Morocco and the United Nations will celebrate the International Day of the Argan Tree, May 10 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, under the theme “Local socio-economic development and sustainability of the ecosystem of the Argan tree.
Since its proclamation by the General Assembly of the United Nations in March 2021, May 10 of each year is celebrated the International Day of the Argan Tree, said a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests.
This celebration highlights the efforts of Morocco to promote the argan tree as a tree endemic to the Kingdom and as intangible cultural heritage of humanity and ancestral source of sustainable development and resilient, continues the same source.
It also aims to highlight the role of the argan tree in strengthening the resilience of communities, its contribution to food security (SDG 2), adaptation to climate change (SDG 13), water stress (SDG 6) and its importance in empowering rural women (SDG 5), through the support and promotion of cooperatives and agricultural organizations (SDG 8)
Indeed, Morocco, aware of the environmental issues and challenges facing the argan ecosystem, is committed to developing and maintaining sustainable community management practices, in a context of water stress and increasing climate change. Through this international day celebrated each year by the United Nations, the Kingdom shares its knowledge to strengthen the resilience of this emblematic ecosystem, where the Argan tree is a symbol of biodiversity and carries useful know-how and experiences to rebuild a balance between human beings and nature.
The kick-off of the celebrations of this day will be given this year from the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, and the Ambassador Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, said the release.
This celebration will also be marked by the organization, during two weeks, of an artistic and photographic exhibition on the Argan tree within the United Nations Headquarters, as well as a reception in honor of the community of Ambassadors and officials of the United Nations system, to taste the products of the Argan tree and discover the offer of the local Moroccan cooperatives.
Under the theme “Local socio-economic development and sustainability of the Argan ecosystem”, this meeting will also see the participation of several Ambassadors of Member States and high dignitaries of the United Nations, including the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Directors and representatives of UNESCO, WHO, FAO, UN Women and the Green Climate Fund.
Several events at the national level will also celebrate the International Day of the Argan Tree: reforestation actions, conferences-debates, activities of environmental clubs in schools…
To crown these celebrations, the second edition of the International Exhibition of the Argan tree will be held in Agadir from 17 to 21 May, and will be an opportunity to highlight the dynamics of the sector of the Argan tree and the progress of various institutions of the Ministry of Agriculture for the preservation and sustainable development of the ecosystem of the Argan tree, concludes the Ministry.
