The “Beaches in the face of new challenges:  What solutions?” webinar was held by Hassan II International Center for Environmental Training on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.  65 representatives of economic partners, local authorities, NGOs and national “Clean Beaches” committee members, in addition to young digital volunteers attended the event.

The Hassan II International Environmental Training Center, the academic arm of the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, hosted the webinar to highlight national actions and initiatives on beaches, bringing adequate solutions to novel challenges raised by Covid-19.

The overall objective of the webinar was to present recommendations on beach use and management to “Clean Beaches” program stakeholders.  Specifically, the webinar aimed at enriching and upgrading the Foundation’s beach management guide for Covid 19, effectively making it a benchmark for beach management in a pandemic context.

Presentations made by economic partners (Lydec, ONDA, Tangier Med Foundation, BCP Foundation, Redal and SDS), coastal communities (Oued Laou, Aglou Sidi Moussa and Arkmane) and the local Al Marjane scuba diving and water sports association, highlighted actions and initiatives in the area of education and awareness raising activities on the one hand, and on the ground management processes and facilities as adapted to the sanitary situation, on the other hand.

In light of the health crisis, face-to-face environmental education activities in the field, involving gatherings and contact between participants, did not take place during the summer of 2020 and were virtualized via digital media (interactive training (Media, videos)), made available online on the Ana boundif participatory platform, developed by the Foundation.  “Clean Beaches” program partners notably highlighted actions implemented such as beach radio stations and billboards to raise holiday-maker awareness on social distancing and barrier measures.

For the second session of this webinar, and so as to sustain strong partner engagement and ensure continuity of the #b7arblaplastic operation initiated in 2019, special emphasis was placed on stakeholder initiatives (industry, local authorities, civil society), and each’s role in reducing plastic pollution, with presentations from the Moroccan Federation of Plastics Industry, the General Directorate of Local Authorities at the Ministry of the Interior, the Fnideq Champion Scuba Diving Association and the electricity division of ONEE (National Office of Electricity and Potable Water).

A set of upstream recommendations was made by a number of partners.  These recommendations are to be consolidated and discussed in working groups to convene between December 2020 and April 2021.