Assahafa.com
The Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchanges (MACECE) and the Moroccan Embassy in Washington celebrated, Monday evening at a reception in honor of the Fulbright community, the richness and diversity of academic and cultural exchanges, and their contribution to mutual understanding and strengthening of ties between the Kingdom and the United States.
Held at Morocco’s embassy in Washington, the event brought together current Moroccan and American Fulbright alumni, Moroccan students pursuing master’s degrees or doctoral research on Fulbright grants across the United States, representatives of the U.S. Department of State, representatives of Amideast and the World Bank, and members of the Moroccan diaspora.
The reception took place at a particularly meaningful moment, as the United States commemorates 250 years of independence while Rabat and Washington celebrate 250 years of enduring friendship. These parallel milestones highlight the historic depth of the bilateral relationship, one rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and sustained collaboration.
Speaking on the occasion, Executive Director of MACECE, Rebecca Geffner, highlighted the shared responsibility and profound privilege of stewarding the 250 years of friendship into the future, pointing to programs such as Fulbright which will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2026, as living bridges between nations.
She noted that while institutional partnerships provide the foundation, it is the students, researchers, and alumni who animate and sustain this relationship through their ideas, academic scholarship and leadership.
In this regard, Geffner noted that since the early 80s, MACECE offered over 3,000 scholarships to Moroccan and American students as part of more than 30 programs, thus contributing to creating a community of alumni of around 4,000 professionals.
For his part, Moroccan ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, underscored the historic depth and strategic strength of the Moroccan American relationship.
He emphasized that this enduring partnership, rooted in mutual respect and shared interests, continues to be strengthened not only through diplomacy at the highest levels, but also through the meaningful engagement of citizens, scholars, and leaders who carry this relationship forward.
Programs such as Fulbright, he said, are in line with “His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s bold and ambitious vision for this bilateral relationship, which prioritizes education, development and capacity building for young people, the driving force behind a promising future for the Kingdom.”
The ambassador added that thanks to the efforts of all stakeholders, particularly MACECE, the Fulbright program brings together Moroccan and American students who act as bridge-builders, contributing to mutual understanding and the promotion of peace and prosperity.
Youssef Amrani noted that the impact of this exchange extends beyond research and academic collaboration, helping to forge strong ties between the Moroccan and American Fulbrighters and their respective communities in both countries.
The reception provided an opportunity for guests to reconnect, build new professional ties, and reminisce on their exchange experiences across generations of the Fulbright network.
The Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE) administers the Fulbright Program in Morocco, fostering educational exchange, mutual understanding, and people-to-people diplomacy between the United States and Morocco.
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