Morocco’s King Mohamed IV has declared the Amazigh new year a paid national holiday.
It comes after a long-running campaign by activists for the recognition of the Berber calendar, or Amazigh as they prefer to be called.
The Amazigh, who make up roughly 40% of the country’s population of over 34 million people, celebrate the new year, also known as Yennayer.
The first day of the year is based on seasons and agriculture, and counting is said to have begun 2972 years ago when an Amazigh king defeated an Egyptian pharaoh.
2973 is the current year.
Arabic-speaking Moroccans celebrate the day as the start of the agricultural year, which corresponds to January 13th.
According to the royal palace, the holiday’s approval demonstrates the “king’s commitment to the Berber language, a fundamental part of Morocco’s authentic identity and a shared asset for all Moroccans.”
