After the earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday, September 8, showings of solidarity among Moroccans have grown, both at home, and among the large diaspora.
In a heartfelt show of solidarity, comedians Gad Elmaleh and Jamel Debbouze, together with their teams, are using their talents to assist in the earthquake relief effort.
Gad Elmaleh, along with fellow comedians Redouane Bougheraba and Roman Frayssinet, will be headlining the Show Solidarité Maroc (Morocco Solidarity Show) at Le Dôme de Paris on October 2. All proceeds from this collaborative show will go towards the Special Fund No. 126, established by Moroccan authorities to coordinate emergency measures in the wake of the earthquake.
Elmaleh expressed his support directly in a social media post: “The Moroccan government launched “Fund 126” to provide emergency aid to victims of the country’s tragedy. All revenues will be donated to this fund. All United.”
Tickets for this one-time show range from 75 to 300 euros. All participants, even the technical and ticketing employees, are volunteers. The goal is to raise around €500,000, using their sense of humor as a force for good.
Similarly, Jamel Debbouze is holding a charitable gala on September 17, in partnership with the city of Trappes, France. Six comedians from Jamel Comedy Club will perform for an hour, with all revenues benefiting earthquake relief in Morocco.
Flying to Marrakech, Debbouze, the French Moroccan actor and comedian, took part in a solidarity operation with the victims. “Everyone is delivering food, blankets, sweaters, socks, it seems stupid but it’s very, very cold up there,” he told RTL.
“We simply act as relays … We feel teamwork when we witness actions like these,” he explained, adding, “what I like best is that it includes the government, NGOs, associations, civic society, and artists… It forms a highly structured and cohesive chain. That’s really lovely. It makes me even more proud to be Moroccan.”