Rabat – Forbes Middle East released on Tuesday its first-ever Arab 30 Under 30 list, with two Moroccans making the cut.
Forbes’ list includes Moroccan illustrator Karim Adduchi, who was born in Imzouren in the province of Al Hoceima. Adduchi, according to a brief biography provided by Forbes, moved to Barcelona, Spain in 1988 at the age of five. While he was unable to speak Spanish or Catalan, “Adduchi turned to drawing as a means of self-expression.”
The 29-year-old painter and fashion designer attended the Institute of Fine Arts in Barcelona. The artist then moved to Amsterdam in 2011 in order to pursue his education.
In 2015, Adduchi graduated with a “striking collection” of art, called “She Knows Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
The second Moroccan who made the list is Charif Hamidi, a 28-year old entrepreneur, who founded Education 4.0 (Ed4.0). According to Forbes, Hamidi founded his NGO, which is headquartered in Morocco with an office in Dubai, in 2016.
“Ed4.0 uses the technology and the Internet to help educate underprivileged children and youth without charging any fee,” according to Forbes.
Hamidi’s educational business consists of 45 teachers, varying from community members to researchers to university students.
The 28-year old entrepreneur holds a degree in finance economics from Park University in Parkville, Missouri.
In 2015, Hamidi was named a ‘Shaper’ at the World Economic Forum.
The list unveils a “dynamic mix of social entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, celebrities, and intellectuals,” according to a statement by Forbes Middle East.
The communiqué added that “the list was compiled with nominations received by Forbes Middle East from young entrepreneurs based in the Arab world, as well as from under-30 leaders with Arab origins featured in the U.S. and European Forbes editions.”
