Fez — More than 1,200 children aged between 9 and 16 are taking part this weekend in the qualifying tournament of FIRST LEGO League Morocco, scheduled to be held on January 17 and 18 at the Bouskoura campus of Groupe Scolaire La Résidence.
The event transforms the outskirts of Casablanca into a large-scale innovation hub, bringing together students from across the country for one of Morocco’s largest educational robotics competitions.
The tournament is organized by LOOP For Science & Technology, an association founded in 2018 by Moroccan engineers and technology experts, in partnership with La Résidence School Group.
Throughout the competition, teams of students present autonomous robots designed to complete a series of missions inspired by archaeological exploration and the preservation of historical artifacts.
Using LEGO-based robotics systems, participants apply coding, engineering, and problem-solving skills to navigate challenges that simulate excavation sites and conservation tasks.
In parallel with the robotics missions, each team presents an innovation project focused on improving the study, protection, or transmission of world heritage.
These projects are developed over several months as part of the season’s global theme, UNEARTHED, which invites students to explore archaeology as a gateway to understanding human history and shared cultural memory.
Beyond competition, the tournament emphasizes teamwork, creativity, and scientific curiosity, positioning robotics as a tool for learning rather than performance alone. The event also reflects Morocco’s growing investment in STEM education and youth-led innovation.
At the end of the Bouskoura qualifier, 32 teams will secure places in the national final, scheduled for January 31 and February 1, 2026, at the campus of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Benguerir. There, the country’s top young robotics teams will compete for national titles and potential advancement to international stages.
