Morocco Challenges Algeria’s UNESCO Bid to Claim Traditional Caftan

The complaint was filed by the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, in coordination with the Permanent Delegation of Morocco to UNESCO, according to sources at Hespress. It follows the introduction of a file filed by Algeria with the specialized institution with a view to the recognition of Algerian traditional garments, including the Moroccan caftan, it is specified.

In this complaint signed by the Minister of Culture, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, and addressed to the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, the Moroccan authorities denounce the appropriation by Algeria of the Caftan of "Ntaa de Fès". The country of Abdelmadjid Tebboune would have presented the image of this Moroccan caftan, stolen from a museum in Amsterdam, in a file that it intends to submit to the government committee responsible for the preservation of the intangible heritage.

Morocco is asking for the withdrawal of the image of its Caftan from the Algerian file, recalling that the kingdom remains deeply attached to its cultural heritage which is an integral part of its identity. The Moroccan authorities also call on the competent services of UNESCO to be vigilant in the processing of the files submitted to them in order to avoid cases of appropriation of the cultural heritage of one country by another.

Finally, Morocco assures that it will defend its heritage by all means and will not accept any "exploitation" of the 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.