Feast of the Throne
When traveling from country to country you are often exposed to more culture and excitement if you plan your visit during festival time. Morocco may not always be thought of as a country filled with parties and festivities but quite a few traditional and modern celebrations are held by the local people. One of these is the Feast of the Throne.
As the name suggests, the Feast of the Throne is a day held in honor of the king’s ascension to the throne. It is currently held on 30 July and honors the current king of Morocco, His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The day is one of much rejoicing and festivity. While the Royal Palace hosts the primary festivities, the many cities, towns and villages spread across the country also make sure not to miss out on the fun. On this very special day the King usually addresses the nation at some point during the festivities.
Although he is 46 years old, King Mohamed VI has only been in power for ten years. He ascended to the throne in 1999; however, he has been involved in the country’s politics for much longer. His father, the late King Hassan II, saw to it that Mohamed VI would be well-prepared to take on the task of leading the nation when he was one day called on to do so. At just four years of age he began attending the Qur’anic school at the Royal Palace where he received both a traditional and religious education. He later went on to further his education at the Mohammed V University in Rabat, where he obtained a B.A. in law in 1985, followed by a CES in political sciences and a DEA in public law. He then traveled to Brussels to learn from the President of the European Commission before obtaining a PhD in Law with a ‘Very Honorable’ distinction from the French University of Nice Sophia Antipolis. He also received an honorary degree from the George Washington University just one year after his ascension to the throne for his efforts to promote democracy in Morocco.
Since being in power King Mohammed VI has certainly not been idle. He has worked hard to take on the problems of poverty, corruption and unemployment in his country as well as improve human rights. In 2004 he created a new family code known as Mudawana, which gave women more power. And his efforts certainly don’t end there. For the first time in centuries, Morocco has been under the rule of a monarch truly worthy of his subjects. That certainly is something worth celebrating!
