CNN by: Jon Jensen
Categories: General, Inside The Middle East, Morocco
‘Inside the Middle East’ wrapped shooting in Morocco this week, and the team is now preparing the program’s 104th episode, which airs on October 3rd.
Check with our colleagues at the CNN Press Room for more information and the air dates and times.
Here’s a brief synopsis of the upcoming show:
In October, ‘Inside the Middle East’ travels to Morocco, the North African kingdom located on the western edge of the Arab world.
In a nation where nearly half of those between the ages of 15 and 29 are either unemployed or out of school, frustration at the lack of opportunities is mounting. Some young Moroccans took to the streets over the past year to protest these realities while others took to the recording studio to speak out – both of which come with risk. One Moroccan rapper, El Haqed, was imprisoned earlier this year because of his lyrics. Show host Leone Lakhani meets several young rappers – from Casablanca to Tangiers – to hear some of the sounds of Morocco’s urban rage.
‘Inside the Middle East’ also journeys to the southern stretches of Morocco’s Atlantic coastline, to the traditional Berber city of Agadir. Berbers were the first inhabitants of North Africa, and many still follow older customs and practice ancestral crafts. One of these – a beauty oil made from Argan tree seeds – is quickly becoming all the rage among celebrities and high-end shoppers in the West. Lakhani meets one Moroccan who is helping to produce the oil – and jobs for women in the country.
And what trip to Morocco would be complete without tasting the nation’s world-famous cuisine? The team heads north to Fes, Morocco’s culinary capital, to receive cooking lessons from Lahcen Beqqi, a top chef who has figured out how to blend traditional cooking with modern techniques.
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