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Rabat – Morocco’s King Mohammed VI announced on Monday the making of a national center dedicated to intangible cultural heritage, reiterating Rabat’s commitment to the international convention for the safeguarding of cultural heritage.
The center, according to the monarch, is set to carry out “systematic inventory operations of national heritage sites,” develop a national database, conduct training sessions for conservation reactionaries, and raise awareness about the importance of cultural heritage among youth.
“In addition, the center will ensure follow-up to the effectiveness of the mechanisms adopted to preserve Moroccan heritage sites that feature on the World Heritage List, and prepare nomination proposals concerning our country,” the King noted.
In an address read by Secretary General of Government Mohamed Hajoui, to the participants at the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Rabat, the Moroccan monarch highlighted the need to preserve all forms of cultural heritage from historical artifacts to customs, community practices, and artistic performances with the support of scientific research and digital documentation.
“Culture is not just a reflection of creativity; it is also a mirror of civilizations, a basic necessity in our day-to-day life,” King Mohammed VI stressed. “It provides sustenance for the soul and the intellect; it links the past with the present. Culture is also a bond between the individual and his or her community,” the monarch explained.
Given the vital role of cultural heritage has in defining the past, present, and future of communities, Morocco ratified the international convention on intangible cultural heritage in July 2006. Since then, the country has registered eleven sites and elements on the UNESCO World Intangible Heritage List including equestrian performance, Tbourida, which was the most recent entry to the December 2021 list.
According to King Mohammed VI, Morocco “has signed all UNESCO international convention regarding heritage [and] brought its national legislation in line with the relevant international conventions and instruments in addition to contributing to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.”
The UN session in Rabat commemorates the 19th anniversary of the convention which has been key in promoting and preserving intangible cultural heritage.
However, the international community continues to face a major challenge in this regard, King Mohammed VI said while calling for the need to tackle “illegitimate attempts” to claim the cultural heritage of others.
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Delegations from 24 countries are gathering in Rabat from November 28 to December 3 to review reports on the implementation of the 2003 convention on intangible cultural heritage. The meetings plan to review proposals on good safeguarding practices and evaluate nominations to the urgent safeguarding list and the representative list.
“The choice of the city of Rabat to host the proceedings of this conference is not a random decision,” King Mohammed VI said. “Rather, it is a reflection of the significant cultural influence of this time-honored city, which is a global cultural hub.”
Selected as the capital of African culture and the Islamic world in 2022, Rabat’s “singular geographical location made it a hub for various civilizations, including the Phoenician, Roman, Islamic, Andalusian and European ones,” the King said. In 2012, UNESCO declared Rabat a World Heritage site.
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