Morocco lights up to mark beginning of COP22 in Marrakech

The beginning of COP22 this week in Morocco has been celebrated by the lighting of the Hassan Tower in Rabat. The city’s iconic landmark was lit in green weekend as a sign of Morocco’s commitment to the fight against climate change and sustainable development throughout the Kingdom.
The tower is the remnants of an incomplete mosque designed by Sultan Yacoub El Mansour and was meant to be the second largest in the world at that time. It is made of red sandstone and considered the sister tower of the Giralda in Sevilleand theKoutoubia Mosque in Marrakech.

 

The Hassan Tower is beautifully located, overlooking the mouth of the Bouregregriver, and facing the Atlantic Ocean. At its base, there is a vast esplanade with nearly 200 columns, and the Mohammed V mausoleum, the royal tomb built in Arab-Andalusian classical style, which houses the tombs of His Majesty King Mohammed V and his sons the Prince MoulayAbdallah and His Majesty King Hassan II.Also at its base there are two wide staircases that lead to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
On the morning of November 4 in Casablanca, national media and foreign press accredited in Morocco met with the  COP22 Steering Committee members to celebrate the formal entry of the Paris Agreement and the launch of the latest countdown to the official opening of COP22 in Marrakech on today Monday, November7.The press conference was chaired by Commissioner AbdeladimLhafi and with the participation of Ambassador Aziz Mekouar, Driss El Yazami, Nizar Baraka and Said Mouline.

It was in Marrakech where the festivities will be in full swing as delegate from around the world begin arriving for COP22. 20,000 participants and more than 1,500 journalists, are expected to take part in the UN Climate Change conference in Marrakech from November 7 to 18.

At5:30pm, right before sunset and when classes let out, a celebration for the people of Marrakech will take place. They will be invited through a “flashmob” –a social media phenomenon suddenly assembling groups of people- to join near the entrance to the Menara gardens for a people’s parade. It’s an opportunity for citizens of Marrakech to express their commitment to the planet in a highly original creative way.  The parade will be entitled “The Great Cycle of Change.”The event is organized by the cooperative, Eclat de Lune-Awaln’art, well known for its festive events in Marrakech.
More than 150 artists, a hundred extras, giant puppets, acrobats, African stilt walkers, and dancers strolled along the wide boulevard leading to Bab Ighli. Accompanied by fifty balloons, decorated tricycles and giant reels they will follow along to lively music from batucadapercussionists and a music float on which a band will be playingrock-marrakchi tunes.

The evening will continue with a light show at the Menara at 7:30pm. The visual showwill incorporate 4 elements: wind, fire, water, earth.These poetic images will be projected onto screens located above the basin.Two giant 30-metre wide screens and a laser show will be projected from the Menara, the real fifth element of this show.
One hundred hours before the opening of the brand new site COP22 village Bab Ighli,home of the UN Climate Change Conference, these activities mark a celebration by Moroccan of their commitment to the fight against climate change and interest for the much anticipated, COP of action in Marrakech.