Morocco Day 1: TechWomen Kicks Off Celebration of 10 Years in Morocco with Cultural Day in Capital

Day 1: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26

This week more than 50 global delegates from the TechWomen community are coming together in Rabat, Morocco to celebrate impact, edify connections and explore the wonders of this dynamic country.  The much-anticipated TechWomen delegation trip to Morocco, the first since 2020, officially launched on Sunday, February 26 with the unification of mentors, fellows, team members and U.S. State Department representatives – some of whom have been with the program since its inception in 2011.

To kick-off the week, the program management team from the Institute of International Education (IIE) led a morning welcome session to review the outlook of the week ahead.

Immediately following this briefing, the delegation set out into rainy weather for a whirlwind tour of Morocco’s capital city, exploring some of the richest UNESCO heritage sites of Rabat. The delegation started their tour at the Royal Palace, where the delegation learned about the current King of Morocco and the various uses of the palace. Following that, they visited the Chellah, an ancient site that once housed a Roman trading post before becoming a Merenid necropolis. Then they headed off to the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan Tower, originally conceived to be the world’s largest minaret before the untimely death of its visionary, Caliph al-Mansur.

 

From there, the delegation made their way through the winding vibrant souks of the old medina of Rabat. The delegation briefly rested for afternoon tea at Kasbah of Udayas, before enjoying a traditional lunch at Dar Naji.

  

After a brief rest in the late afternoon, the delegation gathered together once more for a welcome dinner featuring local dishes, during which fellows and mentors took the opportunity to share the local impact of the work and activities they have engaged in since the completion of their respective TechWomen programs.