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Rabat – The Moroccan publisher and vice president of the Federation of Cultural and Creative Industries (FICC), and former president of Raja Sports Club, Abdelkader Retnani, passed away on the evening of November 13 at the age of 78.
Born in Casablanca in 1945, the deceased was a book lover who founded the “Crossroads” publishing house in 1980.
He was also the founding president of the Moroccan Association of Book Professionals and vice president of the FICC of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), in addition to organizing numerous book fairs in Morocco and abroad.
In mourning his death, the head of the FICC, Neila Tazi, said that the cultural and sports world had lost “a man who was passionate about life and work,” stressing that he was characterized by “great commitment, which allowed him to devote most of his energy to professional and union activities.”
In a statement to SNRTnews, Tazi added that the deceased “was determined to make the voice of professionals in the cultural and creative industries sector heard, especially writers.”
According to Tazi, Retnani persisted in emphasizing how vital it is that libraries be constructed in every city, and she went on to say that he will leave behind “amazing” works for libraries and a “significant gap” in the cultural landscape.
In addition to his love of books, Retnani also had a great passion for sports, as he led the Raja Sports Club between 1984 and 1989, a period that marked a milestone in the history of the Casablanca-based club.
On their Facebook page, the club also expressed their heartfelt condolences to his family and to the entire staff within the club.
Read also: Moroccans, Football Community Mourn Loss of Wydad’s Oussama Falouh
