1. Leila Alaoui, photographer
Born in Paris, Leila Alaoui moved to Marrakech with her parents during her childhood, then headed to the United States at 17 to pursue studies in film and social sciences. Passionate about photography from an early age, she traveled across Morocco with her mobile studio to capture faces that reflect the country's cultural identities. Leila Alaoui's portraits quickly gained international recognition, notably during her exhibition 'Contemporary Morocco' at the Arab World Institute in Paris. In January 2016, she went to Ouagadougou for a documentary project initiated by Amnesty International, focusing on violence against women in West Africa. However, the capital of Burkina Faso was then struck by terrorist attacks, and the young photographer, aged 33, was fatally injured. Tributes have multiplied since for this greatly missed artist.
2. Élisabeth Bauchet-Bouhlal, director of Es Saadi Marrakech Resort
Since 1966, Élisabeth Bauchet-Bouhlal, a French businesswoman, has owned the Es Saadi Marrakech Resort. Succeeding her father, she took over the family project and played a significant role in its flourishing, making it one of the iconic places of the ochre city. Élisabeth Bauchet-Bouhlal also initiated the Art Fair Festival and maintains the Literary Prize of La Mamounia, aimed at promoting French-speaking Moroccan literature. Recognized as a true ambassador of Franco-Moroccan culture, she was awarded the rank of Officer of the Order of Wissam Alaouite by King Mohammed VI in 2014.
3. Nora Belahcen Fitzgerald, founder of the Amal Association for Culinary Arts
Born in Morocco to American parents, Nora Belahcen Fitzgerald moved to the United States for her studies. In 2013, after returning to Marrakech, she founded her own network, AMAL, and a charitable restaurant staffed entirely by women facing hardships. Over several months of training, AMAL introduces these women to culinary arts and business management, empowering them to eventually start their own ventures. This program aims to help marginalized women regain self-confidence and economic independence. Two years after creating her association, Nora Belahcen Fitzgerald became the first Moroccan recipient of the Jury Prize at the Women for Change Award, presented by the Orange Foundation, recognizing women from Mediterranean countries who advance the cause of women.
4. Ouidad Tebbaa, professor
Ouidad Tebbaa is a professor who also served as the Dean of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences in Marrakech from 2010 to 2015. A member of the UNESCO Chair in Landscape and Environment, she has published numerous articles on the subject and advocated for the preservation of heritage through fieldwork. She has notably worked towards the recognition of Jemaa El Fna Square as an intangible oral heritage of humanity by UNESCO, and along with a group of experts, received the Carlo Scarpa Prize for efforts surrounding the Agdal Garden.
5. Helga Heidrich, animal rights activist
Helga Heidrich was born in Germany, where she opened her first animal shelter in 1973 at the age of 28 while working as an acupuncturist. Drawn to Morocco, particularly the charm of the ochre city, she decided to settle here in 1995 and dedicate herself to animal welfare. Her commitment to helping animals has only grown over the years. She started with a refuge for equines, then purchased a larger plot of land and established her own organization for animal protection, the Helga Heidrich Foundation. Today, she continues her fight, caring for, treating, vaccinating, and performing surgeries on all needy animals without exception.
Photos: DR