The Khénifra Water Festival aims to be a truly unifying territorial project. The organizers aspire to make this event a long-term event in order to make it a benchmark annual event.
Challenges: Accompanied by an official delegation, the governor of the province of Khenifra chaired, Wednesday June 10, 2026, the opening of the activities of the first day of the Water Festival in a festive atmosphere marked by the development of this vital resource and its essential role in achieving sustainable development. This event was a privileged opportunity to highlight the significant natural and environmental potential of the province, while raising public awareness of the importance of preserving water resources and rationalizing their use. To this end, a rich and diversified program has been developed, including cultural, scientific and awareness-raising activities, with the participation of numerous stakeholders and partners concerned.
Designed as a space for meeting and multidimensional exchange, the festival will deploy a rich program structured around several complementary components combining scientific reflection, cultural animation, civic engagement and sporting activities.
The scientific component will constitute one of the highlights of this first edition. Researchers, academics, experts, institutional leaders and representatives of civil society will examine the main challenges linked to water governance, the sustainable management of water resources and the impacts of climate change. The debates will also focus on mechanisms likely to strengthen water solidarity between territories and guarantee a more balanced distribution of resources.
The work will highlight the strategic importance of mountainous areas, real natural water towers, whose preservation remains essential for ecological and water balance. Participants will thus be called upon to analyze the consequences of forest cover degradation, soil erosion and their repercussions on ecosystems and hydraulic infrastructures, while formulating proposals aimed at consolidating reforestation and biodiversity protection programs.
At the same time, the city of Khénifra will vibrate to the rhythm of a cultural and artistic program highlighting water as a source of life, inspiration and heritage. Artistic evenings, folkloric shows and musical performances will be organized on the Place de la Marche Verte, with the participation of numerous artists and groups representing the Amazigh cultural richness as well as the popular traditions of the Middle Atlas.
The festival will also host a thematic village intended to promote the economic and heritage potential of the region. This space will bring together exhibitors from several provinces of Béni Mellal-Khénifra and will offer a showcase for local products, local crafts, agricultural production and ecological initiatives. Spaces dedicated to regional gastronomy will also allow visitors to discover the diversity of local know-how.
Environmental education will occupy a central place in this event. In collaboration with several institutional partners, awareness campaigns will be carried out among young people and schools in order to promote eco-responsible behavior. Through the “Clean Lakes, Rivers and Forests” operation, cleaning actions, tree planting and rehabilitation of natural sites will be carried out, accompanied by educational workshops dedicated to the preservation of water and natural resources.
In the same spirit, a plastic arts workshop devoted to the themes of water and the environment will bring together students and young creators from different schools. Organized with the assistance of the provincial directorate of national education and the Lamassat plastic arts association, this activity will promote artistic expression and environmental awareness, with the awarding of distinctions to the best achievements.
The program also includes an important sporting component through the organization of the “Khénifra’s Run” race. Open to all age categories, this sporting event will take place on several emblematic roads of the city as well as the banks of the Oum Er-Rbia. It aims to simultaneously promote physical activity, environmental protection and the discovery of the province’s scenic and tourist attractions.
Beyond its festive nature, the Khénifra Water Festival aims to be a truly unifying territorial project. The organizers aspire to make this event long-term in order to make it a benchmark annual meeting, capable of combining scientific reflection, cultural promotion, citizen mobilization and economic development. The stated ambition is to consolidate the positioning of Khenifra as a leading ecological and tourist destination, while contributing to fueling the national debate on sustainable water management and the preservation of natural resources for the benefit of future generations.
