On the evening of Friday, June 23rd in Washington, DC, His Excellency Aziz Mekouar, Moroccan Ambassador to the United States, and the Board of Directors of the High Atlas Foundation hosted a reception to raise awareness and support for fruit tree planting projects with rural Moroccan communities.

The reception was held at the home of Ambassador Mekouar in Bethesda, Maryland.  Over 180 guests attended the event to help us honor Ambassador Edward Gabriel for his tremendous dedication to the Moroccan people, and Kate Jeans-Gail, who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco and was tragically killed in an accident soon afterwards.

Proceeds from the evening will support a fruit tree nursery in Kate’s memory consisting of 100,000 walnut, cherry, apple, pear and plum trees.  The trees will benefit over 10,000 people in 60 villages in rural Morocco.  Fruit trees diversify rural incomes and diets, advance development and conservation, and build skills of local rural people.