Morocco blocks Algeria’s try and hijack Moroccan cultural heritage at UNESCO

Morocco efficiently thwarted a brand new try by Algeria to acceptable Moroccan intangible heritage throughout a UNESCO assembly in Paraguay on Wednesday.

The try concerned Algeria’s inclusion of a picture of the Moroccan “caftan natta” in a file regarding Algerian conventional apparel. This prompted Morocco’s ambassador to UNESCO, Samir Dahar, to lodge a proper objection.

In an unprecedented transfer, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage sided with Morocco and ordered the removing of the Moroccan caftan picture from Algeria’s file. Morocco’s delegation offered compelling proof proving the picture in query depicted the Moroccan caftan.

The Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, in collaboration with Morocco’s Permanent Mission to UNESCO, gathered in depth information on the caftan, together with particulars of the picture’s Moroccan origin.

UNESCO’s determination marks a major victory for Morocco in safeguarding its cultural rights, with the group confirming that together with the caftan within the Algerian file violated mental property rights. The determination additionally underscores Algeria’s ongoing makes an attempt to acceptable Moroccan cultural heritage.

Morocco’s Ministry of Culture has lengthy been lively in countering such efforts, working via UNESCO, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, and the nationwide “Label Maroc” initiative to guard intangible heritage.

Morocco’s delegation to the UNESCO committee was led by Samir Dahar, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the group, together with Mustafa Jallouk, Director of Cultural Heritage on the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication.