Launched in 1999, this operation is in fact a real upgrading of our beaches in terms of infrastructures, equipment, hygiene and security. Many public and private enterprises, associations, local communities and authorities have contributed, through their commitment, to the success of this program. The Foundation has also been able to undertake the challenge of the quality of our beaches by making them in line with the international standards through the relocation of the Blue Flag in Morocco. This Eco- label recognized at the international level is attributed by the Federation for Environmental Education (FEE) , a non-governmental organization, to which adhere 41 countries. It is important to mention that Morocco, through Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of Environment, is the second non-European country after South Africa to have adhered to this international organization.

Once hoisted in a beach, the Blue Flag which guarantees a good environmental quality,  reflects a positive and dynamic image to the tourists, thus allowing the Foundation to be within the global perspective for the development of tourism in Morocco. It’s also a vehicle for territorial marketing allowing the prizewinning beach to become  distinguishable and  more attractive from the tourist aspect.

For the 2005 season, the Beaches of Essaouira and Ain Diab in Casablanca have been able to get the first Blue Flag awarded to Morocco, offering this way to the vacationers the guarantee for  a good environmental quality. The fact that these two beaches got this eco-label is a recognition, at the national and international levels, of a successful course. Other  beaches work to respond, at different terms, to  the criteria for getting the « Blue Flag » Label. During five years of fieldwork, in all Morocco beaches, the operation  « Clean Beaches » launched by Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of Environment has allowed the upgrading of our beaches in terms of infrastructures, equipment, security, sportive and cultural animation, awarening actions and hygiene. The Foundation will not stop its activities at this level but will continue its programs so that the beaches would enjoy a sustainable cleanliness and the march for development would be realized.

II. The Trophies « Clean Beaches 2005 » : a varied and rich list of winners.

The edition 2005 of the operation « Clean Beaches » has concerned 44 beaches dispatched among the territory of 33 communities , thus allowing a great number of national and foreign vacationers to benefit from the diversity and wealth of our coastal property.

25 enterprises have been mobilized for this edition , bringing, this way, a financial and technical support within a  contractual partnership  with the concerned local communities and authorities.

The 13 trophies for the 2005 edition have been dispatched as follows :

A – The Throphy for the Exceptional Effort : granted to LA SAMIR Mohammadia : Thanks to the growing mobilization of LASAMIR and local authorities, the implementation of the different actions and the qualitative improvement of the Mohammadia Beach have been perceived by all the vacationers. Actually, a great effort has been noted this year concerning the everyday cleaning of the beach, the maintenance of sanitary blocks and the awarening actions, besides an exemplary work of the local authorities in terms of trade organization in the corniche, maintaining the public order, managing the parkings and prohibiting  the itinerant dealers. Thus, the Mohammedia beach has known a qualitative jump compared to the previous years.

B- The Trophy for the Commitment granted to :

1)     the ONEP (National Office for Drinkable Water), the City and the Administrative District of Rabat which commitment and synergy have allowed to get a better image of the Rabat Beach in terms of accommodation, management, animation and environmental education.

This way, the beach has known this year the realization of an important number of actions and equipments (pavements, shower cubicles in open spaces, drinking fountains, slopes for the access of the persons with specific needs…)

To assure a better everyday management of the different actions of the campaign « Clean Beaches », the Rabat Beach has been distinguished by the presence of a follow up committee composed of the representatives of the Wilaya, ONEP, the Administrative District of Rabat, the Water Sports Club of Rabat, and the Civil Defence. This committee has been created to watch over the organization, the implementation, the follow up (hygiene of sanitary installations and control of  the beach cleanliness) and the good implementation of the different activities in the beach. Besides, a collect of information on the quality of the beach has been done, with the help of a technical sheet, allowing an everyday follow up of the different actions undertaken in the beach.

Concerning the aspect « information and environmental education », and besides the setting up of pannels for information and awarening, the ONEP, through the Water Sports Club in Rabat, has prepared a diversified program , including artistic and dramatic activities realized by professional groups composed of nationally well known  singers and humorists . An everyday awarening action has been led, throughout the season, by the beach radio to increase the vacationers awareness about the aspects of the beach cleanliness and the ways to save water.

2)     The Popular Bank (BCP) and the Rural Community of El Haouzia : an unfailing commitment of these two partners has allowed an exemplary management and animation in the beach, as well as a satisfactory maintenance of the sanitary installations, which have been entrusted to the graduate unemployed people. The exemplary dynamic actions of these partners have allowed to thwart the black points of this Beach, mainly the eradication of a wild camping which presence was harmful to the image of the Beach.

3)     The Moroccan Red Crescent : the vacationers have noticed the great effort made about  the sanitary covering and increasing  people’s awareness in the beaches, mainly in the North of the Kingdom, thanks to the commitments of the first-aid worker teams provided with the mobile equipments, enabling them to intervene quickly for the first assistance but also for diffusing the messages making people aware about the  environment protection.

C) Trophies for Innovation granted to :

Redal/CGSP Onyx for having set up the « the Environment Village » in the Beach of Salé from the 27th July to the 21st August 2005. During almost four weeks, this village has increased the awareness of 2000 child from 8 to 11 years about the stakes of environment protection. Thus, almost 100 child have visited each day this village . The latter was open to the children of the city of Salé brought by the local associations, the children of the employees working in the Community of Salé, those of the Veolia Maroc staff and the citizens present in the beach.

A play activity program has been prepared in the Environment Village to make the youth people aware of the stakes related to the protection of nature (workshops for drawings and others).

Besides, a beach radio broadcasting, in the morning, the afternoon and the evening, some music and humurous sketches dealing with the themes of environment and security in the beach.

2) BMCE Bank, for having set up a « newsstand for information and environmental education » in the Beach of Sidi Abed, equipped with pedagogical tools and means to grow people awareness about respecting environment and inform about the environmental resources and the quality of swimming water and the state of the sea.

D) Trophy of the Initiative granted to the Association SOS for persons with motor deficiencies, with the assistance of Maroc Telecom. These two partners have set up in the Beach of the Municipality, a wood platform on the seed to be used for playing basket ball with all the required conditions to practice this sport by disabled persons. A slope has also been set up to allow the participants to get access to the esplanade in security.

E) Trophy for the Individual Effort :

1)     Mr. Haj Mimoune Boudjnane, chief of the project representing Homarcom for his direct and continuous  involvment in the perspective of improving the Beach of Saidia.

2)     Mr. Fouzi Mohammed Berrada, engineer in the Province of Kenitra for his engagement in the everyday follow-up of the « Clean Beaches » campaign in the beach of Mahdia, in partnership with Regie des Tabacs – Groupe Altadis (Tobacco company)

3) Corporal Ait Oukrim Mohamed from the Civil Defence, present in the Beach of El Jadida for his exemplary representation of the Civil Defence and his personal devotion to make the vacationers aware and respect the security rules.