1982
Focus: Government
Chicago signed a sister cities agreement with Casablanca, Morocco in 1982. During the 1991 Sister Cities International Conference, the City of Chicago hosted a delegation of Casablanca city officials and reaffirmed the intent of both cities to continue to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship.
1991
Focus: Economic Development and Culture
Six Moroccan governors and the Wali of Casablanca, Ahmed Motii, came to Chicago to further develop economic and cultural ties between the two cities.
August
Focus: Environment
Members of the Moroccan parliament visited Chicago in August 1991. They met with Mayor Richard M. Daley and toured waste management recycling facilities and studied the mass transit system.
1992
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee presented a slide lecture and presentation entitled, "Play it Again, Sam." The lecture on Morocco featured speakers Cindy Mitchell, Chair of the Casablanca Committee, and Marianna Beck and Jack Hafferkamp, free-lance travel writers.
1993
May
Focus: Culture
The mural representing Mr. Chabaa's impression of Chicago is permanently installed in the arrival corridor of the international terminal at O'Hare airport.
1994
Focus: Education
The Casablanca Committee organized a community youth service project. The project involved seven teenagers from Chicago who volunteered for three weeks with seven Moroccan youth in Casablanca at the orphanage Lolla Hasna. Later, the Casablanca students came to Chicago to volunteer at St. Martin De Porres, a settlement house for homeless women and their children. Cultural activities in both cities broadened the experience of these teenagers.
1995
Focus: General
A 15-member business delegation from Morocco visited Chicago. The delegation explored tourism opportunities.
Focus: Medicine
Casablanca Committee members organized a needs assessment tour to Casablanca. They were accompanied by Dr. Viyasagar Dharmapuri, director of the International Division of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois in Chicago Hospital (UICH); Dr. Sydney Mitchell, UIC Hospital
Director; Dr. Beligere, Pediatric Cardiology and Sharon Mitchell, Pediatrics & Gynecology. A medical exchange program was planned with the Department of Pediatrics of University Hospital Ibn Rochd in Casablanca. The program offered an exchange of research activities, faculty, pediatric physicians, nurses and administrators. In addition, the Committee helped to supply the Casablanca Hospital with used and reconditioned medical equipment and supplies.
1996
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee hosted poet Kamel Zobdi, who performed at the 1993 Sister Cities Poetry Competition held at Navy Pier.
Focus: Culture
Moroccan artist Mohamed Chabaa participated in the Chicago Sister Cities O'Hare airport mural project.
Focus: Culture
The Moroccan Ambassador to the U.S., the Honorable Benaissa, and a delegation of tourism and trade professionals, visited Chicago. Their itinerary included a panel discussion on "New Perspectives for the Middle East & Mediterranean Travel & Tourism,” a lunch with Mayor & Mrs. Daley and the Casablanca Committee, and an evening reception that featured a concert of Andalusian and Gnawan music. The musical groups also performed at the Daley Plaza noon concert. As a result of this visit, the "Moroccan-U.S. Council of Trade and Investment" committed to opening an office in Chicago.
Focus: Business
The Casablanca Committee received a partial grant from NASDA to fund a 1993 "business to business" trade delegation of Chicago-area businesses to Morocco. This was a joint effort between the City of Chicago Department of Planning & Economic Development and the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. This delegation also included representatives from the Chicago Sister Cities International Program and the U.S. commercial attaché in Morocco.
The 1993 trade mission resulted in 47 sales leads, 24 representation leads and eight possible joint ventures. Total estimated revenues were $6.7 million over 24 months. American National Bank signed four "corresponding bank agreements" with Casablanca banks during the mission. All parties involved agreed they had a highly successful mission. In addition, the Committee presented the Mayor of Casablanca with a photo exhibit on Chicago architecture, which toured local schools and then went on permanent display at the City Hall. The Committee also had productive meetings with the Mayor, the Wali (Governor), the U.S. Consul General, and the American and Casablanca Chambers of Commerce.
Focus: Medicine
The Casablanca Committee held a fundraising dinner at the Clark Street Bistro to benefit the Ibn Rochd Hospital. Two physicians and one nurse from Casablanca's Ibn Rochd Children's Hospital visited the UIC Hospital for training under the guidance of Dr. Vydasygag, chief of the Neonatal Intensive Care unit.
