From Wikipedia: Tu Bishvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בשבט) is a minor Jewish holiday, usually occurring in late January or early February, that marks the "New Year of the Trees." Tu Bishvat is one of four "New Years" mentioned in the Mishnah. Customs include planting trees and eating dried fruits and nuts. In Israel, the flowering of … Read more Tu Bishvat in Tangier
The art of piggybacking, taking advantage of targets of opportunity, is particularly important when an institution's budget is, shall we say, limited. This week is a case in point. Thanks to the re-opening, after extensive renovation, of Tangier's legendary bookstore Librairie de Colonnes, a certain amount of high-powered literary and cultural talent has gathered in … Read more Another Tangier Literary Week – With Americans
Number of US National Historic Landmarks: fewer than 2,500 Number located outside the United States: 1 Location: Tangier, Morocco Name: American Legation (TALIM) – – – – – – – We are proud of our designation as the only US National Historic Landmark located outside the United States. So it was only natural that we … Read more National Historic Landmark: Shining the Legation’s Plaque
That's me in front of one of the Legation's many doors, or doors-within-gates. Only it's not in the medina of Tangier, but in DACOR Bacon House, the HQ of Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired. DACOR has a small but wonderful museum, open to the public. But why this massive artifact from America's oldest diplomatic establishment? … Read more Washington’s Piece of the Tangier American Legation
Vicariously, I experienced the First Regional Book Fair in Tangier through updates from TALIM's Associate Director. According to Yhtimad Bouziane (here with Tangier's new mayor Fouad El Omari and Book Fair organizer Rachid Amahjour as they visited the Legation stand), it was a great opportunity to network and do lots of outreach, while selling a … Read more Tangier is Enchanted by Diana Wylie’s Book
After 5 days of readings, exhibits, concerts, and walkabouts, Tangier's week in Homage to Paul Bowles has come to an end. Though most of the events were attended largely by a strongly European cultural crowd, it started and ended with programs well-attended by young Moroccans. "Every Reader Is a Translator," held at the Tangier School … Read more Tribute to Paul Bowles In Tangier
There's excitement in the air. In Tangier this week, an ad hoc group of cultural institutions – Moroccan, French, Spanish, and American (us), plus some very dynamic individuals on the cultural scene – is marking the Centenary of the birth of Paul Bowles with a great variety of events (Download TALIM Paul Bowles Centenary brochure). … Read more Spotlight on Paul Bowles, Musicologist
Good publicity is almost as good as cash in the bank. So we were very pleased to be listed in the top 10 organizations to be highlighted in the upcoming "Summit" in Washington on Citizen Cultural Diplomacy. If it brings us much-needed funding, all the better. If not, well, we can bask in the glory. … Read more TALIM’s Moment In the Sun?
… is the title that State Magazine – the monthly magazine of the US Department of State – gave to my article in their September issue (click here for the interactive edition; my article is on pages 22-23). Here's a screen shot, with the text below for the nearsighted among you. – – – – … Read more Gem of Tangier
Once again, in a long tradition that now is a Tangier-in-Ramadan institution, the American Legation was the venue last night for a concert of Arab-Andalusian music. And it did not disappoint. The audience – despite one of the hottest days yet this summer – was fully into the swing of this rythmic music, one of … Read more A Ramadan Evening To Warm the Heart
