Rabat – The Permanent Delegation of the Kingdom of Morocco to UNESCO has condemned the unacceptable actions of individuals claiming to represent the Algerian delegation during an African Week cultural event in Paris on May 20.
“No insults were spared against representatives of Moroccan civil society who had come to contribute to the promotion of Morocco’s heritage, culture, and identity,” the Moroccan delegation said, urging the Algerian delegation to assume responsibility for these actions.
A viral video shows Algerians physically attacking Moroccan participants, pulling their hair.
The Moroccan delegation said such acts have multiplied since the inscription of the Moroccan caftan on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December, 2025 in New Delhi.
Morocco submitted a complete file showing the richness and long history of the caftan. The file was prepared by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, together with Morocco’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in Paris. It includes detailed information on the skills, craftsmanship, and social roles associated with the caftan, as well as the communities that keep this tradition alive.
Morocco and Moroccans have for years denounced the repeated attempts by the Algerian regime to appropriate elements of Morocco’s tangible and intangible heritage, including the caftan and zellige.
UNESCO’s inscription of the Moroccan caftan last year settled the matter, reinforcing its Moroccan identity and ending Algeria’s cultural appropriation attempts.
However, Moroccan heritage continues to be subject to further appropriation attempts.
According to the Moroccan delegation in UNESCO, Algeria’s delegation’s actions have become “systematic” and reflect a “real obsession with Morocco and its plural history” as well as its cultural influence.
It recalls that the Moroccan heritage is solidly documented, historically established and recognized by international bodies, including UNESCO, through several inscriptions attesting to the richness and authenticity of Morocco’s culture.
“Attempts at falsification or opportunistic appropriation cannot alter historical facts nor undermine the deep attachment of the Moroccan people to their ancestral heritage,” the statement adds, condemning the behavior of those who seek to divert spaces dedicated to dialogue to serve narrow political agendas and fuel sterile disputes contrary to UNESCO’s values.
Morocco also reiterates its commitment to promote and preserve African and universal heritage, as well as its commitment to work with its African and international partners to promote cultural cooperation.
The Moroccan delegation also urged UNESCO to enforce the “organization’s principles of ethics and cultural integrity away from any political instrumentalization or attempts at historical manipulation,” the statement concluded.
