Professor Zakariya Akdide, a faculty member at the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences in Marrakech, part of Cadi Ayyad University, has revealed that the Italian consulate in Casablanca has denied him a visa to attend an upcoming international conference scheduled to take place in Bergamo from June 29 to July 2, 2026. This conference is centered around the theme of "Ethics of Writing in Sociology" and is organized under the auspices of the International Association of French-speaking Sociologists.
In his statement, Akdide emphasized that he submitted all the necessary documentation required for the visa application, which included the official invitation from the conference's scientific committee, a mission order, and authorization to leave the national territory issued by his university. Additionally, he provided proof of hotel reservations, round-trip travel tickets, and international travel insurance.
However, the Italian consulate justified its decision to refuse the visa by stating that the invitation did not originate from an Italian research center, as per Akdide's account. He highlighted that he navigated through various administrative processes to secure an appointment for submitting his visa application through the company 'VFS'. From his perspective, this refusal raises significant concerns regarding the participation of Moroccan researchers and academics in international scientific events.
As reported by al3omk.com.
