Morocco celebrates first Unity Day marking territorial sovereignty

Morocco is celebrating its inaugural Unity Day on October 31, 2026. The national holiday was established by King Mohammed VI following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 on October 31, 2025. This resolution represented a diplomatic shift by emphasizing Morocco’s autonomy initiative under its sovereignty as the primary basis for political negotiations regarding the Sahara region.

Across the kingdom, including the southern provinces of Laâyoune and Dakhla, celebrations include street decorations, public illuminations, and community events. In Paris, the Moroccan Consulate General hosted a reception for the diaspora to reaffirm support for the kingdom’s territorial integrity. Local ceremonies, such as those in Chtouka Ait Baha, included official flag-raising ceremonies and the awarding of royal medals to citizens for their service.

The holiday serves as a symbolic marker of national cohesion and a transition in the diplomatic process, moving away from previous referendum-based approaches toward a framework centered on Moroccan sovereignty.