A 45-year-old Moroccan who has lived in San Giuliano Milanese, Italy, for 25 years has become a well-known figure in the town for his efforts to counter drug dealing, vandalism, and the negative stereotypes affecting North African communities in Italy. «We are not maranza. It's wrong to call us North Africans that», Tarik Banour told Corriere della Sera in an article published this week. «When I hear the word maranza used as if we were all the same, I get nervous… The vast majority of Moroccans in Italy work honestly, study, are committed, and respect the rules». Banour arrived from Rabat in 2000 to study Foreign Languages at the University of Milan. Now working for a logistics company and raising two teenage children, he dedicates much of his time to supporting Moroccan families, helping them find housing, navigate bureaucracy, and integrate into the local community. In a town struggling with petty crime and drug dealing, he has personally intervened to stop problematic behavior by small groups of youths. «I did it to defend the many of my fellow countrymen who live with dignity and respect», he says. For Tarik, the real issue is the lack of direction among some young people caught between two identities. «The word maranza doesn't describe a people or an origin, but behaviors. And when someone commits a crime, they should be called what they are: criminals». Banour stresses that school is the real test of integration. «These young people are the future of Italy… You belong to this society where you live». At home, he reminds his children that «children born to foreigners aren't bad, they often just feel excluded». «No young person who arrives in Italy should ever feel out of place» he concludes. «Being Italian isn't an achievement, it's a right, but also a responsibility».
