Youth Day in Morocco

Observed annually on August 21st every year, Youth Day is a holiday that honors the youth of Morocco. It is observed on King Mohammed VI’s birthday. Because this holiday follows Revolution Day, another public holiday, it essentially gives many Moroccans a 2-day period off of work or school.

This happens to be a good thing because a variety of activities take place around the country for these two days. These activities include parades, festivals, competitions, and other such events. These events help to show just how important Morocco considers its youth to be.

The History Of Youth Day In Morocco

This holiday was officially created as a public holiday back in 1999 when the late King Hassan II established August 21st as a national holiday. It was created as a testament to the importance that was placed on Moroccan youth in driving Morocco’s development forward.

King Hassan II knew that it was important to empower young people to work on behalf of Morocco. It’s been observed ever since. Although Youth Day has only been a public holiday for the past 2+ decades, as a practice it actually began in 1948. It was used as a rallying cry to get the youth engaged against the colonial rule of the French.

Evidently, it worked because, in 1956, Morocco gained independence. Youth Day was soon set as a holiday to remember young people’s contribution to Moroccan independence, but it wouldn’t be moved to the 21st of August, the date of Mohammed VI’s birthday, until 1999. This happened after King Hassan II died on July 23rd, 1999.

In 2019, festivities for this holiday were suspended and continued to be suspended through 2021. However, even though the festivities were discontinued on a federal level during that time, it was still celebrated by many people all across the country.

Some Fun Facts About Morocco

Below are some fun facts about Morocco that we would like to below for everyone reading.

  • In Morocco, there are more active phones in use than people living in the country.
  • The two official languages of Morocco are Arabic and Berber.
  • Morocco exports over 112,000 tons of dates every year.
  • The national sport of Morocco is soccer.
  • Barbary Lions used to be found in the mountains and forests of Morocco. However, they have since gone extinct.

Observing Youth Day In Morocco

Youth Day in Morocco is observed with special awards, tributes, and other such activities. It’s also observed with parades, festivals, and sporting competitions. On social media, the hashtag #YouthDayMorocco can be used to spread the word about this holiday.

Where is it celebrated?
Morocco (National holiday)
When is it?
This year (2023)
August 21 Monday
Next year (2024)
August 21 Wednesday
Last year (2022)
August 21 Sunday