The commemoration of the 82nd anniversary of the January 31, 1944 uprising represents a major occasion to preserve the national historical memory and highlight Morocco’s glories and notable achievements, said Mustapha El Ktiri, High Commissioner for Former Resistance Fighters and Members of the Liberation Army, on Friday in Fez.
In a statement to MAP on the occasion of this commemoration, El Ktiri emphasized that celebrating this memorable event, considered a generational and historically significant milestone in every respect, falls within the framework of implementing the High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which call for the preservation, valorization, and transmission of national historical memory.
He explained that this commemoration, organized in 108 historical sites of resistance and liberation across the Kingdom, aims to safeguard collective memory and draw inspiration from the religious, spiritual, national, moral, human, and universal values it embodies, in order to strengthen collective awareness and the sense of national belonging.
The High Commissioner stressed the importance for current and future generations to learn from these historical events, their objectives, and contexts, in order to reinforce patriotism, love for the homeland, and pride in Moroccan identity.
In a speech delivered on the occasion, El Ktiri recalled that the January 31, 1944 uprising followed the January 11, 1944 Independence Manifesto and was a reaction to the abuses of the French Protectorate’s General Residency against the leaders of the national movement and the Moroccan people. He added that these events led to violent clashes in several cities, including Rabat, Salé, Fez, and Azrou, resulting in dozens of martyrs and hundreds of injured.
Meanwhile, Samir Bouzouita, Dean of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences Saïss in Fez, highlighted the role of Fez’s mosques during the Protectorate, noting that they served as spiritual, cultural, and national strongholds, contributing to awareness, calls for resistance, and the preservation of Moroccan identity.
He pointed out that the ulema and imams of Fez, particularly from Al Quaraouiyine University, played a central role during the January 31, 1944 events, denouncing the arrest of nationalist leaders and actively participating in mobilization for independence.
Abderrahmane Tankoul, Dean of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of the Euro-Mediterranean University of Fez, stressed that the history of resistance remains one of the most remarkable accounts of peoples’ struggles for freedom, sovereignty, and independence, emphasizing that its importance lies primarily in the lessons it offers for the nation’s future.
Abdelmalek Aouich, Dean of the Faculty of Sharia in Fez, called for the creation of an encyclopedia dedicated to the resistance, encompassing events, key figures, and lessons from national epics, recalling the fundamental role of the ulema of Al Quaraouiyine and Morocco in supporting the national movement and resistance fighters.
Abdelhaq Belmajdoub, President of the Fez Local Council of Ulema, highlighted that this commemoration provides an opportunity for younger generations to appreciate the sacrifices made by men and women who contributed to the country’s liberation and the restoration of national sovereignty.
The program of the event, which included tributes to several former resistance fighters and members of the Liberation Army, as well as the provision of financial assistance to former fighters and widows of the deceased, also featured recognition of historical sites of the resistance across the city.
