The Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, announced Monday in Rabat that a foundation for the social protection of artists will be created, affirming that the related bill has been filed with the General Secretariat of the Government before its presentation to the Council of Government.
In response to an oral question on the situation of artists presented by the Socialist Group to the House of Representatives, Bensaid underlined that in order for interventions in favor of artists to no longer only take on an individual, personal and human character, the department that he leads strives to ensure that these actions are institutionalized within a well-defined framework, hence the idea of creating a foundation dedicated to this purpose.
He added that the institution that will be created will focus on the social problems that artists face, through long-lasting and effective solutions, among others in the areas of health and housing, noting that the financing method has been settled.
As part of the project to generalize social protection launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, a decree was approved by the Government Council, extending health coverage to professionals and artists holding an artist’s card and to their families, in return for monthly contributions to the National Social Security Fund, recalled Mr. Bensaid.
The ministry also helps artists by covering the hospitalization costs of a large number of them, ensuring the confidentiality of these interventions in order to preserve the dignity and image of the artist, he said, adding that priority in the tributes paid to artists is given to renowned figures and those who are in a precarious situation.