We are very happy to announce the fifth edition of The Olive Writers Summer Camp, organized in partnership with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, the American Arts Center Casablanca, and the D66 International. 

The Summer Camp brings young writers from across Morocco and abroad together to spend a week at an intensive writing residency in Casablanca free of charge. Participants will attend daily creative writing workshops (offered in Arabic or English), attend lectures by renowned writers and intellectuals, develop their soft skills and learn about civic engagement and the publishing industry, revise and refine a creative project of their own, and become part of a dynamic community of fellow writers.

2023 Theme: Life in the Temporary: Journeys of the Heart 

The theme explores the complex relationship that young people have with their home country and the thought of leaving to pursue a better life elsewhere. Many young people view migration as a means of achieving their dreams of opportunity, adventure, and freedom from the constraints of their present situation. But when people decide to move away, they frequently experience regret, guilt, yearning, and a sensation of being cut off from their roots.

The goal is to delve deeply into the meanings of certain words, such as; stability, tranquility, place, belonging, home, migration, displacement, transition, and waiting, generating wide-ranging conversations through a program that brings together writers and intellectuals. How can someone belong to a community, yet remain attached somewhere else? Is home a place, or a feeling? 

Young writers have the chance to explore their own sentiments and experiences surrounding migration, as well as those of their peers and to reflect on the effects of this phenomena on their communities and society at large, via the lens of this theme.

When and where will the program take place?

The program will take place from July 14th through July 20th, at the American Arts Center in Casablanca.

Who can apply:

•  Passionate writers who are interested in developing their creative writing skills.

•  Moroccan writers between the ages of 18-26, based in Morocco or Abroad. 

• You must be able to participate in the full week program.

• International students in Morocco are eligible to apply.

How can I apply?

Complete the application form, based on your writing language preference, available in Arabic and English. Please prepare the following materials, as you will be requested to attach them to your application:

• Writing sample — 1 page  (500 words maximum) of original creative prose and/or poetry, written in either Arabic or English

• Writing assignment — 1-2 pages  (1000 words maximum) personal essay in response to the following writing prompt: 

Have you ever thought about leaving your home country for a better life abroad? If so, what motivated this desire, and what do you hope to achieve by relocating? If you’ve chosen to stay, what factors influenced your decision? Are there specific reasons, such as family, social ties, or cultural roots, why you don’t want to leave? How are these decisions affecting your life?

On the other hand, if you were born into an immigrant family or had to relocate when your family did, we would like to hear your experiences and perspectives on navigating multiple cultural identities. What are the benefits of growing up between cultures, and how has this influenced your outlook on life? Do you feel a sense of belonging to both cultures, or do you feel like you must choose one over the other? What are the challenges you’ve faced in finding your place in both cultures, and how have you overcome them (if you did)?

• Statement of purpose — In less than 200 words, describe in English or in Arabic why creative writing is important in your life. Please also discuss the difficulties or challenges you have faced in your writing, as well as what you hope to learn at the program.

• A photo of yourself.

• Optional — One Letter of Recommendation.

Application Guidelines:

• You must fill out the application form (below) in the language of your writing materials.

• All application materials must be received no later than May 26th, 2023 (midnight) GMT+1.
• If you write in another language in addition to English or Arabic, feel free to share a link in the form. 
• Plagiarism will not be tolerated. All submissions will be automatically screened for plagiarism. Applications that are found to contain any plagiarized material will be disqualified without notification to the applicant. If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, please contact us at information@olivewriters.org
• If you don’t meet the criteria for this program (due to the age restriction or your country of residence, for example), please fill out the form here explaining your situation. We will do our best to accommodate you for this or future programming.
• This is a fully-funded opportunity: Thanks to the financial contributions of project partners, tuition, room, and board are provided free of charge to all accepted participants. Flights for international participants will be covered on a need-basis, depending on availability of funds. 

Application link in English: click here

Note: If you face any difficulty in filling out the application, or uploading the materials, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the following emails below (according to the language of your submission):

Arabic: mohannad@olivewriters.org 

English: seddik@olivewriters.org 

For more information or questions, please contact:

TOW Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/OliveWriters 

TOW Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theolivewriters/ 

TOW team: information@olivewriters.org