Casablanca – Moroccans celebrate the 38th anniversary of the now famous Green March on Wednesday, November 6th. Thirty-eight years ago, 350,000 Moroccans took part in the Green March, a historic, peaceful walk that forced Spain to relinquish control of the now disputed Western Sahara.
The Moroccan press has highlighted this historical event in different ways. For example, an article by the daily, Libération, entitled “The Great Value of a March,” memorialized the “enthusiasm and determination that were shown not only by those Moroccans who took part in this great event that marked the last century, but by Morocco as a whole.”
“This is what makes the strength of all Moroccans whenever it comes to a national cause, fundamental be it or emblematic,” wrote daily USFPéiste.
The daily newspaper Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki journeyed back in time to remind us of how it all started:
“It all happened after the declaration of General Franco, wherein he ordered the withdrawal of Spanish troops after Morocco asked to recover this land that had been usurped since 1830, when the French troops occupied Algeria.”
Al Nahar Maghribya, the Arabic daily, traced back in time the trajectory taken by the kingdom during its political development: “Morocco has chosen the path of political renewal as a major principle, making of it one of those countries that look to the future.”
“The celebration of the Green March is the celebration of the triumph of Moroccan political thought, which is based on innovation,” according to Al Nahar Maghribya’s article.
For its part, daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribya has approached this historic event from a different perspective. “After about 40 years of this work, when will Morocco recover the entirety of its Sahara, and when will it completely rid this geographically and historically exceptional region of all those colonial presences that lurk around it?,” queried the daily newspaper.
The Green March is deeply rooted in the history and collective memory of Moroccans, on the political, social as well as cultural levels. This historical event has inspired many artists, researchers, and writers who found great interest in its history.
Each year, the celebration of the Green March revives Moroccans’ patriotism towards their country and actualizes feelings of national pride and historical glory in their memories.
This Wednesday, all Moroccans will commemorate the exceptional march that mobilized the kingdom and gave its citizens the strength to cross the country to defend its territorial integrity.
© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed
