HIBAPRESS – Khalil Fazzazi
The city of Smara hosted, on Monday morning, October 19, an extensive communication meeting chaired by the province's governor, Ibrahim Boutoumilat, at the lectures and seminars hall of the reception center. The meeting was dedicated to outlining the broad strokes of the program for celebrating the first anniversary of the Unity Festival and reviewing its most prominent themes aimed at highlighting the historical and civilizational heritage of the region and enhancing its cultural and developmental radiance.
The meeting was attended by the Commander of the Military Garrison, the President of the Provincial Council, a number of elected officials, representatives of external and security services, as well as tribal elders and civil society figures, in the framework of mobilizing various local institutions and entities to ensure the success of this national occasion.
The meeting began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran and the national anthem, followed by a documentary film that recalled the most important moments of the celebration commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the glorious Green March.
In his speech on the occasion, the governor of the Smara province affirmed that commemorating the first anniversary of the Unity Festival is an opportunity to renew pride in the territorial unity of the Kingdom and recall national achievements, as well as to highlight the historical, civilizational, spiritual, and developmental potentials that Smara abounds with, in the context of the dynamism experienced by the southern provinces under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The provincial official stressed the necessity for the celebration's segments to reflect the historical and spiritual status of the region, and to go beyond a ceremonial nature towards an integrated vision of cultural and developmental radiance, based on valuing local potentials and strengthening Smara's presence within the economic and strategic transformations the region is witnessing.
He also touched upon the importance of the Atlantic Royal Initiative in enhancing the openness of the southern provinces to their African depth, recalling the prospects associated with the Amgala crossing in terms of connection and exchange, alongside projects related to hydro-agricultural development, as one of the tributaries that can contribute to valuing local potential and supporting economic and social development in the region.
For his part, Sidi Mohammed Salem Al-Bihi, President of the Smara Provincial Council, highlighted the importance of continuing coordination and joint institutional work between the provincial authorities, elected councils, and other partners, to support development initiatives and respond to the aspirations of the population. He also praised the dynamism the region is experiencing and the importance of involving various stakeholders in accompanying major national projects and events.
In turn, Mohammed Fadel Amari, Vice-President of the Smara Municipality, affirmed that the celebration represents an occasion to enhance the territorial marketing of the region and introduce its historical, civilizational, and cultural potentials, pointing to the opportunities it can provide to expand Smara's reach and strengthen its presence at the regional, national, and international levels, as well as supporting parallel diplomacy and introducing the region's attributes.
In the same context, Al-Hanafi Al-Adli, the General Coordinator of the Celebration Program, presented an overview of the general concept of the event and its main axes, explaining that the program focuses on diversifying activities and achieving integration between academic, intellectual, cultural, agricultural, spiritual, and sports segments, so as to highlight the historical and civilizational specificity of the region and enhance its radiance.
The meeting concluded with renewing the oath of the Green March, and raising prayers for His Majesty King Mohammed VI for victory and support, and for the Kingdom of Morocco for continued security and stability.
This meeting comes in the context of local preparations for the celebration of the first anniversary of the Unity Festival, with an emphasis on the importance of coordination between various institutions and entities to ensure the organization of a program that reflects the symbolism of the occasion and highlights the potentials that the city of Smara and its province abound with.