1997
Focus: Culture
The Moroccan Marketplace and Festival took place at the Chicago Cultural Center. The committee sold more than $100,000 in Moroccan goods with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Inb Rochd Children's and Maternity Hospital in Morocco.
Focus: Culture
A World in a Weekend featured Casablanca for its September celebration with lectures, a cooking demonstration and musical performances. Visiting Moroccan professors performed at the Moroccan Marketplace and Festival and A World in a Weekend, and met with local educators.
Focus: Medical and Social Service
The Casablanca Committee hosted a medical exchange of doctors, nurses and hospital administrators. The doctors and nurses underwent training at the University of Illinois Medical Center.
1998
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee led a cultural tour to Morocco.
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee hosted a dinner for Khalid Khannoushiat, 1997 Chicago marathon winner and native Moroccan.
Focus: Education
The Casablanca Committee secured the commitment of WAFA Bank of Casablanca to display the dinosaur discovered in the Moroccan Sahara Desert by University of Chicago paleontologist and Casablanca Committee member Paul Sereno.
Focus: Business
A Moroccan delegation attended International Franchising and Leasing Show in Chicago.
Focus: Government
The Casablanca Committee hosted Moroccan attorney and member of City Council.
Focus: Medical and Social Service
The Casablanca Committee solicited and donated medical equipment, cribs and an ambulance (with Chicago skyline logo on exterior) to Inb Rochd Children's Hospital.
1999
Focus: Culture
Casablanca Committee Chair Cindy Mitchell and several committee members designed and led a tour of Morocco for members of The Art Institute of Chicago.
Focus: Culture
Committee member Paul Shaver lectured on Chicago architecture at a gathering of the Casablanca Architecture Association. Paul worked with the Moroccan Architecture Association and the American Counsel General to help them create a landmark ordinance for the Art Deco buildings in Casablanca.
Focus: Culture
The American Consulate General in Casablanca and the Casablanca Committee collaborated on the refurbishment of the Churchill Library at the consulate residence. The library features Roosevelt memorabilia commemorating the “Anfa” conference that took place at the residence between Presidents Roosevelt and Churchill during WWII.
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee presented to the City of Casablanca two life-size replicas of “Carcharodontosaurus,” a meat-eating dinosaur discovered by University of Chicago Paleontologist Paul Sereno in the Moroccan Sahara in 1995. The presentation of the models resulted in the creation of the first public museum in Casablanca. Palentologist and Casablanca Committee member Paul Sereno gave a slide lecture and presentation to city officials, students of Le Cedre school and other invited guests. Le Cedre will develop a curriculum around the exhibit.
Focus: Government
The Casablanca Committee assisted the International Visitors’ Center by planning the Chicago itinerary for Moroccan Minister of Culture Rais who was gathering information on public-private partnerships.
Focus: Environment
An agreement was signed between the City of Chicago Department of Environment and the Environmental Department of Casablanca.
Focus: Medical and Social Service
A visiting Moroccan doctor observed operations in the neurology department of the University of Illinois Hospital.
Focus: Medical and Social Service
Dr. Andrew Griffin, a pediatric cardiologist, spent time at Ibn Rochd Children’s Hospital giving lectures to medical students, doctors and nurses. Dr. Henry Betts, chairman of the Chicago Rehabilitation Institute, spoke with the director of Ibn Rochd about setting up a rehabilitation program at the hospital.
Focus: Medical and Social Service
Dr. Golden, a Chicago doctor specializing in rheumatology, lectured in Casablanca at the Ibn Rochd Hospital.
Focus: Medical and Social Service
Stemming from a second trip to Casablanca made by several Committee members, the Lalla Hassna’s Orphanage and “Gout de Lait”, a hospital for premature babies, were adopted as organizations the Committee would assist.
Focus: Medical and Social Service
The Casablanca Committee continued its very active support of Ibn Rochd Children’s Hospital via donations of medical supplies, books, training of professional and site visits.
2000
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee held an opening night celebration of DePaul University's Exploring Muslim Cultures Series. The evening included a private viewing of the exhibit Weaving Culture: Textiles and Jewelry in Morocco, and proceeds benefited the Ibn Rochd Children’s Hospital in Casablanca.
