as you would have them do for you" -- provides a unity proposition for personal, local and global peace.
Note: If information or photos used here are copyrighted, please contact us and we will immediately delete the copyrighted material. Cities of Peace, Inc. is not responsible, and does not condone the actions or solicitations of independent member Cities of Peace or their members profiled on this website. Please inquire if there is a concern. ® International Cities of Peace is a registered trademark of Cities of Peace, Inc. Trademarks include Inspire Peace™, City-to-City Collaboration Program™, ICP Corporate Connect, and Rotarianism for Cities of Peace™. Safety, Prosperity, and Quality of Life: the Consensus Values of Peace (cc) by J. Frederick Arment is licensed under Creative Commons BY 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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