Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Visit to the Legation

We were honored to welcome Dana J. Hyde, CEO of the Millennium  Challenge Corporation, to the American Legation Museum on this cold and rainy Saturday evening.   Ms. Hyde led an MCC delegation to Morocco, including Tetouan and Tangier.  They were hosted by officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and the regional and municipal governments. … Read more Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Visit to the Legation


Dance: Hassan Bouchountouf at the Legation

We were pleased to welcome Hassan Bouchountouf to the Legation on September 6, where his performance opened the 3-day Haraka Dance Festival. Thanks to the brilliant Othman Sellami and his team for conceptualizing and organizing Tangier’s first contemporary dance festival and to Ayoub Lahlouh for this short film featuring highlights of Hassan’s exciting performance. –September … Read more Dance: Hassan Bouchountouf at the Legation


Youmein Creative Media Festival: 48 Hours in July

July 16-17, 2016

We were thrilled to co-host the second edition of the Youmein Creative Media Festival this past weekend, from July 16-17. The Youmein Festival brought together artists and creative thinkers from across Morocco, France, the United States, Belgium, and Palestine to discuss and produce art centering around the topic of “crisis” or “أزمة”. Artists were challenged to create pieces reflecting on “crisis” within the 48-hour timespan of the Festival.

On Saturday members of Youmein, TALIM, and the public convened for a roundtable discussion featuring Driss Ksikes, a Moroccan journalist and playwright, and Hicham Bouzid, co-director of Arty Farty’s Think Tanger project.

(l-r) Hicham Bouzid, Driss Ksikes, George Bajalia. All photos by Omar Chennai
(l-r) Hicham Bouzid, Driss Ksikes, George Bajalia. All photos by Omar Chennai

The presenters initiated the discussion with their own ideas and perspectives, and the audience participated with discussion and questions. The interactive panel discussion took place in a multitude of languages, Darija, French and English, reflecting the diversity of knowledge and experiences of the participants.

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Columbia’s Hisham Aidi Returns to Tangier

Our thanks to Columbia University professor and author Hisham Aidi for returning to his home town to participate in this month’s Salon International de Tanger des Livres et des Arts. In his round table on “The Artistic Power of Tangier,” Dr. Aidi deconstructed certain stereotypes of expatriate Tangier writers/artists and pointed out the rich diversity … Read more Columbia’s Hisham Aidi Returns to Tangier


New York City Synagogue Honors the Moroccan King Who Saved the Jews

In a month of major celebrations by believers from each of the three Religions of the Book, here is an article about an important commemoration in a New York City synagogue “Honoring the Moroccan King who Saved the Jews.” Please share.  Thank you. See our post about recent Holiday celebrations in Tangier.  


Architectural History of the Legation Now Available on Archnet

TALIM on Archnet
TALIM on Archnet

Section II, “Architectural and Historical Context and Significance” of the of the Historic Structure Report on the American Legation in Tangier, Morocco is now available on Archnet.  You can find it by going to the the page for TALIM and selecting the link above the description labeled “Publication.”

This section of the report explains the historical and architectural significance of the structure, beginning with a general diplomatic history of Tangier. It then provides a functional and architectural history of the Legation building, including the modifications to the building, starting when the United States and Morocco first began negotiations, through the acquisition of Legation in 1821, damage to the property during bombardments of Tangier, expansions by the consul in the 1920s, the role of the Legation during World War II, and finally the conversion into a museum in 1975-1976. Finally it ends with an assessment of the current condition of the property. It is illustrated with historic images and plans.

Read moreArchitectural History of the Legation Now Available on Archnet


About – Contact Info

  Legation Pavilion, photo by Elizabeth Gill Lui The Tangier American Legation Institute for Moroccan Studies, TALIM, is housed in the only US National Historic Landmark located outside the United States.  The Legation includes a research library, museum, Arabic literacy program, and hosts a number of other educational and cultural activities. The Legation museum is … Read more About – Contact Info