Focus: Best Practices (Architecture)
The Casablanca Committee hosted a group of architects from Morocco, including two from the city government of Casablanca. The group was in town to meet with Chicago architects and landmark preservation specialists. Although Casablanca has one of the finest collections of Art Deco architecture in the world, little has been done to preserve it until lately. Chicago architect and Casablanca Committee member Paul Shaver attended an architectural forum in Casablanca, where he gave a lecture on Chicago architecture to the Casablanca Architecture Association. Since, he has been worked with the Moroccan Architecture Association and the American Counsel General to help them create a landmark ordinance in Casablanca. In 2000, the city passed a landmark bill, based on the Chicago ordinance. Casablanca’s first landmark building has been designated.
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee held a fundraiser for Pegasus Players to support their production of Side by Side by Sondheim in Casablanca.
Focus: Education
As a part of the Chicago Sister Cities Sister Schools Abroad Program, 30 students from Le Cedre School in Casablanca, ages 12-18, visited their sister schools in Chicago. They were hosted by Chicago students and their families, and were given a taste of both Chicago’s sites and American schools. These students practiced their English and helped students of French in their sister schools exercise their linguistic skills. Various activities were planned for these students, including trips to museums, trolley tours, a day at Navy Pier, and a presentation by Dr. Paul Sereno, who discovered a 90-million-year-old dinosaur on an expedition to Morocco. The public highlight of their visit was a performance at the Chicago Cultural Center, where each group of students gave musical performances for their counterparts from their sister schools.
2002
Focus: Culture
A photo exhibit, Tea in the Sahara, was shown at the Cultural Center. The documentary film Music of Morocco and the Cycles of Life explored the traditional musical heritage of Morocco.
Focus: Culture
Members of the Committee traveled to Casablanca for a cultural tour and to promote trade and tourism.
Focus: Culture
The photo show "Chicago 2000" opened at the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca.
2003
Focus: Medical and Social Service
Volunteer Optometrists in Service to Humanity (VOSH) conducted a technical mission to Casablanca to examine patients and supply free eyeglasses and corrective lenses to those in need.
Focus: Business
The Committee collaborated with a local organization holding a grant to train ten Moroccan NGO leaders. The committee participated in the voluntarism workshop and held a reception for guests.
November
Focus: Culture
Michael Miles' Chicago Rhythm and Rhymes took place in Preston Bradley hall, benefiting the Casablanca Committee.
July
Focus: Education
Teachers from Le Cedre School in Morocco visited to deliver Arabic and French language classes at Lincoln Elementary School.
Focus: Culture
Three artisans were hosted by the Committee while they constructed the mosaic fountain at Garfield Park Conservatory.
Focus: Culture
In conjunction with the Tea Pot Exhibition at the CCC, a Moroccan presentation of tea tradition was held in the Randolph café.
Focus: Economic Development and Business
A Trade Mission briefing breakfast was held at ULC to discuss the March 2004 Mission to Morocco.
2004
Focus: Education
Thirty-five students and teachers from Groupe Scolaire Le Cedre were hosted by Abraham Lincoln Elementary School for a week. The group experienced homestays and classroom participation.
Focus: Culture
Formal dedication of Moroccan fountain in Garfield Park Conservatory with the Superintendent of the Chicago Park District.
Focus: Culture
Chicago Week in Casablanca: 82 participants from Chicago carried out a multi-sectoral mission to Casablanca including a medical component, city planning, business, volunteerism strengthening and education component. The counterpart Chicago Committee in Casablanca made logistical arrangements for a genuine collaborative exchange. 35 Optometrists and technicians conducted a vision clinic with Moroccan counterparts, examining over 3200 underserved children and adults in 5 days. Six urologists and two surgical nurses performed microsurgeries and held a technical seminar with counterparts from Ibn Rochd Hospital. City planning experts presented the Chicago model and plan for future collaborations in infrastructure development and architectural preservation. MBA students from Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University) toured Moroccan business schools and explored potential internship placements with business enterprises and FTA opportunities. Committee members participated in a volunteerism seminar to promote networking, sharing of resources and ideas and other ways to build capacity. NGO literacy programs will be the area of intense collaboration. Education experts introduced Moroccan educational reforms and committee members initiate a new sister school agreement. A bluegrass group performs Chicago-style music and collaborates with Moroccan musicians.
