“Amazigh” depicted in the Amazigh language, set against the backdrop of the Moroccan Parliament. Created by Noran Morsi for Global Voices. This article is written by Mohammed Udern. It is part of a series examining free expression and information access in civic spaces across six language communities in the MENA region. As a child, Mohammed Ait Amghar, a shopkeeper from the Azilal region in Morocco, could only speak his native language, Amazigh. In 1982, when he was 8 years old, he felt unwell in class, his teacher sarcastically asked him in colloquial Moroccan Arabic (Darjah), “Have you eaten bran?” referring to livestock feed. Mohammed, who had limited Arabic skills, misunderstood the question and the sarcasm in it, innocently replied “Yes.” This incident led to bullying from his classmates at school and had a profound impact on his life, as he shared with Global Voices: “ⴰⵔ ⴱⴰⵀⵔⴰ ⵜⵜⵎⵏⴰⵍⴰⵏ ⵉⵎⵙⵍⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵏ ⴽⵔⴰ ⵏ ⵡⴰⴷⴷⴰⴷ ⴳ ⵉⴳⴳⵓⵜ ⵓⵣⵓⵅⵓ, ⵙ ⵍⴰⵡⴰⵏⵏ ⴰⴽⴽⵯ ⴰⴷⴷⴰⵢ ⵜⵜⵎⵉⵇⵇⵉⵔⵏ ⴰⴽⴷ ⵉⴳⴷⵓⴷⵏ ⵙⴰⵡⴰⵍⵏⵉⵏ ⵙ ⵜⵓⵜⵍⴰⵢⵜ ⵜⴰⵄⵕⴰⴱⵜ, ⴰⵢⵏⵏⴰ ⴰⵙⵏ ⵉⵜⵜⵙⵔⴰⴳⵏ ⴳ ⵓⵖⵓⵏⴼⵓ ⵙⴳ ⵜⵓⵜⵍⴰⵢⵜ ⵜⴰⵢⵎⵎⴰⵜ ⵏⵏⵙⵏ ⴷ ⵜⵔⵡⵍⴰ ⵙⴳ ⵓⵙⵙⵎⵔⵙ ⵏⵏⵙ.” Amazigh speakers often face difficult situations, especially when interacting with Arabic-speaking communities. This can lead to them feeling bullied and discouraged from using their native language. As a result, they may develop an aversion to speaking it openly. Over time, many native Amazigh in North Africa have lost their proficiency in the Amazigh language as a result of historical and sociocultural factors like Phoenician dominance, Roman occupation, Islamic conquest, and, later, French colonization. The declaration of incoming languages like French and Arabic as official languages in addition to modern social and economic factors further led to the marginalization of Amazigh culture and language, restricting its presence in public life, and limiting access to information and services. As a consequence, Amazigh has transformed from a practical communication tool into a symbol of identity for the Amazigh people. Amazigh boasts a diverse history spanning thousands of years with numerous dialects. Due to political sensitivity, there are no precise studies on the exact number of Amazigh speakers. However, the journal Ethnologue estimates that Morocco has the largest group of Amazigh speakers, with approximately 13.8 million (in 2017), followed by 8.8 million in Algeria (2020), and then France with around 11.5 million speakers (2022). Amazigh was officially recognized in Algeria in 2016 and in Morocco in 2011, signifying crucial milestones in preserving its language and cultural heritage. Language is a powerful tool reflecting cultural identity and social belonging. It plays a crucial role in accessing and exchanging information, shaping knowledge sharing. In an interview with Global Voices, Dr. Abdullah Bouzndag, an expert in sociolinguistics and didactic teaching of Amazigh at the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture, highlighted Amazigh’s inadequate integration in society in Morocco: Access to information is a fundamental right for Amazigh speakers nationwide, acknowledged by all international human rights conventions. Unfortunately, it is often inadequately provided in government and public services, even though its inclusion does not require significant financial resources. Monolingual Amazigh speakers face challenges when trying to integrate into society and participate in civic activities. These difficulties stem from their limited access to knowledge and public services resulting from their native language's absence from public life. As per Dr. Bouzndag's perspective: It is natural that the deprivation of any human group of its cultural rights would have a negative impact on the behavior of its members. Linguistic insecurity can directly lead to institutions being boycotted, as evidenced by the Amazigh movement’s boycott of elections prior to 2011. Additionally, it may cause a general reluctance to participate in politics, serving as an expression of dissatisfaction. A large number of Amazigh associations, the Amazigh Citizenship Network, and the Moroccan Amazigh Democrat Party boycotted the parliamentary elections in 2007 due to “the lack of recognition for Amazigh identity and the Amazigh language in the constitution, as well as the state's ongoing marginalization of Amazigh concerns.” The Amazigh rights debate in Morocco began in the 1960s through various associations. However, the official response from the state came in the 21st century, gaining momentum after King Mohammed VI's historic speech in Agadir on October 17, 2001. He emphasized that Amazigh belongs to all Moroccans and is a fundamental element of Moroccan culture.