Morocco Thwarts Algeria’s Attempt to Claim Fassi Caftan at UNESCO

Rabat – Morocco succeeded on Wednesday at stopping Algeria from falsely claiming part of Moroccan heritage during a UNESCO meeting in Paraguay.

Algeria tried to include an image of the “caftan el-ntaa” – Moroccan caftan of Fassi origin – in a file for a traditional Algerian outfit, according to the Moroccan Ministry of Culture.

What followed was a historical moment for cultural integrity. Morocco’s ambassador to UNESCO Samir Addaher formally objected to the move and for the first time in UNESCO’s history, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage accepted Morocco’s objection.

After reviewing the evidence provided by Morocco, the committee decided to remove the caftan image from Algeria’s file.

The statement added that Morocco’s Ministry of Culture, along with the country’s permanent delegation to UNESCO, worked together to gather solid proof showing the Moroccan origins of the caftan and the image Algeria used.

Morocco’s permanent delegation to the UNESCO

“With this decision, which rejects the inclusion of the image of the Moroccan caftan in Algeria’s file due to its failure to respect intellectual property rights, UNESCO has confirmed a new act of cultural theft by Algeria, and this is not the first time,” reads the statement.

It added that Morocco has previously worked to stop such attempts at cultural appropriation, both through UNESCO and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva. Morocco has also launched a national initiative, Label Maroc, to protect its intangible heritage.

It was earlier this year that Morocco lodged a complaint with UNESCO against Algerian appropriation of the Fassi el-ntaa caftan. In August 2023, Moroccan social media users launched an online petition against Algeria’s bid to include the Fassi caftan.

This is just one of multiple attempts that Algeria has taken to falsely claim part of Morocco’s cultural heritage. This includes zellige, certain types of traditional music, and traditional food like couscous.