A welcoming ceremony was held, on August 10, at Casablanca’s Mohammed V airport, in honor of the children participating in the fourteenth edition of the summer camps for Palestinian children.
Organized by Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency between August 10 and 26, under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of Al-Quds Committee, with the support of the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, this year’s edition witnesses the participation of 50 Maqdessi children (aged between 11 and 14), accompanied by five supervisors.
Intervening at the welcoming ceremony, the Agency’s Managing Director, Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui, stated that this edition, which His Majesty the King has named “The Green March,” is a gracious gesture by the Sovereign to His Palestinian brothers and reflects His Majesty the King’s consideration for Palestinians, who constantly defend their land by all legitimate peaceful means to achieve their aspirations to build their state with East Al-Quds as its capital.
“We, at Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, are proud of this High Patronage from His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist Him, and of the Sovereign’s generous support for the work of this agency, which is the operational arm that implements the policies of Al-Quds Committee, and the ideal tool to shape joint Arab-Islamic action for the benefit of the Holy City and its inhabitants,” added Echarkaoui.
The Agency’s Managing Director said that beneficiaries of this year’s summer camp add to the 650 children and 65 supervisors who benefited from previous editions.
For his part, the Coordinator of Civil Initiatives for the Agency’s Human Development Program in Al-Quds and one of the supervisors in this edition, Bachar Abu Chamsiya, praised the 14th edition’s theme, which reflects the importance of the Moroccan Sahara for His Majesty the King and all Moroccans.
Abu Chamsiya stated that the preparations for this camp were an opportunity “to be informed about the Green March and how the late His Majesty King Hassan II was able to liberate the Moroccan Sahara and consolidate and preserve the land,” noting that participants in this camp will serve as ambassadors in Palestine for Morocco and its heritage.
On this occasion, the children participating in the camp extended to the press their gratitude for this opportunity to get to know the culture of their “second homeland,” Morocco, and Moroccans “who are very fond of Palestine and Palestinians,” expressing their joy and happiness at taking part in this year’s edition.
During this welcoming ceremony, the Maqdissi children performed the Moroccan and Palestinian national anthems and the song “Nidae Al Hassan.”
In a similar context, Counselor at the Palestinian Embassy in Morocco, Ghada El Traoui, affirmed that through the reception of these Palestinian children in Morocco, the Kingdom and Palestine renewed their rendezvous once again, expressing her gratitude to His Majesty the King and the Moroccan people for this gesture and the hospitality with which the Maqdessi children are welcomed each year.
El Traoui also emphasized that this year’s theme, “The Green March,” reflects the support of the Palestinian people for the Kingdom’s unity, reflecting Morocco’s tireless solidarity with Palestine.
Held in several Moroccan cities, including Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Asilah, Tetouan, M’diq, and Chefchaouen, the “Green March” summer camp features a rich program that includes a spacious entertainment and leisure area, with tourist and educational trips, enabling Palestinian children to discover Morocco’s history, geography, authenticity, and cultural depth.
The Maqdessi children will also visit development projects in the Casablanca, Rabat, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima regions, which contributed to the Kingdom’s journey towards development under the Wise Leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.