Laayoune has begun preparations for Eid Al Wahda, observed on October 31, with work underway to decorate streets and alleyways, repaint and repair sidewalks, and maintain green spaces and public areas.
Le360 visited several parts of the city, where authorities have begun installing decorative features and ornamental structures to give public spaces a festive look ahead of the occasion, which carries political and symbolic significance linked to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara.
Speaking to Le360, public law researcher Cheikh Boussaid said the preparations take on particular importance given the current political and diplomatic context. He pointed to Morocco’s gains on the Sahara issue and stressed the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 in the international community’s consideration of Morocco’s autonomy proposal.
For his part, Civil and human rights activist Omar Akhnibila said the decorations and installations appearing across Laayoune’s streets were not merely aesthetic additions but also carried symbolic meaning, reflecting what he described as residents’ attachment to national unity and their ties to Morocco.
He also stressed the importance of the celebrations in recalling key stages in the national cause and the political and diplomatic developments surrounding it.
The preparations recall last year’s celebrations in Laayoune, held alongside the 50th anniversary of the Green March. The festivities included various events and the illumination of light installations along several city streets.
On that occasion, Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra Wali Abdeslam Bekrate, Laayoune Police Chief Hassan Abou Eddahab and Laayoune Municipal Council President Hamdi Ould Errachid, accompanied by civilian and military officials and elected representatives, oversaw the official lighting ceremony.
The event began on Hassan II Avenue and evoked the symbolism of the Green March and its place in Morocco’s national memory.
