Unity Day: Moroccans in Orly and Madrid mark first anniversary abroad
Unity Day was marked by Morocco’s consulates in Orly and Madrid, with a “Marchés du Maroc” event in Ivry-sur-Seine and a speech by Consul General Kamal Arifi.
Photo: Years of Culture
Morocco’s consulates general in Orly and Madrid held events on Saturday, October 31, to mark the first anniversary of Unity Day, the national occasion instituted by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The celebrations drew large numbers of Moroccans living in France and Spain.
In France, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Orly organised “Marchés du Maroc” in Ivry-sur-Seine, in partnership with the association Plaisir de Partages and other community groups. The event opened at the Studio Kremlin venue and was scheduled to run until Sunday, November 1, under the slogan “A united Morocco, a richness we share”.
Caftans, folklore and networking
The opening day brought together Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians and Egyptians, along with visitors of other backgrounds. The programme combined caftan shows, Moroccan folklore and family activities, as well as spaces where associations and entrepreneurs could meet.
The organisers aim to showcase Morocco’s heritage in fresh ways and to strengthen cultural exchange between the Moroccan community and other communities living in France. Moroccan residents of Ivry-sur-Seine welcomed the fact that their town was hosting the event.
Ibrahim Rezqi, Consul General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Orly, intends to make the initiative a recurring one, with successive editions in Ivry-sur-Seine and other neighbouring towns in the Val-de-Marne area and its surroundings.
Resolution 2797 recalled in Madrid
In the Spanish capital, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Madrid hosted a celebration attended by many members of the Moroccan community living in Madrid and its suburbs.
Speaking at the ceremony, Consul General Kamal Arifi said the anniversary recalls the Royal Speech His Majesty the King addressed to the nation after the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 on the Moroccan Sahara. He said the resolution confirms international recognition of the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole, realistic and pragmatic basis for a final settlement of the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
The diplomat described this momentum as the result of the Sovereign’s vision, which he said had consolidated the Kingdom’s territorial integrity and strengthened Morocco’s position in the region. He also reviewed the historical milestones in the completion of the Kingdom’s territorial integrity and pointed to development in the southern provinces, which he said have become a major logistics and economic hub linking Morocco to the rest of Africa.
Several members of the community who spoke to the press expressed pride in taking part and renewed their mobilisation behind His Majesty King Mohammed VI in defence of the Kingdom’s territorial integrity.
