Rabat – Morocco has launched a national consultation as part of a new UNESCO project that aims to create the world’s first International Food Heritage Atlas.
The project also includes a digital platform to protect, promote, and pass on food heritage to future generations, said UNESCO in a press release.
Funded by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and carried out in partnership with Morocco’s Ministry of Culture, the initiative supports the goals of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The project seeks to map, document, and share traditional food practices from around the world, and recognize them as a form of living heritage essential to cultural diversity, sustainable development, and social cohesion, added the statement.
Morocco has been chosen to take part in the pilot phase of the project. The first version of the Food Heritage Atlas is expected to be ready by the end of 2027. The first stage will focus on identifying traditional food practices in Morocco and building local capacity to protect them.
During the consultation, officials noted that five out of Morocco’s 15 items listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists are related to food practices. These include the Cherry Festival in Sefrou and the traditional knowledge surrounding the argan tree. Morocco also shares several food-related listings with other countries.
However, many of these practices are under threat due to major challenges like climate change, globalization, and a breakdown in passing knowledge from one generation to the next. That is why experts stress the need for collective action, UNESCO says.
“Food practices and culinary traditions are more than just recipes. They reflect our identities, our lands, and our relationships with others and with nature,” said Eric Falt, UNESCO’s Regional Director for the Maghreb.
“By valuing them, we build a future rooted in diversity, sustainability, and respect for local knowledge,” he added.
Mustapha Jlok, Morocco’s Director of Cultural Heritage, added: “By taking part in the UNESCO Food Atlas project, Morocco is showcasing the richness of its culinary traditions as a living expression of intangible heritage. With the help of local communities, the country is working to preserve skills passed down through generations, highlighting the deep connection between food, cultural identity, and sustainable development.”
