Rabat, July 12th, 2002
In the beginning of July the following press statement was issued: "The Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery announces to the Moroccan people that the festivities marking the blessed wedding of H.M. King Mohammed VI will take place at the Royal Palace in Rabat as of Friday 1st Joumada I, 1423 of the hegira, corresponding to July 12, 2002, in conformity with the traditions of the glorious Alaouite Dynasty. May the Almighty bless the sovereign's marriage, make that the sovereign's life be filled with joy and happiness and protect H.R.H. Prince Moulay Rachid, their Royal Highnesses the princesses and all the members of the illustrious royal family. God Hears the prayers of those who implore him." The marriage act of King Mohammed VI to Lalla Salma was already officially sealed on Friday March 21 at the royal palace in Rabat.
Within days after the announcement Rabat, Morocco's capital, prepared itself for the royal weding. Quickly streets were re-embellished and buildings repainted. Flags and banners were planted in the major squares and streets, and gardens were replanted with new trees and flowers. More than 600 traditional Moroccan tents were put up in several parts of Rabat and its twin city, Salé. Meanwhile it was made known that on the occasion of the marriage King Mohammed VI granted free pardon to 8425 prisoners, including 1.080 who are sick, elderly, handicapped or pregnant women. The grace also included prison terms reductions for 42,661 inmates, of whom 1,887 prisoners are sick, old, handicapped or pregnant or breast-feeding women. Two detainees had their life-prison sentence commuted to a 30-year prison sentence.
The wedding celebrations started on Friday July 12th with a procession from the city gate towards the Ahl Fass Mosque in the esplanade of the royal palace at sunset. Representatives of all the regions of Morocco, bearing gifts for the bride, paraded in a colorful cortege, full of beautiful costumes and lots of music. Nearly 1,500 persons from all over Morocco paraded before the king, who watched watched the parade sitting on a throne under a canopy, while VIPs and foreign dignitaries sat alongside under tents. The Wali of Rabat, on horseback, opened the procession, followed by elected representatives, dignitaries, ulemas (theologians), chorfas (descendants of the Prophet) and Koranic school pupils, donning White jellabas. The H'dia (or Ladhiya) ritual - offering gifts for the bride that are symbols of purity and happy life - then began to the beat of drums and sound of trumpets. Men bearing big trays of henne, pure rose water, dates, incense, Arabic gum, and sandal wood, young girls carrying censers, candles, and baskets of rose petals, and folk bands performing typical songs and dances of their respective regions, walked over one kilometer and a half. The ceremony climaxed when the king, accompanied by his brother Prince Moulay Rachid, came down from the Royal stand to be greeted by the enthusiastic delegations and the guests. After the procession 1500 horsemen performed the typically Moroccan fantasia while popular music troupes from all parts of Morocco joined the festivities also.
Later in the evening the official wedding ceremony took place in the royal palace, and also the Berza - official presentation of the bride to the guests seated in a carrying chair - took place in the intimacy of the royal palace. Simultaneously about 200 other couples from all social classes were also married at the royal palace in Rabat. After this mass wedding King Mohammed VI willingly posed for a photo with the couples. Royal guests included Queen Rania of Jordan, Queen Margarita of Bulgaria, Prince Kardam and Princess Miriam of Bulgaria, Princess Kalina of Bulgaria with her fiancée Kítin Muñoz and royal representants from the Arab world. Among the many other guests were former US president Bill Clinton with his daughter Chelsea. Outside inhabitants and visitors of Rabat could listen to various music bands and giant fireworks enlightened the skies of Rabat to signal the end of the first day of celebrations.