Morocco’s Fez named finalist in Bloomberg Mayors Challenge for waste initiative

MOROCCO – The city of Fez has been named one of 50 global finalists in the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, a prestigious competition that spotlights cities with inventive, impactful solutions to pressing urban issues.

Out of more than 630 proposals submitted from cities worldwide, Fez stood out, not for its history this time, but for its future-facing plan to transform one of its most informal and overlooked labor sectors: waste pickers.

At the heart of Fez’s proposal is the creation of a waste sorting center that does more than manage garbage, it reimagines how waste workers are integrated into the city’s economic and environmental fabric.

The plan includes formalizing roles, improving working conditions, and offering practical training to boost recycling rates.

It’s a model that combines sustainability with social inclusion, providing structure, dignity, and opportunity to a workforce long operating in the shadows of the city’s centuries-old walls.

For its forward-thinking concept, Fez will receive US$50,000 (over MAD 455,000) to develop a prototype and an invitation to Bloomberg’s exclusive Ideas Camp this July.

There, civic leaders from the 50 selected cities, representing 33 countries and more than 80 million people, will collaborate with global experts to refine and scale their proposals.

In January 2026, 25 winners will be awarded US$1 million (approx. MAD 10 million) and technical support to bring their projects to life.

For Fez, this recognition is more than a milestone, it’s a statement. A city deeply rooted in tradition, home to the world’s oldest university (Al Quaraouiyine), and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fez has long balanced heritage with resilience.

The new waste initiative builds on previous efforts to rehabilitate the Oued Fez River, enhance waste infrastructure in the medina, and reduce urban pollution, showing that Fez is not just preserving history, but shaping its future.

By uplifting its informal workers and investing in inclusive urban solutions, Fez is turning its deep-rooted sense of community into a driver for sustainable growth.

The city that once led the world in knowledge is now leading the way in inclusive urban innovation, proving that with vision and heart, even ancient cities can chart new paths forward.

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