On January 14, Moroccans will celebrate the Amazigh New Year as an official national holiday, following the historic decision of King Mohammed VI to make it an official paid holiday, like Fatih Muharram of the Islamic calendar and New Year’s Eve. New Year.
This event is the culmination of a long struggle for the recognition of the cultural and linguistic rights of the Amazighs, and constitutes a milestone in the process of building a Morocco reconciled with its multiple identities.
The royal decision is not only a traditional celebration of the Amazigh calendar, but reflects a profound change in the vision of the State, which aims to strengthen national identity and consolidate cultural diversity and multilingualism as a source of wealth and strength and pillar of sustainable development.
The celebration of the Amazigh year is a tradition passed down by the people of the North African region. This tradition has its roots in history, where the agricultural calendar was adopted as a tool to organize agricultural activities and man’s close connection with the land. The occasion has been known by different names such as “Yennayer”, “Hakuza” or “the agricultural year”…, but it has remained a symbol of cultural identity and pride of belonging.
The official recognition of the Amazigh year today gives a particular flavor to this celebration, which goes from a popular social practice to a national event which underlines the vision of Morocco as a country of diversity par excellence, and reflects its global vision of promoting the spirit of unity in diversity and belonging within the framework of coexistence.
The celebration of this event is an opportunity to examine what has been achieved in the field of Amazigh as a major national workshop since His Majesty King Mohammed VI announced in the “Ajdir Speech” that “the “Amazigh is a national responsibility”, and the process continued after its establishment as an official language, followed by the promulgation of the regulatory law on the implementation of the official character of the Amazigh language in 2019.
The official celebration of the Amazigh New Year also raises the question of the reasons for the slow implementation of the provisions of this regulatory law and the role of institutions and actors in the process of managing multiculturalism, in particular the National Language Council and Moroccan culture, given that this constitutional institution represents a cornerstone in strengthening cultural and linguistic governance in Morocco. The question therefore remains raised in light of the persistent delay in the activation of this institution on the ground, which raises questions relating to how to manage cultural diversity and ensure the integration of cultural and linguistic policies in Morocco. .
-The official celebration of the Amazigh year carries important connotations and symbolic messages, both inside and outside the country:
Internally, the celebration is a step to strengthen the feeling of citizenship and belonging to a country that encompasses diverse components within the framework of a new vision that considers diversity and pluralism as a national wealth that contributes to strengthen social cohesion and consolidate the foundations of political stability.
On the external level, this celebration highlights the image of Morocco as a country reconciled with its long history, celebrating its thousand-year-old civilization, and confirms the exceptionalism of Morocco as a country capable of transforming its cultural wealth into a strength that distinguishes him from others, as His Majesty King Mohammed VI said in a noble speech on the occasion of the 68th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People:
“…Morocco is targeted because it is an ancient state, spanning more than twelve centuries, in addition to its long Amazigh history; it has been led by a citizen monarchy for more than four centuries, in a strong link between the throne and the people. » (End of His Majesty’s speech).
It is impossible to talk about Amazigh achievements without mentioning the major role played by the human rights movement and the Amazighs in particular during several decades of struggle. This movement was a pioneer in demanding a new concept of national identity and defended cultural and linguistic diversity as a necessity for achieving democracy and good governance.
Their demands coincided with the strategic vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the first features of which appeared in the “Ajdir Speech”, and culminated with the integration of Amazigh into state institutions, then its legalization in the highest law of the Kingdom in 2011, after which it became an essential component of authentic Moroccan identity, rich in its multiple tributaries, and a source of strengthening national unity.
However, despite significant progress made over the past two decades, strengthening the presence of Amazighs in vital sectors such as education, media and administration…remains a challenge that requires additional efforts. Strengthening the Amazigh presence in vital sectors such as education, media and administration remains a challenge that requires additional efforts. Accelerating the operationalization of public institutions, such as the National Council of Moroccan Languages and Culture, has become an urgent necessity to guarantee an integrated vision of the management of cultural diversity.
The official celebration of the Amazigh year is a symbolic step that reflects Morocco’s desire to institutionalize diversity and plurality as part of its unified national identity. By celebrating this historic event with deep symbolic connotations, Moroccans renew their hope of building a fairer nation that embraces all its cultural components, celebrates the richness of its ancient past and transforms it into a more radiant common future.