 Entrance to the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture | |
| Latin:Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture Institut royal de la culture amazighe | |
| Established | 2001 |
|---|---|
| President | Ahmed Boukouss |
| Secretary General | M. E. H. El Moujahid |
| Address | Alal Fasi Street PO Box 2055 Hay Riad |
| Location | , |
| Website | www.ircam.ma |
TheRoyal Institute of Amazigh Culture (French:Institut royal de la culture amazighe (IRCAM);Standard Moroccan Tamazight:ⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰⴳ ⴰⴳⵍⴷⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵜⵓⵙⵙⵏⴰ ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ,romanized: Asinag Ageldan n Tussna Tamazight (SGSM);Arabic:المعهد الملكي للثقافة الأمازيغية,romanized: al-Ma‘had al-Malikī lith-Thaqāfah al-Amāzīghīyah) is an academic institute of theMoroccan government in charge with the promotion of theBerber languages and culture, and of the development ofStandard Moroccan Amazigh and its instruction in Morocco's public schools.[1][2]
The institute is located in the Moroccan capital ofRabat. It was officially founded on October 17, 2001, under aroyal decree ofKing Mohammed VI, and was run by Amazigh scholars and activists.[1][2][3] The institute had legal and financial independence from the executive branch of government, but its recommendations about the education of the Berber languages in Moroccan public schools are not legally binding to the government.
After nineteen years of existence the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture ceased to exist as an independent institution in February 2020.[4] It continues to function as a division of National Council for Amazigh Languages and Culture.[5]
The institute offers advice to the Moroccan king and government about the measures that would help develop the Berber language and culture, especially within the educational system.
IRCAM published numerous books on various subjects, such as history, culture, geography, including Amazigh language textbooks, dictionaries and translations. One of the institute's key activities was issuing of theAsīnāg Journal presenting articles, reviews and, what in general constitutes international dialogue on the Amazigh cause.[4]
Linguistic policies advocated by scholars of IRCAM aimed at unifying the whole Moroccan Amazigh community through the creation of a national linguistic standard, which was to function alongside the spoken varieties of Amazigh.[4]
Asinag was a scientific journal published by the institute. Its chief editor was Ahmed Boukouss, IRCAM's president. Among its Scientific Board members there were scholars affiliated with Moroccan, Algerian and even American universities as well as independent scholars and employees of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture. Fourteen issues of the journal have been published. The predominant subject of Asinag was the Amazigh language – its grammar, history, education and functioning in modern Moroccan society.[4]
The institute has played a pioneering role in the adoption ofTifinagh for the transcription of Berber languages in Morocco.
The adopted transcription system is analphabet, as opposed to the original Tifinagh maintained by theTuaregs which is anabjad. It is made up of 33 characters and is largely inspired by theneo-Tifinagh developed in the 1970s byKabyle militants.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)33°58′32.03″N6°52′16.18″W / 33.9755639°N 6.8711611°W /33.9755639; -6.8711611
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