For the first time, Morocco is officially joining the Cannes Young Lions circuit, often referred to as the “Olympics of creativity.” Led by UACC, the official representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Morocco, the national competition aims to structure the emergence of young talents and provide them with direct access to the international stage.
Created 30 years ago, the Young Lions competition brings together the best young talents from around the world each year. In 2025, it boasted 454 competitors from 67 countries, with only 42 winning teams. The historical record is led by Brazil with 20 awards, Australia with 19, and Canada with 18.
The format is based on real briefs, in English, with a limited time of 48 hours to respond at the national level. The theme of the edition will focus on a theme from the Moroccan Association for the Disabled (AMH), the official partner of the competition. “It is a format that puts participants in real conditions, testing both strategy, execution, and creativity,” emphasizes Hassan Rouissi, president of UACC. Teams must compete in pairs. National winners receive a Gold, Silver, or Bronze award, with the Gold prize opening access to the global final in Cannes.
For this first edition, five categories have been selected: Print, Digital, PR, Media, and Marketers, with the latter dedicated to advertiser profiles in partnership with the Association of Advertisers of Morocco. “This competition is aimed at young professionals or freelancers, even with minimal experience, as long as they work in communication, media, or marketing,” he explains. “It aims to be inclusive, but it is not open to students,” confirms the president.
Each category evaluates projects according to specific criteria: quality of creative idea, strategic relevance, feasibility, and potential impact. An international jury of over 30 experts is responsible for evaluating the proposals.
Beyond the competition, UACC sees this initiative as part of a broader effort to enhance skills and professionalize young talents. The association, founded in 1998 and representing over 85% of the Moroccan advertising market in value, has formed several partnerships with specialized training institutions. An upskilling program, focusing on sharing market insights and techniques, as well as a platform dedicated to internships, aims to facilitate the transition from school to the professional world.
Aware of economic obstacles, UACC plans to finance as many participants as possible. “Our goal is to finance at least five teams, a total of ten people,” specifies Ali Boujena, UACC’s general manager.
The official launch of Young Lions Morocco took place last month, and registrations will close on February 28, before the briefings from March 6 to 8. Juries will vote online until March 11, and the winners will be announced on March 16, 2026. The winning teams will then join the official Cannes Young Lions program, with preparation boot camps before representing Morocco at the international competition in June 2026.
“The ultimate goal is clear: to raise the level of creativity in Morocco and position the Kingdom permanently on the global map of the creative industry,” concludes Ali Boujena.
