Jerusalem.. Inauguration of the Official Headquarters of the Chair of Moroccan Studies at Al-Quds University

Yesterday, Tuesday, at the headquarters of the Faculty of Engineering at Al-Quds University – Abu Dis, the official headquarters of the Chair of Moroccan Studies was inaugurated, in the presence of official and academic figures, led by the University President, Prof. Hanna Abdul Nour, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Palestine, Abdul Rahim Meziane, the Acting Director of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency, Mohamed Salem Al-Sharqawi, and the Chair's President, Dr. Safa Nasser Eddin.
This inauguration embodies the transition of the Chair's work from the establishment phase to the phase of institutional and knowledge empowerment, where on this occasion, summaries of the professors and students participating in the first research call of the Chair of Moroccan Studies were presented, addressing historical, cultural, architectural, and artistic axes related to the Moroccan presence in Jerusalem and its civilizational manifestations, within a specialized academic discussion, framed by the members of the Chair's scientific committee.
On this occasion, the President of Al-Quds University expressed his pride in opening the official headquarters of the Chair of Moroccan Studies within the university campus, confirming that this headquarters constitutes a distinctive aesthetic and architectural addition, and 'a valuable symbolic gift from Morocco to Palestine'.
Mr. Abdul Nour pointed out that the importance of the Chair lies in 'its documentary and academic role in studying the dimensions of the historical and urban Moroccan presence in Jerusalem, preserving the shared memory, and enhancing specialized scientific research in this field'.
For his part, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the State of Palestine expressed his happiness at participating in the opening of the official headquarters of the Chair of Moroccan Studies at Al-Quds University, appreciating the university's hosting of this unique academic project.
Mr. Meziane confirmed that allocating an official headquarters for the Chair represents 'an important step in consolidating its institutional presence, recalling that this Chair was born from the womb of the deep-rooted historical relationship that unites Morocco with Palestine, and embodies one of the forms of deep Moroccan solidarity with Jerusalem and the steadfastness of its people, especially in light of the symbolism of the Moroccan Quarter and the Moroccan Gate and the ancient Moroccan presence in the city'.
In turn, the Acting Director of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency confirmed that Al-Quds University's hosting of the Chair of Moroccan Studies 'provided it with a comprehensive academic and institutional framework that ensures its success and sustainability'.
Mr. Al-Sharqawi explained that the Agency, which operates under the supervision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, President of the Al-Quds Committee, views education and scientific research as 'a fundamental pillar for protecting identity and supporting social stability'.
From her side, the President of the Chair of Moroccan Studies confirmed that the opening of the official headquarters of the Chair 'does not mean opening an administrative space only, but consolidating a long-term scientific and knowledge path, aimed at producing knowledge, preserving memory, and building deep research questions in the context of the Moroccan-Palestinian relationship, with Jerusalem at its heart'.
Ms. Nasser Eddin pointed out that since its establishment, the Chair 'was built as a sustainable knowledge project, not limited to studying the Moroccan presence in Jerusalem and Palestine, but starting from a broader vision concerned with the Moroccan experience in its civilizational and knowledge dimensions, with special focus on the Moroccan presence in Jerusalem as a living model of the Moroccans' contribution to protecting the city's identity, urbanism, and cultural memory'.
It is noted that the opening of the official headquarters of the Chair of Moroccan Studies comes as a culmination of a foundational academic path that began in March 2025, and constitutes a institutional base for implementing the Chair's future plan, enhancing its research presence within Al-Quds University, and consolidating the Moroccan-Palestinian academic space as a living space for producing knowledge and preserving shared memory.