Morocco celebrates saturday 45th independence day
Morocco, Local, 11/18/2000

The kingdom celebrates today the 45th anniversary of independence recalling the armed struggle for freedom and founding values, sacrifices which marshaled identity and the epic of the Moroccan people and crown.

This year's celebration is marked by a new drive for change and renewal under King Mohammed VI's leadership to strengthen the kingdom's democratic choices and spur on multi-faceted development in utter symbiosis between the crown and people.

Decades later, after merciless battles which claimed thousands of martyrs, colonial powers found out they could not subdue a people which was the depositary of a millennia-old civilization shaped up by spiritual and identity values in the crown-people symbiosis.

The Nation's father, the late king Mohammed V and family, returned from exile to go to Paris and sign on November 6, 1955 the Celle-Saint-Cloud Declaration under which France recognized Morocco's right to independence and sovereignty.

On November 18 of 1955, The late sovereign, flanked by his struggle companion the late Hassan II, then crown prince, told the Moroccan people: "We rejoice in being able to announce the end of the tutelage and protectorate regime and the advent of an era of liberty and independence."

The prestigious reign of the nation's father was followed by the era of a sacred union between the people and the late King Hassan II, geared towards meeting the challenges of building up a modern country, socio-economic progress, completion of territorial integrity and the strengthening of democracy.

Wagers won include the kingdom territorial integrity completion, one million hectare irrigation through dam-construction policy, women emancipation, social housing promotion, the choice of liberal economy and the building up of a society with modern structures which are attributes of the rule of law.

Therefore, November 18 is the day to pay tribute to the nation's father and his successor the builder and unifier who successfully took on challenges of development and modernizing.

Under King Mohammed VI, the country entered an era of rapid change releasing new dynamics and unleashing incredible development forces nationwide which attracted foreign attention to the Moroccan experiment. Initiatives and achievements within months in the economic, social, political and other fields were echoed worldwide.

Celebrating Nov.18 today is also a token of trust and hopes for the new era and mobilization to consolidate gains as a modern and democratic country enjoying full sovereignty and fully capable of taking on present challenges as well as those to come.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco marks Independence Day   (11/18/1999)
  Morocco celebrates independence day   (11/18/1998)

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