Focus: Business
The Committee participated in a World Bank Institute study on the feasibility of international municipal cooperation in achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Casablanca and Chicago are focusing on the area of literacy in two neighborhoods (poor working class) of Casablanca. Researchers gathered data on literacy rates among 15-24 year olds and communicated findings of the survey to make practical suggestions for future development projects. Videoconferences were held to join WB, Sister Cities International, Chicago, Casablanca and Tamale, Ghana and Louisville, Kentucky to discuss process and collaboration status. Chicago gathered an expert committee to advise on this topic and frequent written and telephonic exchanges track progress and share planning tasks.
December
Focus: Sports
Casablanca – Chicago Youth Development Initiative: This special initiative between the Casablanca and Chicago Committees of Sister Cities International Program and the Moroccan Basketball Federation is part of a larger attempt to create positive options for young people in Morocco and develop life skills through sports. This ongoing project demonstrates existing Chicago models of sports, youth and education programs for replication in Morocco in the hopes of countering the influence of extremist groups recruiting young Moroccan men and women to negative purposes. The basketball camps educate the participants in basketball techniques and drills while encouraging literacy, academic excellence, life skills and character development.
2006
December 4-6
Focus: Culture
The Casablanca Committee of CSCIP and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs brought the exotic sights of a Moroccan Souk (Moroccan Marketplace) to the Chicago Cultural Center for an international experience including goods for sale from every corner of Morocco, including jewelry, pottery and home furnishings at every price point. The Marketplace was free and open to the public and attracted more hundreds of shoppers each day.
2007
April 5
Focus: General
In conjunction with Global Voices, the Committee planned a multi-faceted trip to Casablanca. Eric Weinheimer, President and CEO of the Cara Program (a program that assists the homeless and at-risk populations in their efforts to achieve real and lasting success by providing comprehensive training, permanent job placement and critical support services) met with Casablanca officials to provide best-practice information about poverty eradication and job training programs. Lisa Roberts, former Chicago Park District's Director of Conservatories, will work with city planners to discuss the best use of the large piece of land given to the City Casablanca by the King of Morocco. Dan Frank, Principal of Francis Parker High School joined the committee to make a Sister School and Global Voices relationship with a Jewish-Muslim school. The comprehensive basketball exchange will also continue as four coaches from One on One Basketball traveled to Casablanca to impart basketball coaching and life skills to underserved youth.
Focus: Education
Through the Global Voices Program, Schurz High School French language students exchanged play-reading with their counterparts at Ben M'Sick and Mohamed VI schools in the Casablanca through a video conference.
July 22-31
Focus: Education
Thirteen students from Casablanca visited Chicago. They were part of a group called IDMAJ, a volunteer organization that serves and teaches children from slum neighborhoods. They met with the Director of Education at the Chicago Children’s Museum, the CEO of CARA program, took a tour of Gallery 37 and met with Mayor Daley.
2008
Focus: Multiple
The Casablanca committee took a multi-faceted trip to Morocco in April. They donated $15,000 to the Chicago Cultural Center in Sidi Moumen, a low-income neighborhood in Casablanca. This center was created by Boubker Mazoz, President of the Casablanca Chicago Sister Cities, and serves the youth in the community with a computer center, tutoring, and a theater. The center is also in the process of building a radio station to be used for and by the Sidi Moumen neighborhood.
During the trip, the Sister School Abroad Program educators met with their counterparts in Casablanca to further improve their relationship, discuss exciting opportunities and create a network of school exchanges. They plan to expand their programming with green technology and the Growing Connection project. The Growing Connection maximizes the use of plants to grow food and combat hunger, and is wonderful for dry or urban areas. It provides an opportunity for education to teach growing food, plant science, and microeconomics. Twenty-one Earth Boxes will be delivered to Casablanca for use at several sites. Global Voices will continue their programming and brought two teachers from Chicago to Casablanca.
The committee is also in the preliminary stages of planning a food documentary, and scouted locations in Casablanca.
