Morocco successfully thwarted a new attempt by Algeria to appropriate Moroccan intangible heritage during a UNESCO meeting in Paraguay on Wednesday.
The attempt involved Algeria’s inclusion of an image of the Moroccan “caftan natta” in a file concerning Algerian traditional attire. This prompted Morocco’s ambassador to UNESCO, Samir Dahar, to lodge a formal objection.
In an unprecedented move, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage sided with Morocco and ordered the removal of the Moroccan caftan image from Algeria’s file. Morocco’s delegation presented compelling evidence proving the image in question depicted the Moroccan caftan.
The Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, in collaboration with Morocco’s Permanent Mission to UNESCO, gathered extensive data on the caftan, including details of the image’s Moroccan origin.
UNESCO’s decision marks a significant victory for Morocco in safeguarding its cultural rights, with the organization confirming that including the caftan in the Algerian file violated intellectual property rights. The decision also underscores Algeria’s ongoing attempts to appropriate Moroccan cultural heritage.
Morocco’s Ministry of Culture has long been active in countering such efforts, working through UNESCO, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, and the national “Label Maroc” initiative to protect intangible heritage.
Morocco’s delegation to the UNESCO committee was led by Samir Dahar, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the organization, along with Mustafa Jallouk, Director of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication.
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