Morocco World News
Morocco World News
Rabat, August 13, 2012
According to the news website Hespress, the allegiance ceremony to King Mohammed VI- which usually takes place the following day of the Throne Day- will take place on August 21, the next day after the Youth Day, which celebrates the birthday of the King.
For the first time in decades, the Throne celebration, which marks the anniversary of the enthronement of King Mohammed VI, did not include the allegiance to the King.
The allegiance ceremony has always been regarded by many Moroccans as a medieval practice that should be abandoned.
Several members of the current PJD-led government had previously voiced their opposition to such protocol.
Saad Eddine Alotmani, Lahbib Chobani, Moustapha Ramid and Najib Bolif signed a document on March 31, 2011 demanding the abolition of “all ceremonies, traditions and rituals that are perceived to be as humiliating and degrading to the human dignity.” The petition entitled “The Change that We Want” was signed by some activists, politicians, journalists and former political detainees.
Now the big question that many Moroccans are asking is whether or not those Ministers will take part in the allegiance ceremony.
The annual ceremony of allegiance embodied in the “Bayaa” (Allegiance ceremony) is a century-old tradition. During this ceremony Moroccan Ministers and other officials renew their allegiance to the king.
King Mohammed VI was enthroned on July 30, 1999, succeeding to his father the late King Hassan II who ruled the country from 1961 to 1999.
