 In 1982, he founded the Center of Amazigh Studies and Research (CERAM) and a periodical called "Awal" ("The Word") in Paris, and organized several seminars on the Amazigh language and literature at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS).Thus he was able to compile a wealth of information on the Berber language and literature.In 1988 he received an honorary doctorate from Sorbonne.