250 Years of Moroccan–U.S. Relations | Duke University & CLC Student Conference
Dr. Wendell Marsh, Duke Undergraduate Students & CLC Students
Center for Language & Culture – Duke University Student Conference
250 Years of Moroccan–U.S. Relations
June 8, 2026 | Marrakech, Morocco
Venue: Room 19A / Salon
The Center for Language & Culture (CLC) and the Duke in the Arab World Program are pleased to present a student conference commemorating 250 years of Moroccan–American relations. Bringing together students from Duke University students nd the Center for Language & Culture in Marrakech, the conference explores the historical, cultural, educational, and diplomatic ties that have connected Morocco and the United States for two and a half centuries.
Conference Overview
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Conference participants will begin their engagement with an evening gathering in the Medina of Marrakech, where members of the CLC Communication & Culture Club will meet Duke University students for cultural exchange and informal discussion.
Monday, June 8, 2026
Morning Program
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Breakfast at the guest house/riad.
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Opening Remarks
Professor Wendell Marsh, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.
Panel I
11:10 AM – 12:40 PM
Moderator: Younes Banacer (CLC)
The First Daughter: Faith, Feminism, and Finding My Voice
Presenter: Marwah Wesal (Duke University)
Time: 11:10 AM – 12:30 PM
Why Morocco Matters to the United States
Presenters: Wissal Idrissi, Fatima Ezzahra Elasri, and Farouk Bekkali (CLC)
Time: 12:30 PM – 12:50 PM
Between Shakespeare and Leo Africanus
Presenters: Jane Palladino and Leo Saarinen (Duke University)
Time: 12:50 PM – 1:10 PM
For Americans, the Moroccan Dream Has Existed
Presenters: Youssef Natrane, Mohamed Achraf Kribbi, and Abdessadek Zitouni (CLC)
Time: 1:10 PM – 1:30 PM
Discussion and Questions
Time: 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Lunch
Time: 1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Lunch will be served at the CLC Amal Sign Language Café.
Afternoon Program
Panel II
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Moderator: Fatima Ezzahra Elasri (CLC)
Diplomatic Ties Between Moroccan Monarchs and U.S. Presidents
Presenters: Fahd Aqaddar, Younes Banacer, and Abderrahman Elaandidi (CLC)
Time: 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM
Duke, the United States, and Morocco: The Culture of College Sports
Presenters: Mohid Moneeb and Annemarie Martinez (Duke University)
Time: 3:20 PM – 3:40 PM
Questions and Discussion
Time: 3:40 PM – 4:00 PM
Closing Remarks
The conference concludes with reflections on the day’s discussions and future opportunities for academic and cultural collaboration.
About the Event
This conference is organized through a collaboration between the Center for Language & Culture (Marrakech), Duke University Middle East Studies Center, and the Duke in the Arab World Program, highlighting educational partnerships and intercultural dialogue between Morocco and the United States.