Rabat – The streets of Stockholm came alive on Thursday as nearly 300 participants joined a march organized by the Collective of Moroccan Community Associations to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Green March.
Waving hundreds of red Moroccan flags, participants, including many young people and children, as well as Swedish supporters, marched through the city in a display of patriotism and solidarity. The march concluded at Sergel Torg Square in the heart of the capital, according to a statement from the collective.
It added that despite drizzle and cold weather, marchers carried portraits of King Mohammed VI, banners, and Moroccan flags, while singing patriotic songs that reflected their deep connection to the Kingdom.
“Even far from our homeland, our hearts beat for Morocco,” said an emotional woman in her sixties, holding up a portrait of King Mohammed VI.
The Green March, carried out on November 6, 1975, following a call from late King Hassan II, was a peaceful demonstration in which 350,000 Moroccans, men and women, marched into the southern provinces of Morocco to assert the country’s sovereignty over the region.
‘Morocco lives in our hearts’
An enduring symbol of Moroccan unity and determination, the event is celebrated annually both in Morocco and by Moroccans living abroad.
This year’s celebration was especially significant because it coincided with the recent adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797, which supports Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
Participants in the Stockholm march hailed the resolution as an important milestone that confirms the legitimacy of Morocco’s position and offers a foundation for a peaceful political solution in the region.
Morocco’s Ambassador to Sweden, Karim Medrek, addressed the crowd toward the end of the march. He spoke about the strong connection between Moroccans living abroad and their homeland, emphasizing “the deep and genuine bond uniting Moroccans living abroad with their homeland,” while celebrating the values of unity, cohesion, and peace that define the Moroccan people.
Medrek also spoke about the historic importance of Resolution 2797, noting that it reflects growing international support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative and reinforces the credibility of its approach to resolving the Western Sahara issue. He paid tribute to King Mohammed VI, whose leadership has helped transform the conflict into a model of peaceful negotiation.
“Fifty years after the Green March, our march in Stockholm proves that Morocco lives in our hearts,” concluded a young participant, proudly draped in the Moroccan flag.
