Morocco Wins UNESCO Dispute Over Traditional Caftan Image

The Moroccan ambassador to UNESCO, Samir Addahr, filed an official protest against the inclusion of an image of the traditional Moroccan caftan in an Algerian file concerning a local garment.

The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO ruled in favor of Morocco and demanded the withdrawal of the disputed image. This decision follows the mobilization of the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication which, in collaboration with the Permanent Delegation of Morocco to UNESCO, provided irrefutable evidence of the Moroccan origin of the caftan.

UNESCO has thus recognized a new attempt at illegal appropriation of Moroccan heritage by Algeria. Faced with these repeated maneuvers, the Ministry of Culture is working to counter these actions, whether through UNESCO, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, or by establishing the "Morocco" label to protect its intangible heritage.

A Moroccan delegation, led by Samir Addahr and Mustafa Jellouk, director of cultural heritage at the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, is actively participating in the work of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, which is taking place in Paraguay.