The Forgotten People of Western Sahara
10 May 2026
Happening On
22/05/2026
This one-day symposium is being held on May 22nd, 2026 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco. The plight of the people of Western Sahara, classified by the UN as a non-decolonized territory, is one that has long since faded from the world’s consciousness. Our symposium will include contributions by researchers, writers, film makers and artists who will come together to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Sahrawi people, as well as to highlight the pressing need for a just resolution to their calls for self-determination.
This one-day symposium is being held on May 22nd, 2026 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco. The plight of the people of Western Sahara, classified by the UN as a non-decolonized territory, is one that has long since faded from the world’s consciousness. Our symposium will include contributions by researchers, writers, film makers and artists who will come together to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Sahrawi people, as well as to highlight the pressing need for a just resolution to their calls for self-determination.
Further details regarding venues and times will be available upon registration.
Link for registration:
https://uccshop.ie/shop/the-forgotten-people-of-western-sahara-africas-last-colony-los-olvidados-del-sahara-occidental-la-ultima-colonia-de-africa/
The confirmed speakers are:
Sidi Breika, representative of Frente POLISARIO in Ireland.
Taleb Ali Salem, a Sahrawi writer and analyst, who is the author of, Sahara Occidental: un viaje a la libertad (2023) and who was invited to address the United Nations C-24 in 2023, will be speaking at the symposium in person.
Mohammed Sleiman Labat, an award-winning artist, writer and filmmaker, based in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, will give a keynote speech online, after the screening of his 2023 film Desert Phosfate.
We also, in conjunction with the FiSahara film festival, plan to show the short film, Mariem, directed by Javier Corcueras.
Dr. Susana Baez, from the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez will contribute online, and will be talking about her time spent in the refugee camps in Tinduf working on Proyecto Bubisher.
Dr. Rafael Jaime Moreno (UCC) will deliver a paper on current perspectives on Western Sahara from within Spain, as well as offering a geographical and historical context for those who may have limited knowledge of the history of Western Sahara.
Mark Mc Loughlin, Irish documentary filmmaker known for directing impactful, human-interest, and arts-focused documentaries.
Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies
Contact us
First Floor - Block B East O'Rahilly Building University College Cork Ireland