Ladies and Gentlemen trainee judges of the 45th class;

Here you are, taking your first step even though you do not see the whole staircase of the judiciary, because it is an occupation that requires its professionals to resist pleasures with patience, uphold the best qualities, sacrifice time and relations, and study cases assiduously. The more effort you spare, the more the occupation asks of you; the more time you give, the more it demands; and the more you are devoted, the more it embraces you.

You have chosen each other. You chose it when you diligently passed the entrance exam that led you to the Institute, and it chose you because it is keen to select the finest citizens who are able to render judgments and redress grievances. Because you have passed the Institute’s competitive exam with flying colors, you are deemed worthy of the position for which you have studied so assiduously. You have therefore secured a seat in this prestigious Institute, which shall pave the way for your enrollment in an occupation responsible for delivering justice, fairness, and dealing with grievances; however, a long road ahead awaits, and it is not measured by months or years. It reaches its end faster than a wink of an eye but its distance equates to patience, devotion, diligence, integrity, assiduity, and the preservation of good manners. These are the qualities that you should uphold and preserve after receiving the honor of belonging to the judiciary.

Justice, integrity, good character, righteousness, and honor are indivisible and uncompromisable qualities, for they are the judiciary’s pillars and spine.

Therefore, you must be aware of the peculiarities of the occupation to which you made a vow; deal with others in a way that would not tarnish its reputation; and be faithful to its essence as you call to mind your conscience when rendering decisions and judgments.

If you decide to take this delicate, elegant occupation to be your life companion, and make a vow to the radiant judiciary, then a journey of fewer than two years awaits you to master the occupation and its methodology.  As for those of you who fully benefited from their training, doors of great success and opportunities shall fly open to you. However, for those of you who wasted the chance, their efforts and endeavors shall be in vain!!

Hence, my advice to you would be to make full use of your classes and training. and be vigilant and curious to familiarize yourselves with the keys of the profession and fathom out its secretes from your professors. Some of them are seasoned judges, and others are accomplished university professors or well-versed professionals. They will all be of great help to whoever wishes to learn, and teach whoever wishes to acquire knowledge.

I also advise you to abide by judicial ethics, starting from now, and implement the code of judicial ethics immediately. For the judiciary is about ethics and morals before anything else. Be sure not to surrender them as they are the keys to success in the profession.

I fare you well as I leave you in the care of the Higher Institute of Magistrates. This long-outstanding Institute from which valiant Moroccan, Arab, and African judges graduated. The judiciary shall forever remember the impression many of them left. Some were and others will become our models and inspiration. Until we meet again at the Supreme Council of the Judicial Power, after having successfully passed your training period, I wish you all the best of luck.