MANIFEST FOR A MAGHREB OF THE FUTURE
Open your arms.The day has pointed its proud nose for a while, but we love sleeping in.
Open your arms and stretch out like someone about to jump out of bed.
Open your arms as big as children do when they are asked how much they love their grandparents.
Open your arms like someone who is about to hug a friend after a long absence.
It is with open arms that We, Maghrebian youth, respond to the call of the future as we rise to dance. We are displaying in this project a vision of an ambitious future for our region. A future already in the making from Nouakchott, Rabat, Algiers and Tunis via Paris, Montreal, London or Berlin.
The Maghreb of 2050 will be open — the barbed wires of the Morice line both territorial and mental, will leave space to threads of ideas, people and goods. Here and there, it will be home. Together, we will co-create new Tagines for a better living.
The Maghreb of 2050 will be feminine. When the sun reaches its zenith, there will be no more shadows to hide the potential and contribution of the Maghrebian women. The Maghreb of tomorrow will be inclusive and fair and draw on its potential, regardless of gender, age, religion or sexual orientation.
The Maghreb of 2050 will be green. We will face the challenges of climate change in conjunction with our sisters and brothers from other parts of the world. It is our responsibility to succeed in transitioning to a model that respects both people and the planet.
Finally, the Maghreb of 2050 will remain critical and pioneering. Our region was the cradle of the first man, the first novel and a of an unprecedented wave of decolonization movements, we will continue to inspire and lead the way. We will continue to balk at the status quo, advocate for greater equity, and bring down the last bastions of social injustice and inequality.
30Maghreb (s) aspires to decolonize the future from the yoke of pessimism, to clear the paths for a better future and to propose a common vision of a Maghreb appeased, open, inclusive and united.
Why not? based on economic indicators, we are living in the most prosperous period in the history of the Maghreb. Our countries have never enjoyed that much of freedom and wealth. We have more freedom of movement, we are exposed to more cultures and the control we have on our own destiny has never been that significant.
However, we know that the road is still long. Unemployment, insecurity, injustice, poverty and haragga are added to the crises of identity and spirituality. The Maghrebian does not have an “easy life” and the wealth of our countries does not seem to benefit everyone equally. In this period of transition, we call for a time to reflect on a brighter future for all. Are not the dreams of today the realities of tomorrow?
30Maghreb (s) is a step forward. Through the contributions collected here, we want to draw the outline of a pragmatic utopia. Our message is aimed at the Maghrebian youth no matter where they live . It is a compass suggesting a direction to undertake rather than a watch that gives an exact description. We want above all to engage in a discussion about our future and to actively participate in its building.
We are about thirty contributors under 30 years born and / or living in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia but also in Germany, Spain, United States, France, Lebanon, Great Britain …. we cannot imagine a future without a united Maghreb and we strive to make this common ambition heard and to achieve it together.
Our contributions take different formats including text, videos, photos, audio, and express a realistic and pragmatic optimism. A version of a possible future that could be achieved if we work on it together. These contributions cover major challenges such as identity, the role of women in the Maghreb as well as proposals to rethink the future of work, technological opportunities or the feasibility of a Maghrebian economic union.
In a world where borders collapse at full speed, it is urgent to reflect together on a new vision of the Maghreb. A vision for the future based on inclusion and openness to the other. 30Maghreb (s) is a first iteration that needs to be reviewed, and enriched to truly serve as a roadmap for our region’s improve.
These might only be words. But has there ever been anything else to change the world? Not for the young Aboul-Qacem EChebbi or Djamila Bouhired, nor for us. Words, far-fetched ideals, utopia and a youth who believes in and works for it to become reality!
With these words, our invitation to dream and co-construct.
We invite you to re-read this manifesto, share it with your networks, and discuss and comment on the upcoming articles. Our future is far too important to let others dictate it. Let us dream of a better future for all and prepare to welcome It, with open arms!
The 30Maghreb (s) Collective
