On this occasion, the ambassador of the Kingdom to the Netherlands, Mohamed Basri paid a vibrant tribute to the valiant Moroccan soldiers who fell during the fighting in 1940 against Nazi troops.
The ambassador said that this commemoration, celebrated since 1985, is a deep pride for the Moroccan community residing in the Netherlands and shows that the brave Moroccan fighters have not fallen into oblivion and that the Moroccan, Dutch and French peoples, lovers of peace, justice and freedom, are unfailingly linked by a friendship that transcends borders.
Basri stressed that the commemoration of this day pays tribute to all those who have fought to the extreme limit of their strength, even to the ultimate sacrifice, for freedom and noble values, stating that generations who have not experienced war would be wrong to believe that peace is a privilege definitively acquired.
“On the contrary, peace is a daily struggle. It is this message that we must perpetuate and transmit to the younger generations.”
The ambassador recalled that from the beginning of the Second World War, the late HM Mohammed V had expressed his unconditional and total support to France against Nazi Germany and had thus launched his famous appeal of September 3, 1939, read in all mosques in the Kingdom the following days.
Following the call of the late HM Mohammed V, nearly 90,000 Moroccans joined the French army to fight against the Axis forces, recalled Basri noting that their bravery continues today to be recounted by the most faithful accounts.
The ambassador also recalled that the late HM Mohammed V was made a companion of the liberation by General De Gaulle in Paris, June 19, 1945, in recognition of the sacrifices made by his people to support the Allied war effort. The day before, on the Champs Elysees, the Moroccan goumiers had been cheered by the crowd during the parade celebrating the call of General De Gaulle in London, he recalled.
This commemorative ceremony is also an opportunity to reiterate our collective commitment to laying the foundations for intelligent coexistence and living together serenely, said the ambassador. It is first and foremost about preventing and fighting prejudice and stereotypes, promoting education and prohibiting discrimination and hate speech. This is the price to pay to protect the values that underpin democracy and prevent violence, he said.
The Moroccan diplomat stressed that this commemorative ceremony motivates Moroccan compatriots in the Netherlands to integrate further into Dutch society with enthusiasm and dedication, stressing the importance of learning from the past, in order to allow future generations to live in an environment offering more universal peace and shared prosperity.
Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse