Berber textbook goes on display

[Jordan Lachler]

Berber textbook goes on display

A Berber cultural institute in Morocco says the first textbook aimed at
teaching children how to read and write the Berber language will be on
display on Sunday at a book fair in Casablanca.

The director of the Royal Institute of Berber culture, Dr Ahmad Boukous,
told the BBC that although three dialects of Berber were spoken all over
the country, not many people knew how to write the script, called tifinagh.

The majority of Moroccans are of Berber origin and many speak one of its
dialects, but Arabic is still the official language.

Activists are demanding Berber should be given official status.

Last September the government allowed the language to be taught in schools
alongside other languages such as English and French.

 From the newsroom of the BBC World Service