Published: May 01, 2008 11:51 am      

Rotary hosts visitors from African nation of Tunisia

ROMNEY - Visitors from the ancient world are paying a visit to the region this week hosted by Rotary clubs in Cumberland, Romney and Oakland.

Tunisia, located at the top of the African continent, was founded by the Phoenicians, the first recognized sea-going traders of the Mediterranean.

Ali Ben Yahia, Lilia Bouderbala, Imed Tlili, Slim Amara and Eya Kaddour arrived in the United States on April 23 to begin a four-week tour of Rotary District 7350, made up 45 clubs in Western Maryland, northeastern West Virginia and Pennsylvania, including the local clubs.

On Tuesday, they attended the Cumberland club meeting and on Wednesday the Romney club, where they provided a slide presentation describing their country, themselves and their professions.

Ben Yahia is the Rotarian group leader and an associate professor of marketing, head of marketing for the international trade and languages department at the Higher Institute of Management at the University of Tunis. He is also the head of two consultancy firms.

He said he spends about five months a year in France commuting the two hours between Paris and Tunisia by air.

Bouderbala is a physician who works with a pharmaceutical laboratory, while working on her thesis for her degree. "I am thinking of making a career in this field," she said.

She is a member of a Rotaract Club in District 9010, which includes Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria.

Bouderbala was especially interested in the tour of the Hampshire County Wellness Center following Wednesday's Romney Rotary meeting.

Tlili, the only married member of the team, is an administrative and financial officer at the International Center of Research and Training in the reproductive health unit of the national Office of Family and Population in Tunisia.

Amara is a graduate student with a master's degree in marketing research and a specialized master's in international trade.

He has had his own company, which specializes in exporting fruits and vegetables, since 2005, and hopes to connect with an American company to collaborate on exporting, especially dates.

Kaddour is a consultant in marketing and business strategies and was also a member of a Rotaract Club in the district.

The team members noted that in Tunisia women have equal rights with men, unlike other Arab countries.

They reviewed the history of their country from Ancient Carthage, founded in 814 B.C., through its occupation by the Romans, the Vandals and the Byzantines, to its Islamic conquest.

Tunisia was the first Arab country to promulgate a constitution and ban slavery in the 19th century. The country was proclaimed a republic in 1957.

The economic focus is on diversified marketing of its agriculture sector and growing manufacturing.

The country has a thriving tourism industry and is frequented by European travelers for its beaches and historical treasures.

Ben Yahia said a great deal of emphasis is placed on education, with the government allocations being among the highest in the world.

He said education in Tunisia is free and accessible to everyone and is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16.

Amara said the country practices a high degree of religious tolerance with many religious groups, including Jews, Christians and Muslims, living together in harmony.

The majority of the population is Muslim and the official religion is Sunni Islam.

Ethnic culture is described as diverse with a population that is Arab, Berber, African and European-influenced.

Bill Wiley Jr., president of the Romney club, presented items from the local community while the team responded with gifts of Rotary banners and a brass plate from the Tunisian clubs.

The Hampshire High School Interact Club, sponsored by the Romney club, attended Wednesday's meeting, along with five members of the Keyser Rotary Club.

The group's next stop will be Oakland, and it will also attend the Rotary District 7350 Conference set for May 9-11 at State College, Pa.

Contact Mona Ridder at monaridder@verizon.net.