Brussels exhibit celebrates 60 years of Moroccan immigration

The inauguration of the traveling exhibition «Belgica Biladi: a Belgian-Moroccan history» took place on Thursday, May 16, in the Belgian capital. Organized by the Free University of Brussels (ULB), the exhibition commemorates 60 years of Moroccan immigration to Belgium.

The exhibition is divided into four distinct themes spread across different locations in downtown Brussels: the Boulevard Anspach, the Ravenstein Gallery, its Rotonde, and the Parc Royal. The first theme explores the involvement of Belgian-Moroccans in Belgian society, highlighting their active participation in fields such as politics, culture, and civil society.

The second theme depicts the cultural richness of Morocco, through its artistic and culinary manifestations. The third theme is dedicated to testimonials from people from the Moroccan diaspora, «representative of the community». The final theme looks at the «formal history» of Moroccan immigration.

«At a time when the extreme right is on the rise, we hope this exhibition will deconstruct stereotypes. All the people we've put forward are spreaders of optimism», says the exhibition's general curator, Ahmed Medhoune, quoted by RTL.

Visitors have until July 21, 2024 to enjoy the exhibition in Belgian public places. After that, it will migrate to the Solbosch campus at ULB, then embark on a tour across Belgium, before concluding its journey in Morocco, from Tangier to Casablanca.