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.
Established 30 years ago, the Young Lions competition gathers the best young talents from around the world each year. In 2025, it attracted 454 competitors from 67 countries, with only 42 winning teams. The historical record is dominated 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 this edition will focus on a theme of the Moroccan Association of the Handicapped (AMH), the official partner of the competition. Hassan Rouissi, president of UACC, emphasizes that it is a format that puts participants in real conditions, testing both strategy, execution, and creativity. Teams must compete in pairs. National winners receive Gold, Silver, or Bronze distinctions, with the Gold prize granting access to the global final in Cannes.
For this first edition, five categories have been selected: Print, Digital, PR, Media, and Marketers, the latter dedicated to advertiser profiles in partnership with the Moroccan Advertisers Association. The competition targets young professionals or freelancers, regardless of their minimal experience, as long as they operate in communication, media, or marketing fields. It is inclusive but not open to students, as clarified by the president.
Each category evaluates projects based on 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 value, has established partnerships with specialized training institutions. An upskilling program, focusing on sharing market insights and techniques, along with a dedicated platform for internships, aims to facilitate the transition from school to the professional world.
Acknowledging economic obstacles, UACC plans to finance a maximum number of participants. The goal is to fund at least five teams, totaling ten individuals, as stated by Ali Boujena, UACC’s general director.
The official launch of Young Lions Morocco took place last month, and registrations will close on February 28, before the briefs run from March 6 to 8. Juries will vote online until March 11, and the winners will be announced on March 16, 2026. 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 elevate the level of creativity in Morocco and permanently position the Kingdom on the global map of the creative industry,” concludes Ali Boujena.
