The president of the ICC Federation, Neila Tazi, highlighted figures revealing the current dynamic. Between 2019 and 2023, the number of companies in the sector increased by 33% in Morocco, while the number of declared employees increased by 20%, according to CNSS data. “This development follows global dynamics,” she said, highlighting the words of Chakib Alj, President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), who affirmed that the ICCs constitute the world’s leading employer of young people. aged 16 to 30, with 50 million jobs. Significantly, 50% of these jobs are held by women, making ICC one of the most inclusive sectors in terms of parity.
These Conferences, organized jointly by the Federation of ICCs of the CGEM and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, with the support of the European Union, brought together in Rabat a constellation of talents from the four corners of the globe: entrepreneurs, investors, artists, experts… Together, they shared their experiences and visions to strengthen the development of ICCs in Morocco, emphasizing the importance of cultural heritage as a lever for growth.
Mohammed Mehdi Bensaïd, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, recalled the very essence of the ICCs. “The importance of the ICCs is that they combine these two dimensions: they celebrate heritage, because it is their breeding ground, their raw material. The music, the stories, the landscapes, the costumes, the styles mobilized and transformed by the ICC all come from this heritage,” he underlined. The minister also insisted on the other facet of ICCs: innovation and progress. “These are the technologies, skills and inventions that project us into new ways of consuming culture, exchanging ideas, playing and thinking,” he added, thus illustrating the transformative potential of CCIs .
During these two days, thematic panels were to address the key issues of the sector: public-private partnerships, innovative financing, valorization of heritage, impact of Artificial Intelligence… So many subjects which made it possible to highlight the challenges facing to address and the opportunities to seize to chart the path towards a prosperous future for CCIs in Morocco. The debate around innovative financing, for example, has shown the need to strengthen support mechanisms to enable cultural entrepreneurs to realize their projects and promote Moroccan culture beyond borders.
The discussions also highlighted the fundamental role of ICCs in building a strong and resilient cultural identity. By combining tradition and modernity, by promoting heritage while integrating new technologies, the ICC presents itself as a strategic sector for Morocco, capable of stimulating not only economic growth, but also social inclusion and innovation.
Thus, these second ICC Conferences are part of a movement of recognition and celebration of Moroccan culture, while affirming a vision focused on the future. With large-scale international participation and a program rich in exchanges, they laid the foundations for in-depth reflection on the potential of CCIs as a pillar of sustainable development. For Morocco, culture is now much more than a question of preservation; it is a space of innovation, inclusion, and a source of inspiration for young people in search of perspectives.
