Ben M’sik Community Museum, Casablanca, Morocco
Museum of History and Holocaust Education, Kennesaw, GA

About the Project

What does being Muslim mean? Being Muslim in America is a different experience than being Muslim in Morocco, but stereotypes about Muslim identity abound in each country. This project addressed these stereotypes by contrasting the two communities. Citizens of Georgia learned what it means to be Muslim in Morocco; conversely, members of Georgia’s Muslim community shared insights into Muslim-American life with their counterparts in Morocco. Museums in each region worked with surrounding communities to identify topics of interest to be explored through oral histories. The resulting histories were shared through Coffee and Conversation programs in the two cities, during which the partners aimed to generate dialogue among different segments of society in each community as well as between the two countries to dispel stereotypes, correct misinformation, and move beyond judgment. By reaching out to traditionally underserved communities, both museums learned how to better engage members of the changing communities in which they are positioned.

News and Resources

Building bridges,The Marietta Daily Journal, April 24, 2010

Museum records ups and downs of Morrocan life,The National (UAE), December 14, 2009