Pink Marrakech

Pink Marrakech (Stichting Pink Marrakech) is a Dutch foundation that works for the social acceptance, safety and wellbeing of Dutch-Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people. It supports individuals who struggle with their sexual orientation or gender identity within a bicultural context, and it seeks to open up discussion of themes such as shame, taboo and prejudice both inside the Moroccan community and in the wider Dutch society. The organisation is built around three pillars: visibility, social acceptance and empowerment. The initiative grew out of activities around a Moroccan boat in the canal parade of Pride Amsterdam. In 2014, initiator Nassiri Belaraj and a small group of volunteers organised such a boat for the first time. According to Belaraj, that participation made clear to him that there was a need for an organisation offering support to Dutch-Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people. In 2017 Pink Marrakech began as a closed Facebook group where Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people could get in touch and share experiences; Belaraj also made himself available by telephone for people seeking help or advice. A crowdfunding campaign that year made participation possible and drew attention to acceptance of LGBTI people within the Muslim community. That same year Pink Marrakech had its own boat with one hundred people on board, thirty of them Moroccan. In 2018 Pink Marrakech was formally established as a foundation (stichting). The foundation organises meetings, information sessions and public activities, including participation in the boat parade during Pride Amsterdam. It gives information at secondary schools and at mbo and hbo institutions about sexual diversity and religion, offers support and guidance to people experiencing problems around their sexual orientation or gender identity, and organises cultural and social activities such as gatherings, iftars and festivals. In some cases it has also provided support with temporary housing for LGBTIQ+ people in unsafe home situations. The board consists of volunteers, with Nassiri Belaraj as director. Pink Marrakech receives support from various organisations and initiatives within the Moroccan and LGBTIQ+ communities; the Islamic political party NIDA publicly expressed support for the foundation's activities. For founding Pink Marrakech and his involvement with the community, Belaraj was nominated for the Roze Lieverdje 2018; that year the prize went to Stichting Maruf. In 2017 Belaraj took part in the three-part NTR television series Familie, geloof en hoop, which focused on homosexuality within the Moroccan community and helped raise Pink Marrakech's profile.

Pink Marrakech began with activities around a Moroccan boat in the canal parade of Pride Amsterdam. In 2014, initiator Nassiri Belaraj, together with a small group of volunteers, organised such a boat for the first time. According to Belaraj, during this participation it became clear to him that there was a need for an organisation that offered support to Dutch-Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people. The participation was intended to create visibility for Moroccan and bicultural LGBTIQ+ people in the Netherlands. Belaraj has said that within this community there is often taboo, shame and fear of social exclusion, causing many people to conceal their sexual orientation. In 2017 Pink Marrakech started as a closed Facebook group where Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people could get in contact with one another and share experiences. Belaraj also made himself available by telephone for people seeking help or advice. In the same year a crowdfunding campaign was launched to make participation possible and to draw attention to acceptance of LGBTI people within the Muslim community. That year Pink Marrakech had its own boat with one hundred people on board, thirty of whom were Moroccan. According to Belaraj, a considerable part of the participants were Moroccan women, often heterosexual allies, because many Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people were still hesitant to take part visibly out of fear of being recognised. In 2018 Pink Marrakech was formally established as a foundation (stichting). The board consists of volunteers, and the day-to-day leadership is exercised by director Nassiri Belaraj. The foundation receives support from various organisations and initiatives within the Moroccan and LGBTIQ+ communities. Among others, the Islamic political party NIDA publicly expressed support for the foundation's activities. For founding Pink Marrakech and his involvement with the community, Belaraj was nominated for the Roze Lieverdje 2018; that year the prize went to Stichting Maruf. Pink Marrakech aims to improve the position of Dutch-Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people and to increase acceptance both within the Moroccan community and in broader Dutch society. The foundation brings social issues to attention, such as shame, fear, prejudice and ignorance around sexual diversity within the Dutch-Moroccan community. It focuses on three pillars: visibility, social acceptance and empowerment. The organisation tries to achieve these goals by organising meetings and events for LGBTIQ+ people with a Moroccan background; giving information at secondary schools and at mbo and hbo institutions about sexual diversity and religion; offering support and guidance to people who experience problems around their sexual orientation or gender identity; and organising cultural and social activities such as gatherings, iftars and festivals. In some cases the foundation has also provided support with temporary housing for LGBTIQ+ people in unsafe home situations. The organisation functions as a meeting place for people who struggle with their sexual orientation within a bicultural context. Activist and founder Belaraj has emphasised in interviews the importance of a safe environment where both young people and adults can meet and share experiences. The foundation offers support to LGBTIQ+ people as well as to their surroundings. In the media, Belaraj took part in 2017 in the three-part NTR television series Familie, geloof en hoop, which centred on homosexuality within the Moroccan community. The series contributed to greater recognition of Pink Marrakech.

• 2018

  Pink Marrakech is formally established as a foundation (stichting).

• 2018

  Belaraj is nominated for the Roze Lieverdje 2018; the prize goes to Stichting Maruf.

• 2017

  Pink Marrakech starts as a closed Facebook group; a crowdfunding campaign is launched; the organisation has its own boat with one hundred people on board, thirty of them Moroccan.

• 2017

  Belaraj takes part in the NTR television series Familie, geloof en hoop about homosexuality within the Moroccan community.

• 2014

  Initiator Nassiri Belaraj and a small group of volunteers organise a Moroccan boat in the Pride Amsterdam canal parade for the first time.

A volunteer-run Dutch foundation focused on visibility, social acceptance and empowerment for Dutch-Moroccan LGBTIQ+ people, working both within the Moroccan community and in wider Dutch society.

• Community meetings and events for LGBTIQ+ people with a Moroccan background

• Information sessions at secondary schools and mbo/hbo institutions on sexual diversity and religion

• Support and guidance for people with problems around sexual orientation or gender identity

• Cultural and social activities such as gatherings, iftars and festivals

• Temporary housing support for LGBTIQ+ people in unsafe home situations

• Participation in the Pride Amsterdam boat parade

1. 1Pink Marrakech — Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Pink Marrakech — Wikipedia (Dutch)nl.wikipedia.org
3. 3Pink Marrakech official websitepinkmarrakech.nl