Culture

Tunisian Muslims join hundreds of Christians in interfaith procession for peace

Published

1 year ago

August 16, 2023

The annual Feast of the Assumption in Tunisia took a whole new dimension when hundreds of Muslims in the country joined their Christian counterparts in an interfaith ceremony outside the capital where the sermons harped on peace and tolerance.

During the Feast which held at Tunis’ La Goulette suburb on Tuesday, Catholic faithful and Muslim participants marched behind a Madonna statue as it was carried to the town hall where they were recieved by the Catholic Archbishop of Tunis and the Bishop of Trapani, Italy, Archbishop and Bishop of Trapani, Pietro Maria Fragnelli, who delivered sermons alluding to Tunisia’s tense migration politics and the recent riots that have led to the death of more than five persons in Sfax.

“Let us not forget that the statue of the Virgin Mary made the journey from Trapani to La Goulette 100 years ago where she was so well received and respected,” he said.

“We are delighted that the Madonna can walk the streets to bless all the inhabitants of La Goulette and Tunisia. This procession aims to show that La Goulette and Tunisia are a model of coexistence between religions and countries of origin,” he added.

Hundreds of Catholics, including many black Africans, and Tunisian Muslims took part in the procession behind a statue of the Virgin, to call for “living together” after strong tensions in the country around the issue of migrants.

The tradition of the Assumption march dates back to the mid-19th century when La Goulette was home to Sicilians, Sephardic Jews, Maltese, Greeks and Spaniards. It was started by Sicilian fishermen.

The ceremony was halted by Tunisian officials in 1964 but was revived in 2017, and since then, the Virgin Mary figurine has been carried slightly farther from Tunisia’s oldest church which was consecrated in 1879.

Related Topics:Christians Feast of Assumption Featured Interfaith Procession Muslims Tunisia

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Culture

Moroccan doctors stage nationwide protest in ‘Week of Anger’

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Moroccan doctors across the country on Tuesday staged a nationwide protests in what is known as “Week of Anger,” accusing the government of ignoring their calls for reform in public healthcare.

In a public announcement on Monday, the Independent Union of Public Sector Doctors (SIMSP) said the strike action would include more walkouts from December 30 to January 5.

The SIMSP said the nationwide strike would affect all public health facilities except emergency and intensive care units to ensure that some level of care remained available.

“During this time, doctors will not be at diagnostic centres and they will also boycott administrative tasks and refuse to issue medical certificates,” the SIMSP said.

The union added that a large march is planned for December 29 in Rabat, aimed at opposing laws on strikes and pensions.

The doctors’ union noted that their demands have been ignored by the Ministry of Health.

The union stated that their requests to government has remained unanswered. It also criticized a new framework for doctors, calling it scandalous as it threatens job security and opens the door to unfair dismissals.

The doctors’ demands include extra grades for doctors beyond the current scale, higher salaries, and an end to limits on promotions.

The union also wants the government to honour agreements made in 2011, 2023, and 2024.

According to the union, the doctors are also upset with the 2025 budget plan, which they say fails to address the health sector’s funding issues, expressing concerned about plans to shift salaries from central budgets to local health groups and warning that this could lead to instability.

The union added that doctors will continue to boycott school health programmes and what they call “improvised” surgical campaigns. They insist on maintaining high medical standards while pushing for change.

Culture

Ghana’s Afua Asantewaa begins second GWR sing-a-thon attempt

Published

4 days ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghanaian singer, Afua Asantewaa, on Saturday, began her second attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest singing marathon by an individual.

The sing-a-thon which began in the early hours of Saturday, December 21, at Heroes’ Park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, will run until December 25, and will see the determined songstress perform non-stop, focusing exclusively on Ghanaian songs.

According to Asantewaa’s manager, Madam Gladys Osei Owiredu, the audacious initiative is aimed at showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Ghanaian music to a global audience.

Owiredu confirmed that preparations for the event had been extensive but expressed confidence in Asantewaa’s readiness to finally break the record.

“I can confirm that she is ready for the task ahead. It’s been challenging—by way of preparations—but I can say she is ready,” Owiredu said.

Asantewaa’s second attempt follows her first effort in December 2023, which fell short of surpassing the current record of 105 hours held by India’s Sunil Waghmare.

But despite the setback, her team remains optimistic about breaking the record this time with corporate sponsors including International Maritime Hospital, Ghana Gas, Nasco Electronics, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited rallying behind her, underscoring the importance of the attempt in amplifying the global significance of Ghanaian music.