Charlotte Gredal, Scientific Manager of the Mohn Centre, reflects on her recent trip meeting young people in Morocco.

In April of this year, Charlotte was invited out to Rabat, Morocco by the Association Marocaine des Petits Débrouillards to attend their 17^th annual conference of scientific leisure. The festival promotes scientific curiosity for children and young people across Morocco through interactive experiences.

Visiting Morocco has always been on a list of countries I hoped to visit, with its vibrant culture, colourful pottery, and of course the delicious food! This year, I had the extraordinary opportunity to not only visit but participate in a significant event that celebrates the curiosity and creativity of young minds - the 17th annual festival of Scientific Leisure hosted by the Association Marocaine des Petits Débrouillards (AMPD).

I was fortunate to meet AMPD colleagues through one of the Mohn Centre’s community partners, the Harrow Club which supports young people in North West London. Together these organisations are working to set up an exchange programme for young people in Rabat and London.

While over there I was fortunate to see some of the city’s sights and monuments though a guided tour by one of the youth workers in Rabat as well as meeting colleagues at British Council Morocco. I was also able to visit some of the institutions which support young people. One organisation which resonated with me was the Al Amal Association’s socio-educational support complex in Salé which supports young people in unstable situations in innovative ways. The organisation is committed to breaking the cycle of social and economic exclusion. It gives these children and young people a home and the opportunity to learn new life skills to reintegrate into family and social environments. Programmes are vast and focus on different professions to teach skills such as hairdressing, patisserie, mechanics and entrepreneurship. The innovation and level of care that goes into these approaches was amazing to see.

The festival itself was a spectacular gathering that brought together young people from across Morocco to engage in scientific experiments, hands-on activities, and interactive workshops. The importance of such events cannot be overstated. They provide a platform for young individuals who may not usually have this opportunity to experience the excitement of discovery and the thrill of scientific inquiry, something we also pride ourselves on at Imperial through the work of the Invention Rooms and Great Exhibition Road Festival.  Witnessing the enthusiasm and seeing young faces light up with curiosity was truly inspiring.

One of the highlights of my visit was participating in a panel discussion where I had the privilege to share insights from the work of the Mohn Centre. Our discussion focused on public health issues affecting young people in London, drawing parallels and contrasts with the situation in Morocco.

It was invigorating speaking with the young people working with the AMPD. They all spoke with such passion and motivation to improve the lives of young people growing up in both cities and rural areas of Morocco. We delved into various topics, including mental health, access to health care, environment and sustainability, education and the importance of creating supportive environments for young people. It was an enriching experience to exchange ideas and learn about the unique challenges and innovative solutions being implemented in their communities.

Beyond the discussions and experiments, we embarked on a creative project with Moroccan young people and professionals. Together, we created a video capturing the most pressing topics impacting young people's lives in Morocco today.

My visit to Morocco was a blend of cultural exploration and professional engagement, leaving me with lasting memories, connections and desire to perfect a tagine! The festival showcased the incredible potential of young people when given the chance to explore and experiment. The panel discussion and video project underscored the universal nature of the challenges faced by youth and the importance of cross-cultural collaboration in addressing them.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an inspiring event and look forward to future collaborations with the incredible young minds I met along the way.

Find out more about the Association Al Amal https://www.association-al-amal.ma/about.html

Find out more about the Association Marocaine des Petits Débrouillards https://lespetitsdebrouillards.ma/