Rabat – Morocco’s section of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that the 5-year old Rayan who recently passed away after being trapped in a 32-meter well for five days is the “new icon of childhood in Morocco.”
In a press release published on February 7, UNICEF Morocco renewed its condolences to the bereaved family of Rayan.
“This sad event demonstrated how Morocco, all stakeholders combined, faces the challenges that could affect its children,” the statement said.
UNICEF Morocco emphasized that the popular mobilization to save Rayan since the day he fell into the well testifies to the “real value that the country has on the rights of life and protection of its children.”
UNICEF also paid a heartfelt tribute to civil protection services, authorities, Royal gendarmes, and auxiliary forces who spent sleepless nights to carry on the rescue operation.
Read Also: A Timeline of Rayan’s Rescue Operation
“As a new icon of childhood in Morocco and elsewhere, it is our duty to Rayan’s memory to make every effort to ensure that all children in the world are better protected and their rights to life, survival, and development better defended,” the statement added.
Hundreds of people attended on February 7 Rayan’s funeral while several security and logistical preparations were made ahead of his funeral to ensure a smooth organization.
Rayan’s death provoked a wave of emotions in Morocco and abroad. Many individuals showed solidarity with the family of the deceased boy.
Moroccan singer Dounia Batma has announced that she is donating money to Rayan’s parents, while Moroccan football player Abderrazak Hamdallah has offered to buy an equipped house for the bereaved family.
