In 1990, Mr.
Samrhouni, himself a former player for the Wydad Athletic Club in Casablanca
from 1966 to 1979, created The Washington Athletic Club (WAC) in Washington DC,
the first soccer team to recruit Moroccans studying and living in the United
States, and that competes in the Washington International Soccer League and
includes more than 180 licensed players which have competed within its ranks in
the last twenty years. Starting in 2004 and for five occasions, Mr. Samrhouni
took his soccer team to Morocco, Agadir 2004, Tangier 2005, Marrakech 2006,
Safi 2007, and Agadir 2008 where it participated in the Atlas Cup; it was also
4 time champion of the 1st division championship at the WISL in 1995, 1996,
1998, 2000, and ongoing 2008, and won the double Terrill cup in USA. The Washington Athletic Club (WAC) would also
evolve into a social club, a venue for Moroccans to share and celebrate their
values and culture and to demonstrate their integration and admiration for
their new adoptive land.
The idea of
an active Moroccan-American community network in the United States began in
1990 when Mr. Samrhouni founded The Washington Moroccan Club (WMC), the first
Moroccan-American organization of its kind to sponsor intercultural, social,
business, political and sporting events to promote bilateral relations and to
serve the Moroccan community residing within the United States. As a result, he spearheaded a number of
significant events, including the First Moroccan Festival in May 1992, a 7-day
program which featured a number of prominent speakers such as H.E. Ambassador
Mohammed Belkhiyat, the Hon. Robert Neumann (Director, Middle East Program
CSIS), and Dr. Philip Schyler (Researcher for the UNESCO), artists including
Jil Jilala, who came to celebrate their 20th anniversary, as well as showings
of two of the best Moroccan movies at the time (Fire Drums" film by
Souhiel Ben Berka and Badis" film by Abderrahman Tazi ).
Mr.
Samrhouni also organized Magical Morocco: from the Sahara to the Sea in October
2004, a festival which attracted more than 3500 people from all around the
United States and was featured in The Washington Post , America.gov, and The
Washington File. These and many other
events have earned him a reputation of a manager, coordinator, as well as
leader with a vision and savoir-faire when it comes to Moroccan
community-related issues.
Mr.
Samrhouni philanthropic actions have made him a trustworthy source of
assistance and comfort for local Moroccans.
He has placed a high value on all issues involving and impacting the
Moroccan community and, as such, has been called upon to assist and attend to
personal issues ranging from raising money for Moroccans’ scholarships to job
placements and funeral arrangements. He has also been key in celebrating, and
thus maintaining, the unique culture and identity of his community by
organizing events to commemorate religious (Ramadan, Ed Al Adha, Eid Al Fitr,
Eil Al Mawlid) and national (Fete du Trone, Fete de l’Independence, Marche,
Verte) identity of Morocco.
He has also
proven to be an invaluable asset in the defense of Morocco’s national cause and
continues to be committed to and involved in supporting Morocco’s political
image abroad with the area’s decision makers and key players with whom he has
established strong and meaningful relationships. While this role has made his
area of involvement more extensive and demanding, it has also made him a
credible and efficient player and leader in this community. As a result, he was able to rally the
community in 2005 when it staged a sit-in before the Algerian embassy in
Washington DC to denounce the hostile attitudes of the Algerian officials
concerning the Moroccanness of the Sahara. He also hosted town hall meetings
for the community such as the one with the late Driss Benzekri and Mr. Ahmed
Harzani, head of the Advisory Council for Human Rights, an opportunity to
elaborate on the accomplishments of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; as
well as another to welcome the former Moroccan prisoners of war.
Furthermore,
he was instrumental in giving the community significant weight and say with
area politicians by rallying its efforts and encouraging its involvement in
local and national U.S. politics. Hence, its hosting of a reception for newly
elected Mayor Adrian Fenty, who highly commended Morocco on its positive
contribution to the Washington DC area and expressed his full commitment to
supporting the community in the US federal capital; and its participation in
political fundraisers for both republican (Senator Chuck Hagel) and democratic
hopefuls (Governor Bill Richardson and Senator Hillary Clinton) in the
Presidential elections. Mr. Samrhouni is
also representing the Moroccan-American community amongst Arab Americans at
large through his involvement in "Yalla vote”, a campaign launched by the
Arab American Institute (AAI) and aimed at communicating a clear and succinct
Arab American agenda to the eventual Democratic and Republican presidential
nominees.
WMC 20/20
Following
its successful month of 20 Moroccan-American related events (WMC 20 years /20
events”) in March 2010 in Washington, D.C. Mr. Samrhouni is called the
Moroccan-American community to action and invited their participation in
organization and identification of participants. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the
founding of the Club, the 20/20 events captivated the Moroccan-American
community and the Washington, D.C. policy community with programs on social,
political, cultural and recreational topics in distinguished venues throughout
Washington, D.C. (including major academic institutions) and received extensive
coverage in local and Moroccan media.
This time the approach was national and
mobile. The WMC proposes to generate
events in selective locales throughout the states, sparked by a recreational
vehicle or traveling museum, which, in effect, has created a Moroccan exposition on the road in a mobile conference. The project, which operated through a
network of Moroccan-American organizations, contemplated organizations in
selected states with Moroccan-American communities which sponsored events
relevant to Moroccan-American themes.
The events were complemented or sat off by the arrival of the vehicle
which itself contained exhibits on key issues relevant to Moroccan-Americans. Themes
under consideration for the mobile conference include those addressed in the
20/20 events and more. (The events
were held in the various communities
with different themes so long as they
are of importance to Moroccans and Moroccan-Americans ultimately were decided by the local communities.) Subjects of the 20/20 events included, among
others, the following: women’s empowerment in Morocco, with its successes and
challenges; Amazigh culture and advances, including the establishment of the
royal commission to promote them; present and historical Moroccan-United States
relations, going back to their harmonious 18th century origins; Morocco at the
movies, including its extensive past and current involvement in cinema; media
in Morocco, including the importance of freedom of the press and journalistic
responsibility; the promotion of interfaith dialogue; and Moroccan culture and
crafts.
The 20/20
events also built in the concept of mobility inherent to and forecasting the
mobile conference. Although most of the 20/20 events were in fixed locations,
an exhibit of Saharan art and culture, including music and dance, traveled
between two internationally known locations where thousands of passers-by were
provided an opportunity to learn and participate, first in Washington, D.C.’s
DuPont Circle, a major intersection of some several major avenues located in
the heart of the city in the middle of the workday, and then next to the
Smithsonian Institution, a renowned international tourist center visited by
millions a year. At both locations, the
exhibits were in a large goatskin nomad tent.
Mr.
Samrhouni is the recipient of prestigious awards notably the Wissam of National
Merit granted by the late King Hassan II in 1995 for his promotion of culture,
society and sports. As well as been appointed as an Ambassador of goodwill by
the Mayor of city of jersey city, NJ. And the first Moroccan American recipient
of “Key to the City “Jersey city, New Jersey
His popularity and involvement have made him a
guest on various television and talk shows including PBS, NBC, Al JAZEERA, ANA,
2M, and RTM. He is married to Aicha
Bensaid and is the father of two beautiful girls, Abla, and Kanza.
For more
detailed information on Mr. Hassan Samrhouni and the Washington Moroccan
American Club, please visit www.washingtonmoroccanclub.org. www.wmc20.org
Occupation President
& CEO Casablanca Travel and Tours
