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United Nations removes photography exhibition in New York
The United Nations Secretariat dismantled a photography exhibition titled “50 Years 50 Faces, Sahrawi Exile: A Life of Resilience” at its New York headquarters on Tuesday. The exhibition, which was scheduled to run from October 27 to 30, 2026, was organized by Namibia with support from Algeria, Belize, South Africa, Timor-Leste, and Uganda.
The removal followed a formal protest by the Moroccan Mission to the UN, which argued that the display’s content and messaging were overtly political and aimed at undermining Morocco’s territorial integrity regarding the Sahara region. The UN Secretariat decided to dismantle the exhibit within hours of its setup, citing rules against using UN facilities for activities with political objectives.
The timing of the exhibition coincided with upcoming UN Security Council consultations and a scheduled meeting on October 30 regarding the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
Reports indicate that the dismantling process was marked by tension, with allegations of aggressive behavior from several Algerian diplomats. Some sources claim these diplomats confronted UN staff and security personnel in an attempt to physically prevent the removal of the exhibition.
Entities
Algeria · MINURSO · Morocco · Namibia · United Nations
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 5 SOURCES] The UN Secretariat dismantled a photography exhibition in New York. www.mcg24.com · www.maroc24.com · www.lereporter.ma · al3omk.com · northafricapost.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Namibia organized the exhibition with support from Algeria, Belize, South Africa, Timor-Leste, and Uganda. www.mcg24.com · www.maroc24.com · www.lereporter.ma · al3omk.com · northafricapost.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Algerian diplomats reportedly engaged in confrontations with UN security and staff during the removal process. www.mcg24.com · www.maroc24.com · www.lereporter.ma · al3omk.com · northafricapost.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Moroccan Mission protested the exhibition, claiming it had political messages targeting Morocco's territorial integrity. www.mcg24.com · www.maroc24.com · www.lereporter.ma · al3omk.com · northafricapost.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The exhibition was titled “50 Years 50 Faces, Sahrawi Exile: A Life of Resilience”. www.mcg24.com · www.maroc24.com · www.lereporter.ma · al3omk.com · northafricapost.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The exhibition was scheduled to run from October 27 to 30, 2026. www.mcg24.com · www.maroc24.com · www.lereporter.ma · al3omk.com · northafricapost.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The exhibition coincided with UN Security Council consultations regarding MINURSO. www.mcg24.com · www.maroc24.com · www.lereporter.ma · al3omk.com · northafricapost.com