Sorry to be so late about some news for the 56h SCIJ Meetinfg in Marrakech-Oukaïmeden. Some negociations are still going on.
We are preparing a very nice program for you, with a lot of discoveries, human encounters and great ski. The program is downloadable here and you can also find it on our new website www.scijmaroc2010.be .
Two very interesting post-tours will soon be defined, we are still working to hold their cost at minimum level.
Unfortunately we will have to cancel Post-tour n°1, as there was not much interest for it, and the cost would have been exagerated. Those who already made a reservation for n°1, can be redirected on n°2 or n°3. If you still want to visit Casablanca and Rabat, we will give you some tips to do so unacompanied.
Posttours will end on Monday evening, 2nd February 2010, so that everybody will be able to catch his flight home on time.
Posttour « Essaouira –Ben Guérir »
Visit of Essaouira, the « blue pearl of Marrakech's area and of the town of ben Guerir, model of out centralised developement
Posttour « Provinces in Sahara »
As we will travel by plane, number of places will be restricted to 30. First inscriptions will have priority.
Soon you will be able to read the full program of the post-tours on our website.
Some reminders:
* We are waiting for all captain's to send their application form duly completed with all details, as by the attached excell sheet .Please send us asap the still missing information !
* A scij-bus transfer will be organised from Casablanca Mohammed V airport to the lodging in Marrakech on Saturday 23rd of January, not on Friday nor Sunday. If you arrive on 22nd or 24th, you will have to take a train (station is at -1 level in the airport, it's comfortable and not expensive) we will come and fetch you at the station in Marrakech)
* If you take professional filming or recording gear, don't forget to have the corresponding ATA booklet duely filled with the name of the one who will use it.
* Your passport has to be valid for 3 months after your departure, thus at least until May 2010.
* We recommend that each participant has suscribed his own individual insurance.
* I.C. Asks us to send you attached discharge that you should give, duely signed, to Roberto Micalli.
* Don't forget your helmet for the alpine competition.
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Dear SCIJ friends,
A number of you are getting impatient... Please find (on the blog) the quotas of participants that are applicable for your country, concerning the 56th International Winter meeting in Marakech-Oukaïmeden, as well as the application form.
We ask all captains to send us the approval of the quota for their country, as soon as possible; and to fill the application form accurately (don't forget to add a recent identity picture of each participant).
You will also find hereby the account number (in Belgium) where to transfer the 185 EUR for each participant in the 56th Winter Meeting of SCIJ in Morocco.
BIC (or SWIFT CODE) for our account is BBRUBEBB
IBAN : BE71 3634 2608 5169.
The adress is :
S.C.I. Journalistes
35, rue du Chenois
1367 Ramillies
BELGIQUE
The completed forms must be in our possession at last on November 22, 2009.
As usual, the 65 EUR pp for SCIJ will be paid in cash, at your arrival, directly to Secretary General Roberto Micalli.
We remind you of the fact that you need a passport, valid until three months after departure.
And we have also to remind you of the regulations written by the International Committee:
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If there is an exception to these rules, the decision will be made by the International Committee.
Expenses you will have on the spot:
beverage at the bar or in the discotheque
personal purchases in shops or souks
hiring of alpine ski material: skis, boots and poles of correct quality will be available at Oukaimeden, for the prize of 40 EUR / 3 days for a complete set (skis and poles without boots 30 EUR / 3 days). Be sure to bring your own helmet for the races, there will be none for rent.
As for the cross country equipments, we hope to have a 100 pair available, but nothing is certain yet, and we advise you to bring your own cross country equipments or to hire it in your own country.
Professional equipment as cameras, tape recorders, etc. should have proper papers for customs (special " ATA book "). A welcome board will be installed at the airport arrivals of Mohammed V airport in Casablanca and at Menara Airport in Marrakech.
If your flight lands in Casablanca, don't take the correspondence flight to Marrakech (they have a very late arrival). You will be transported by bus from Casablanca to Marrakech over the highway.
POST TOURS
We want you to discover as many aspects of Morocco as possible. So, we opted for 3 different post-tours (maximum 15 persons per tour) running at the same time (you will have to choose) from Saturday 30 January until Tuesday 3 February 2010.
There will be no pre-tour.
Post-tour Nr 1: Urban social and economic context: Rabat (the capital) and Casablanca (economic capital).
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Next to the traditional visits of monuments as the Oudayas Kasbah, Hassan II Mosq, old parts of the Habous, hype parts as Maarif, you will be able to meet some very interesting social workers and associations (Aïcha Chchenna from " Women Solidarity " who cares for the education of single mothers and their children, Zoulikha Naciri from the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity or Najat M'jit who looks after street-children throuh association "Baïtiy" ... Not to forget he economical aspects with visits to big export compagnies and meeting with some important Moroccan businessmen.
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Post tour nr 2: Tourism as a development strategy: Essaouira (ancient Mogador) the beaches of Agadir and further south Taroudant or Ouarzazate.
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2010 was declared "the year of Tourism" in Morroco.The "Plan Azur", that aims to bring 10 million tourists to the country will be explained to you by high ranked members of the Ministry of Tourism and you also will meet some private operators. Ancient Culture and Tradition will not be put aside, as you will also be able to visit artifacts centers.
