Beyond Borders: From Two Homes to One Rotary Bridge
By Nancy El Mahdy – ICC Egypt– Morocco Chair D2451 / D9010
For more than thirty-five years, Egypt and Morocco have been woven together in my life in ways that are both deeply personal and profoundly meaningful. I was raised in Egypt, where my roots and identity were shaped, while my life became equally intert-wined with Morocco through my marriage to a Moroccan diplomat, my family and children, and years immersed in diplomatic life.
As a Rotarian in District 2451, Egypt, I was keen to give this lifelong connection between my two homes a wider purpose through Rotary, bringing Egypt and Morocco together through an Intercountry Committee a natural meeting point between personal ties, international understanding, and Rotary service.
On October 4, 2019, that commitment took institutional form with the signing of the ICC protocol between District 2451, Egypt, and District 9010, Morocco, during the Rotary Zone Institute, held at the Savoy Sharm El Sheikh. Yinka Babalola was attending the zone institute also in the presence of RI president-Elect/ Holger Knaackat that time and a distinguished Moroccan delegation, and alongside PDG Dr. Sherif Waly; PP Soheir Wahib, National Coordinator, ICC Egypt; and PDG Saadia Aglif, representing Morocco, I had the privilege of representing Egypt. A connection rooted in my own life had become a Rotary bridge dedicated to friendship, service, and international understanding.
From Protocol to Action
Since that signing, the bridge between Egypt and Morocco has remained active and vibrant, sustained year after year through Rotary cooperation, fellowship, and meaningful people to – people connections. The activities of the 2025– 26 Rotary year offer a glimpse of that continuing journey.
From October 15–22, 2025, Cairo hosted the Egypt–Morocco Rotary Friendship Exchange, coordinated by the ICC Egypt–Morocco Committee in collaboration with the Rotary Friendship Exchange Committee, chaired by Jean Mautran, and our Moroccan counterparts. Around 18 Moroccan Rotarians spent a truly memorable week with their Egyptian Rotary friends—visiting clubs, exchanging Rotary experiences and ideas, enjoying outings together, and sharing the wonderful warmth of Rotary friendship and daily fellowship. It was Rotary friendship across borders at its most genuine: connecting, sharing, discovering one another, and simply enjoying being together.
Between October and February, three twinning protocols were signed between Egyptian and Moroccan Rotary clubs, extending this relationship from districts to clubs and creating further opportunities for lasting cooperation. The third, signed on February 26, 2025, gave this spirit of twinning a particularly significant dimension.
Egypt welcomed a delegation of eight senior Moroccan Rotarians, including PDG Saadia Aglif, representing the Moroccan side of the ICC Egypt–Morocco protocol, and P. Souad Debagh, President of Rotary Rabat Doyen, D9010. As Chair of the Egypt Chapter of the ICC Egypt–Morocco, I had the great pleasure of welcoming the delegation, coordinating their visit, arranging the twinning between Rotary Cairo Elite, D2451, and Rotary Rabat Doyen, D9010, and facilitating their meetings with District 2451 leadership.
The twinning was celebrated at one of Cairo’s leading hotels in the presence of current and past District Governors, making it a wonderful and memorable Rotary occasion and giving the celebration a special sense of continuity. Among them were PDG Dr. Sherif Waly, under whose governorship the original Egypt–Morocco ICC protocol was signed, and PDG Abdel Hamid El Awa, whose continuous support and close engagement have accompanied the ICC’s activities between Egypt and Morocco throughout the years, and who was subsequently selected to serve on the ICC Executive Board with responsibility for International Expansion. Their presence connected the origins of the partnership with its continuing growth—from one protocol to an expanding network of Rotary relationships between the two countries.
This spirit of exchange has naturally flowed in both directions. Egyptian Rotarians also traveled especially to Marrakech to attend the D9010 District Conference, carrying the same spirit of friendship and fellowship from Cairo to Marrakech and adding another memorable chapter to the growing relationship between our two Rotary communities.
As the ICC enters a new chapter under the leadership of Annemarie Mostert, President of the ICC Executive Council, we look forward with confidence to further strengthening the spirit of international understanding, friendship, cooperation, and peace that lies at the heart of the ICC mission.
Looking ahead, the Egypt–Morocco ICC remains committed to strengthening this bridge— expanding connections between Rotarians, clubs, and communities, and creating further opportunities for fellowship, service, and meaningful collaboration.
Built on friendship and sustained by mutual respect, this partnership reflects the enduring spirit of Rotary: advancing international understanding, fostering goodwill, and bringing people and nations closer together.
Beyond borders, the journey continues—strengthening a Rotary bridge between Egypt and Morocco, one relationship at a time.
Nancy El Mahdy
-The Rotary Foundation Fund Development Committee-Member -Cadre Technical Coordinator –Peace Building & Conflict Prevention -Cadre Technical Advisor –Economic Development
-Chair –Egypt Section, ICC Egypt–Morocco, D2451 / D9010 -Charter & Board Member –AIRF (Artificial Intelligence Rotary Fellowship)
-Board Member at RAG4GE
-Past President –Rotary Club of Cairo East, D2451
Rotary Izmir Dokuz Eylül
District 2440, Turkey - Past District Governor
Past Rotary Public Image Coordinator
Turkish Rotary Magazine board member
Active member of the WASH and SRoF fellowships
TRF CADRE
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