Blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco Jan. 11, 2026

On January 11, 1944, Morocco took a bold step toward freedom. Sixty-six leaders signed the Proclamation of Independence, demanding an end to French and Spanish colonial rule and affirming the country"s right to sovereignty. This manifesto, backed by Sultan Mohammed V, was presented not only to colonial authorities but also to representatives of the US, UK and the former Soviet Union—a signal that Morocco"s struggle was part of a global call for self-determination. Though repression followed, the movement endured, and by 1956 Morocco achieved full independence, marking a turning point in North African history.

© AnetteAndersen/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Stairway to where?
Jan. 11, 2024Eurasian lynx
Jan. 11, 2025Heri es-Swani in Meknes, Morocco

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr. 25, 2025World Penguin Day
Look up, incoming…
Sep. 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Jul. 20, 2024International Moon Day
Stretching out in the Everglades
Creating a better world
Dragon tails trail to the sea
Dec. 16, 2025Handmade gnomes at a Christmas market
Nov. 28, 2024Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia
Mar. 10, 2025National Napping Day
Nov. 11, 2024Banff National Park, Alberta
The ‘Old Bridge,’ reborn
Aug. 26, 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Central Pacific Ocean
Apr. 21, 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Flying the flag for Pride
Bright blue lakes and rugged mountains
Sequoias of the sea
Feb. 21, 2024Firefall at Yosemite
Hangin around
A light in the coastal darkness
Rainbow around the sun
Oct. 18, 2024Jasper Dark Sky Festival, Alberta
Big rocks, big heads, still counting?
Jul. 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
An ugly duckling no more
Feb. 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Straight out of a fairytale
Oct. 17, 2023Vieste, Apulia, Italy
Feb. 20, 2024Kinder Scout, Peak District National Park, UK
Oct. 20, 2024International Sloth Day