Crossing the Atlantic: 240 Years of Moroccan–American Friendship and Transatlantic Futures

Saturday Morning Program

Ahmadieh Family Conference Hall (room 240), John Hope Franklin Center

March 28, 2026

8:00–8:30 AM — Coffee and Bagels

Panel 1 | 8:30–10:30 AM

From Recognition to Treaty — Historical Foundations of Moroccan–American Friendship

Panel Description
This panel traces the origins of Moroccan–American diplomacy, examining Morocco’s early recognition of the United States, the 1786 Treaty of Friendship, U.S. relations with North African regions, and the archival record of the two nations’ earliest encounters.

Moderator: Ellen McLarney
Associate Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, 
Duke University

Presenters

Michael A. Toler, Archnet Digital Librarian, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries
Saving the Legation: How Tangier’s American Diplomatic Residence Became the Only U.S. National Historic Landmark Abroad

Nizar F. Hermes, Professor, Middle Eastern & South Asian Languages and Cultures, University of Virginia
Mustafa al-Zamouri: From Archival Erasure to Literary and Poetic Recognition

Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, President, High Atlas Foundation, Marrakech, Morocco
Sacred Heritage, Living Pluralism, and Sustainable Development: Lessons from the Moroccan Jewish Experience for U.S.–Morocco Relations

Panel 2 | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM

Diplomacy in Motion — Strategic and Political Relations Across Two Centuries

Panel Description
This panel examines Morocco’s evolving role in U.S. foreign policy from World War II through the Cold War and into the present. Presentations address diplomatic history, regional geopolitics, cultural diplomacy, and contemporary initiatives that continue to shape the U.S.–Morocco partnership.

Moderator: Didem Havlioglu
Associate Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, 
Duke University

Presenters

Abdeslam Maghraoui, Associate Professor of the Practice of Political Science,
Duke University
The United States and the Western Sahara Dispute

Adil Elkhiyari, Director, Qalam Center, Rabat
Qalam wa Lawh as a Platform for Transatlantic Public Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange

Calvin Dark, Political Strategist
Speaking the Same Language: How Savvy Diplomacy Shaped the US-Morocco Friendship 

1:00–2:30 PM — Lunch Break

Panel 3 | 2:30–4:30 PM

Forty Years of Duke Programming and Academic Exchanges with Moroccan Institutions

Panel Description
This session reflects on four decades of collaboration between Duke University and Moroccan academic institutions. Panelists will discuss the development and impact of educational exchanges, research partnerships, and cultural engagement that have strengthened scholarly ties between Morocco and the United States.

Moderator: Amal Boumaaza
Lecturing Fellow, Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies,
Duke University

Theme I | The Foundational Years of Duke’s Academic Engagement with Morocco (1980–2000)

Documentary Film Screening: Morocco at Duke Festival (30 mn)

Presenters

Miriam Cooke, Braxton Craven Professor of Arab Cultures
Duke University

Azeddine Chergui, PhD, International Patient Specialist, Duke University Health System

Bruce Lawrence, Marcus Family Humanities Professor of Religion Emeritus, Duke University

Theme II | Duke in the Arab World (DAW): Expanding Engagement with Morocco (2012–2025)

Presenters

Meriam Zahouane, DAW Program Coordinator & Language Instructor, Talk Today USA, Fez, Morocco

Bryan Rusch, DAW Alumni & Doctoral Candidate, Art History, Duke University.

Closing Remarks by Mbaye Bashir Lo, DUMESC & DISC Director

4:30 PM — Coffee and Snacks