Laayoune prepares for first Unity Day celebrations ahead of Green March anniversary

Laayoune is preparing to celebrate Morocco’s newly established Unity Day on October 31 and the 51st anniversary of the Green March on November 6, with streets being decorated, public spaces renovated and lighting installations erected across the city ahead of two national commemorations closely linked to the Moroccan Sahara.

Municipal workers have been upgrading roads and pedestrian walkways, repainting public areas and installing Moroccan flags and illuminated displays along major avenues and squares. Local authorities and elected councils are coordinating the preparations, which extend into residential neighborhoods.

The celebrations will mark the first observance of Unity Day, established by King Mohammed VI in November 2025 following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 on the Sahara.

The October 31 holiday commemorates the date of that resolution, which strengthened international backing for Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the basis for negotiations over the disputed territory. The Royal Palace designated the occasion an annual national holiday, during which the King may also grant pardons.

This year’s celebrations will follow another round of UN Security Council deliberations on the Sahara, with Morocco awaiting a new resolution concerning the territory and the future of the UN mission, MINURSO.

In Laayoune, residents interviewed by Hespress welcomed the preparations, saying that improved lighting, refurbished streets and public decorations reflected the importance of the two commemorations.

Some also pointed to the city’s infrastructure development in recent years while calling for continued improvements to public services and basic facilities.

The November 6 celebrations will commemorate the Green March of 1975, when approximately 350,000 Moroccans mobilized at the call of the late King Hassan II and marched toward the then Spanish-administered territory.