Her Highness Princess Lalla Lamia Essolh, President of the Alaouite Organization for the Promotion of the Blind in Morocco (OAPAM), was paid tribute during a ceremony organized, on December 1 in Rabat, by “Baouabate Fés” Association on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
The Association’s “Fez Gate” trophy was awarded to Her Highness Princess Lalla Lamia Essolh, in recognition of the work she has been doing since 1967 to promote the social integration of people with visual impairment. The trophy was received by Her Highness Princess Lalla Zineb on behalf of Her Highness Princess Lalla Lamia Essolh.
In a statement to Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) on this occasion, OAPAM’s Secretary General, Salaheddine Semmar, stated that this tribute is a recognition of the work accomplished by Her Highness Princess Lalla Lamia Essolh as part of a program aimed at fully integrating blind and visually impaired people into society, and making them active actors in sustainable development.
Semmar stressed that this program, which focuses on the education of the blind and visually impaired, has established 13 centers across the Kingdom, providing education from primary to high school.
For her part, President of “Bouabate-Fez” Association, Leila Bennis, said that the tribute paid to Her Highness Princess Lalla Lamia Essolh recognizes the work of Her Highness as President of OAPAM for 56 years, particularly in terms of the establishment of centers for the blind across the Kingdom and the various craft training sessions provided to people suffering from visual impairments, guaranteeing them full integration into society.
“Princess Lalla Lamia Essolh’s work is extraordinary; she has successfully empowered people with visual impairments enabling them to play an active role in society,” stated Bennis.
The ceremony featured the presentation of several testimonials from beneficiaries of OAPAM programs, and representatives of different ministerial departments that have signed agreements with OAPAM, and praised the work of Her Highness Princess Lalla Lamia Essolh in support of the visually impaired.