Rabat – In an effort to document and preserve its cultural and historic heritage amid many attempts of cultural appropriation, Morocco has signed a partnership agreement with UNESCO.
The agreement was signed in a meeting chaired by Morocco’s Princess Lalla Hasnaa, President of the Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat, and UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay on January 24 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Rabat.
The agreement was signed by Secretary General of the Foundation Mohammed VI for the Protection of the Environment Nouzha Alaoui and UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone.
SAR la Princesse Lalla Hasnaa, Présidente de la Fondation pour la sauvegarde du patrimoine culturel de Rabat, a présidé, aujourd’hui au siège de l’UNESCO à Paris, en présence de la DG de l’UNESCO @AAzoulay la signature d’un accord de partenariat entre les deux organismes. pic.twitter.com/QjPdSP2VMO
— Maroc Diplomatie ?? (@MarocDiplomatie) January 24, 2023
The five-year agreement aims to educate Moroccan and African youth about World Heritage and UNESCO, as well as engage them in different activities, reported Morocco’s News Agency (MAP).
UNESCO developed a locally adapted teaching kit to assist youth in discovering and understanding the heritage of their cities, including monuments designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The teaching kit named “I discover my heritage,” was made available for 4,700 students from 62 secondary schools across Rabat-Sale-Kenitra in December 2022.
The partnership agreement also includes capacity-building programs for heritage actors in Rabat, Morocco, and Africa.
Fighting illegal cultural appropriation
King Mohammed VI has stressed the importance of preserving Morocco’s cultural heritage.
In a meeting in Rabat with Audrey Azoulay in November 2022, the monarch expressed concerns about the danger and challenges of cultural appropriation that affect Morocco’s cultural and traditional heritage.
King Mohammed VI especially emphasized Morocco’s resolve and readiness to foil any initiatives aiming to undermine its identity and intangible heritage.
Following King Mohammed VI’s directives, Morocco has established museums, and exhibitions while starting numerous initiatives to promote its tangible and intangible heritage.
Earlier this month, Morocco’s Princess Lalla Hasnaa inaugurated Rabat’s National Museum of Jewelry which attracted nearly 40,000 visitors in less than a week.
The museum documents Morocco’s cultural heritage while also protecting it from cultural appropriation. It features vibrant, colorful jewelry and caftans, both of which are important aspects of Moroccan cultural heritage.
Similarly, Rabat’s national zoo hosted an exhibition featuring the 110,000-year-old Atlas Lion fossil discovered in Essaouira on Jan 13, 2023
Read Also: Culture Minister: History Supports Atlas Lions’ Centuries-Old Presence in Morocco
Additionally, Morocco officially patented the Zellige of Fez by the World Intellectual Property Organization in October 2022.
Morocco’s expertise in safeguarding its cultural and historic heritage has made it a leader in the field in Africa.
In November 2022, Morocco and UNESCO signed an agreement aiming to identify and preserve tangible and intangible heritage in Morocco as well as share the country’s know-how with fellow African countries.
