Rabat – The British Moroccan Society (BMS) launched on Sunday the construction of a new learning center in Talatast, a village in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. This initiative is part of the society’s long-standing efforts to support communities in the region, particularly in the Al Haouz province, which was impacted by the 2023 earthquake.
The new learning center will serve as an important educational hub for children in the village. It will include a preschool and additional facilities to improve access to quality education for young learners.
British Ambassador to Morocco, Simon Martin, and BMS Chairman Mike Wood attended the launch event and actively participated in the festivities. The ceremony featured traditional music, dance, and cultural performances.
Martin and Wood joined locals in playing traditional instruments and expressed their appreciation for the hospitality shown by the people of Talatast.
Villagers welcomed representatives from the British Moroccan Society with warmth and enthusiasm. The event also included a visit to a local, where guests engaged with students and teachers.
Speaking to Morocco World News (MWN) at the event, Wood expressed excitement to attend the inauguration of the building of the new center. He noted that the initiative builds on the British Moroccan Society’s 15 years of support for Talatast, during which they established a smaller learning center that has benefited many children.
BMS Chairman Mike Wood (right) at the construction site
“We’ve had hundreds of children who’ve been through the predecessor, more modest learning center,” he said to MWN.
Wood expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to the initiative, including BMS members and its partners. “To the people of the village who’ve made all of this possible and have made us so, so welcome. An extremely proud moment today for all of us,” he added.
For his part, Martin talked about the strong ties between Morocco and the UK, saying that the center represents a “social collaboration between people from both of our kingdoms who respect each other and who want to support each other.”
The ambassador also expressed deep appreciation for the project and the warm reception he received in Talatast.
“But I have to say that very little can make you feel warmer about that relationship than being here in Talatas today to see the construction of a new learning center which will encompass a preschool and other learning facilities for the young people of this beautiful village in the High Atlas which has been supported, as you will see by the British Moroccan Society,” Martin told MWN.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to returning for the center’s grand opening later in the year, reiterating the UK’s long-term support for education and community development in Morocco.
The launch ceremony featuring traditional music, dance, and cultural performances.