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Post tour nr 3: Morocco and the rest of the world-International affairs: Laayoune, Dakhla and Aousserd
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A visit to the southern provinces of the Sahara whose status is in the final phase of settling by the United Nations Organization. Areas where war and constant guerrilla were a severe brake against developpement, but where great potentialities exist: Laayoune, Aousserd and Dakhla whit its fabulous sand bay, one of the best "spots" of the 3500km long beach that Morocco can offer.
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For more information, please contact Belgian Organizing Committee (Betty and Claudine)
Betty bcl@rtbf.be and Claudine Claudine.naassens@skynet.be
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A word from the President of the SCIJ International Commitee, Mr Miguel AngelAquiso
Dear Captains, dear SCIJ Members,
The Newsletter that you receive today is the first of a series that leads us to the 23rd of January 2010, officialopening date of the 56th SCIJ Meeting "Marrakech-Oukaïmeden". After three years of effort, in the face ofoccasional doubts, we're almost at our goal, thanks to the perseverance and unfailing commitment of theBelgium-Morocco Organisation Committee.
In less than four months now, SCIJ will arrive at the snowy mountains of the High Atlas to celebrate a bigfirst on the African continent. Of course, skiing in Morocco is at an early stage of development, and its possibilities cannot yet comparewith big alpine or American ski resorts. Nevertheless, the 56th General Assembly (Jasnà , March 2008), decided by an overwhelming majority totake up the challenge to explore new horizons, in particular in emergent countries.
A few days ago, in Zurich, FIS (Fédération Internationale deSki) applauded our decision. FIS President Gian-Franco Casper welcomed the new convention signed between Cetursa(the group that runs the resort of Sierra Nevada in Spain) and FRMSM (Fédération Royale Marocaine de Ski et deMontagne) as a beautiful example of collaboration and friendship between north and south.
It has always been the central aim of SCIJ to bring together media professionals with a common interest in skiing, to build friendships, to explore our common interests, and to question our host nations - across frontiers, without political boundaries, unhindered by differences of ideology or religion.
That will be the case again in Morocco, when a range of stories will arouse our interest, and each of us willhave opportunities to meet and interview leading actors in the various spheres of politics, culture, and civilsociety.
This journey gives us a rare chance to take the pulse of a nation that is both ancient and modern, to discover its snow and mountains, to explore its cuisine and culture, and above all to meet its people. Our friends have prepared a rich program that your International Committee warmly recommends for your enjoyment!
With my best regards
Miguel Angel Aquiso
Président SCIJ
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The 56th SCIJ meeting in 2010 is getting closer: from 23rd to 30th of January 2010, we will be welcoming you, with our Moroccan friends, in Marrakech and Oukaimeden. We are working hard to prepare you a fabulous program, with a lot of discoveries, interesting visits and conferences, and ... great ski in the Atlas!
Arrival and opening ceremony will be in Marrakech on Saturday. Going up in the mountains on Monday, having the usual competitions and even a bit more (surprise!), the nations evening and an astronomical night will also be held at Oukaïmeden. The gala dinner is planned in Marrakech in a wonderfull place, where we will feel as in an oriental dream.
The full program wil be published soon.
The Moroccan authorities are ready to show you more of their country, with a pre-tour (Casablanca, Rabat and Fès) and 2 post-tours (Essaouira, Agadir, Taroudant and Ouarzazate, and probably a visit of the southern Sahara provinces) Costs and duration (3 or 4 days) will be communicated as soon as we have them.
We are sure you will enjoy this new scij-experience,
See you in Morocco, 23-30 January 2010,
The organizing comittee OUKA2010
TOPICS
Oukaïmeden 2010 will not be an ordinary SCIJ Winter meeting. It is the first time in Africa, in a Muslim country, organised on a North-South basis. Prepare to have a lot of material to write about!
Morocco is a country of many contrasts between modern life and millenar traditions We will have the opportunity to meet some interesting speakers during our stay in Marrakech and at Oukaïmeden. They will introduce you to the heart of this emerging country: the new economic developments, the changes in modern society, the new role of women in a traditional culture and not to forget the environmental challenges of our times.
We will have the opportunity to look at the stars with scientific telescopes installed at 3000m height And, of course, we will have a taste of typical gastronomy, traditions and folklore.
2010 is the « Year of tourism » in Morocco, with the objective of 10 millions of visitors « Plan Azur »
We will visit social associations, a handmade Moroccan craft manufacture and enjoy the
benefits of oriental hammams.
AUTHORITIES
Moroccan authorities are glad to welcome you:
The Governor of Province of El HAOUZ
The Minister of Communication
The Minister of Tourism
The Minister of Youth and Sports ,
are a few of the officials invited to meet you and to participate in our ceremonies.
PRACTICALITIES
Our website is under construction, will be launched soon.
We will soon be sending the application forms to the captains. Please do not delay your answer, we need to know asap how many people need visas (facilities will be awarded by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs but it can take some time!) and who is interested in pre and/or post-tours.
Please remember you will need a passport, valid until 3 months after the end of your stay.
Click here to find the list of countries for which NO visa is needed. For the other countries: be carefull to ask for the visa in due time!
Arrival airports: « Casablanca Mohammed V » or « Marrakech Menara »
Everything will be cared for: transportation from airports by buses, to the mountains by
4 wheel drive vehicles, to the slopes by donkeys :-)
Hotels and assembly or conference rooms in M'kech and Oukaïmeden
If you have further questions don't hesitate to contact the Belgium Organizing Commitee
(Betty bcl@rtbf.be and Claudine claudine.naassens@skynet.be)