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Rabat – Yassin Adnan, Moroccan writer and broadcaster born in Safi, is well known for hosting multiple national and international TV shows. His most notable show among Moroccan viewers is “Masharif,” a cultural show which aired on Morocco’s state broadcasting service (SNRT).
In 2019, he began presenting a show on the Arabic-speaking TV channel “Al Ghad” called “Bayt Yassin.” He has also participated in the organization of various book activities in Morocco such as the Regional Book Fair and the French book festival “Le Festival du Livre de Marrakech”
The Moroccan writer spoke at the UK Consulate General in Casablanca on October 12, to express his fondness of books, literature and culture, as well as to announce his participation in the Marrakech English Book Festival scheduled for November 26 to 28.
Hosted by the British Business Association (BBA) and the British Moroccan Society (BMS), the festival is a celebration of Marrakech and Morocco as an inspiration for all genres of books published in the English language.
The festival comprises a series of events, which include discussions, interviews with invited authors, children’s book events, and cooking demonstrations and lessons from culinary authors.
Adnan grew up in Marrakech and considers the city as his home. During his speech, he expresses his eagerness to be part of the festival, a celebration of literature and books that will bring him face to face with renowned authors in the heart of his hometown.
He has written books of poetry, short story collections, and works of nonfiction, including a study on Fatima Mernissi, in which he pays tribute to the highly esteemed sociologist, artist and activist.
“Fatima Mernissi’s multidimensional personality is not easy to present or describe. Through this study, I was able to successfully shed light on the different aspects of the writer’s identity. We must consider this woman away from any reductive stereotypes,” said the Moroccan writer.
His debut novel “Hot Maroc,” written in Arabic and published in 2016, follows the story of Rahal, a shy and reserved character who finds power in attacking and terrorizing people online, and is later forced to use his wicked talent to post fake news and rumors on the powerful e-journal Hot Maroc.
The intriguing story, which is set in Marrakech, is a metaphor of the new Moroccan society that has been progressively emerging since the digital revolution. Through his book, Yassin Adnan brilliantly denounces political elites who are preventing Morocco from reaching its full democratic promise.
“In Morocco, we also had a real electronic mafia which was able to gain a lot of power, the account “Hamza mon bb,” which was at the origin of the leak of many photos and videos that aim to attack and bully celebrities,” explained the author during an interview with the French media outlet Le Point.
During his speech at the British Consulate, Adnan also voiced his contentment regarding the rapid growth of the English-speaking community in Morocco, as young Moroccans are progressively seeing the English language as a key skill to access education and career and cultural opportunities.
“Twenty years ago, it was not evident for us to find ourselves able to communicate with our natives in English, whereas today more and more people are eager and willing to embrace the English language,” Adnan said.
