HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The Euro-Mediterranean University of Fez hosted, yesterday, an intellectual and academic symposium on the occasion of the Kingdom of Morocco hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, within the framework of following up on the public debate related to the major stakes of this continental event, and its sporting, economic, cultural and diplomatic repercussions.
In his opening speech, the President of the University, Professor Mostafa Bousmina, confirmed that Morocco's organization of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations represents not only a prominent sporting event, but also falls within a comprehensive strategic vision that makes sport a lever for development, a means of enhancing the Kingdom's international radiance, and strengthening its position as an active regional power on both the African and Mediterranean levels. He stressed that the university, as a space for research and reflection, is involved in this workshop through the production of knowledge and the analysis of the deep dimensions associated with organizing major events. The symposium witnessed important interventions that addressed various aspects of the event, where a number of speakers focused on the expected economic impact of the CAN, especially with regard to revitalizing tourism, boosting investment, and creating job opportunities, in addition to the pivotal role of sports and logistical infrastructure that has been completed or rehabilitated in a number of Moroccan cities.
The interventions also touched on the issue of sports governance, and the need to consolidate the principles of transparency and good management in organizing major competitions, in a way that ensures the sustainability of the gains after the end of the championship, and enhances the confidence of partners and international institutions in the Moroccan experience. In this context, it was emphasized that the success of the organization is not only measured by the smooth running of the matches, but also by the state's ability to transform the event into a permanent developmental legacy.
The media dimension was not absent from the symposium's work, where a stop was made at the role of the national media in following up on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and creating a positive discourse that reflects the image of Morocco as an open country capable of organizing major events according to international standards, with an emphasis on the importance of adhering to the ethics of the profession and avoiding unprofessional sensationalism.
The speakers also highlighted the importance of involving youth, universities, and school sports in this event, by linking academic training with sports practice, and investing in the CAN as an opportunity to consolidate sports values, citizenship, and belonging among the younger generations.
The symposium concluded by emphasizing that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations constitutes a pivotal stage in Morocco's sports diplomacy path, and an opportunity to enhance South-South cooperation, and to highlight the Kingdom's ability to combine well-organized organization and a long-term strategic vision, in complete harmony with the royal directives aimed at making sport a driver for comprehensive development.
