Zawaya

Monia Ferjani

Monia Ferjani is a Tunisian teacher of Arabic language and civilisation in Tunis. Ms. Ferjani also writes poetry, short stories and short novels. She is an active member of Tunisian civil society, particularly in the National Union of Women and the Tunisian organization for Education and Family. She also is the author of the http://myblog-wallada.blogspot.com blog.

Opinions by this panelist

The lowering of the voting age should have little impact on the upcoming elections

The decision of the Tunisian government to lower the voting age from 20 to 18 reflects a deep awareness of the requirements of the current phase. Unlike several neighboring countries, the Tunisian society is a young one, as shown by… more

Only take from the west what is useful to us

The first article of the Declaration of Principles of International Cultural Co-operation states the following: a. Each culture has a dignity and value which must be respected and preserved. b. Every people has the right and the duty to develop… more

Hip-hop between expression and westernization

Talking about hip-hop leads us to tracking its origins, and the circumstances accompanying its appearance. Hip hop is a cultural movement that originated in the slums of the Bronx, in New York City, at the beginning of 1970, among black… more

University and the challenges of the job market

Maghreb universities have always had a leading role in cognitive training in its academic sense, ever since their creation during the independence. The first generations of graduates were the ones who built the modern State based on the needs of… more

The book crisis is not a maghreb phenomenon

The concerns of authors, publishers and intellectuals in general regarding the decline of the presence of books in the Maghreb cultural landscape, are due to the absence of a clearly defined cultural project. This is not fortuitous, as several factors… more

Political education or political training?

Next July 25, on Republic Day, the first session of the Youth Parliament will be launched in Tunisia following the decision by the head of State. This parliament is an advisory body, with no legislative competence, aiming to disseminate the… more

Is deterrence a solution?

Students, parents, and supervisors are all becoming increasingly worried with the approaching dates of the baccalaureate examinations in the Maghreb, due to the spread of cheating practices year after year. These malpractices take different forms and use innovative methods mirroring… more

Schools without walls

With the growing information revolution and the increasing amount of information and data transferred and exchanged throughout the world, it has become impossible for any individual to fully master even a small part of any scientific discipline. And with the… more

Islam is a religion of ease

The human being is undeniably composed of body and soul; an aware mind and a material substance interacting with nature; whenever one takes over the other, balance fails and extremism prevails in the comprehensive sense of the term. Then, the… more

Facing disability

The Maghreb countries believe in the value and dignity of human beings like any other country. Individuals with disabilities are an integral part of the social fabric, so securing their rights complements the economic system given their abilities and potential.… more

Food crisis

The hottest and driest regions are axiomatically the most vulnerable to food scarcity. If these regions include third world countries, then economic dependence and political crises are added to land infertility and rain scarcity. Food shortages have become a threat… more

A cultured nation is definitely alive

Summer is approaching, the season of arts festivals in the Maghreb. For example, the Moroccan Mawazine festival and the Tunisian Carthage festival are among the brightest and most prestigious events, are great cultural opportunities for civilizational exchanges, and give a… more

Freedom is a mature commitment

The recent incident of Tunis has sparked a rash of headlines. During the cultural evening organized by "Lam Echaml" association in Afric’art Cinema, with a programme including paintings, poetry, a panel discussion and a projection of the movie of Tunisian… more

Yes for protecting minorities, but...

Protecting minorities is one of the human rights pillars approved by the United Nations, and defended by human rights organizations worldwide. Many provisions recommend respecting and protecting minority rights based on race, language or religion; but while some countries enacted… more

calling for boycott is mere resignation

They entered a fancy, foreign restaurant and sat down. They checked the menu but couldn't understand it due to the language barrier. The man said to his girlfriend: Choose the most expensive dish, it must be the best. The woman… more

The law of the jungle prevails in the absence of justice

Every nation on earth may rise up against injustice one day. No nation is excluded, whether it is civilized or underdeveloped, rich or impoverished. People surrender to their arbitrary regimes for a long or short period of time, depending on… more

What comes after violence?

The peculiarity of Libya compared to other Maghreb countries lies in the fact that Kadhafi's regime was extremely dictatorial and violent. Opponents, intellectuals, and liberals all suffered from unrivaled, violent repression for decades. Then came the violent Libyan revolution, and… more

Unemployment might kill...

Self-immolation is a unique phenomenon that started spreading last year like a disease in Maghreb and Arab countries. It can be argued that suicide is an old practice, but under current circumstances, the following aspects make it unique: its form… more