Morocco pays tribute to its artisans – Today Morocco

This meeting was chaired by André Azoulay, advisor to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and Lahcen Essaadi, Secretary of State in charge of crafts and the social and solidarity economy.

Torchbearers: Artisans are true guardians of artisanal heritage. Their ancestral know-how shines all over the world, making known the centuries-old traditions of the Kingdom. Safeguarding these trades would help protect Morocco’s artisanal heritage. It is in this sense that the State Secretariat responsible for crafts and the social and solidarity economy, in collaboration with UNESCO, organized in Rabat a ceremony entitled “Torchbearers” as part of the second edition of the program “Treasures of traditional Moroccan arts”.

Morocco is full of rich artisanal know-how. To celebrate it and pay tribute to the artisans participating in the “Treasures of Traditional Moroccan Arts” program, the State Secretariat in charge of crafts and the social and solidarity economy, in collaboration with Unesco, organized, Tuesday 24 December, in Rabat a ceremony entitled “Torchbearers”.
This meeting was chaired by André Azoulay, advisor to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and Lahcen Essaadi, Secretary of State in charge of crafts and the social and solidarity economy, in the presence of Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of tourism, crafts and the social and solidarity economy, as well as Éric Falt, UNESCO representative for the Maghreb. Several ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to Morocco, representatives of the two Houses of Parliament, directors of public establishments, representatives of ministerial departments as well as presidents of the Moroccan Chambers of Crafts also took part.

Wealth, diversity and creativity
Speaking on this occasion, André Azoulay underlined: “This evening, Morocco embodies the exceptional richness, diversity and creativity of its know-how.” He also noted that this event was “placed under the sign of excellence and resilience, vividly testifying to the determination of the State Secretariat responsible for crafts and the social and solidarity economy to guarantee the transmission to the rising generations of the precious centuries-old heritage of our artisanal trades, often weakened and sometimes threatened with disappearance.
According to Mr. Azoulay, this approach goes beyond the simple instinct of preservation to be part of an ambitious and sustainable dynamic. “It is the result of an exceptional partnership with UNESCO for the safeguarding and promotion of traditional arts and crafts, at the heart of our intangible heritage,” he said. He concluded by reiterating his thanks to the Secretary of State for Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy for having “allowed Morocco to shine among the best. This evening in Rabat, we are celebrating a rare distinction: only two countries in the world have been eligible for this prestigious UNESCO program, Morocco and India.

Save craft professions

For his part, Lahcen Essaadi specified that craftsmanship is the mirror of cultural identity and national collective memory, as well as the reflection of the genius of artisans, holders of ancestral skills and a precious artistic and civilizational heritage. “Within the State Secretariat, we are committed to preserving this heritage through active participation in this program dedicated to the preservation of heritage, while giving new impetus to craftsmanship in all regions of the Kingdom.”
He also added that “the State Secretariat responsible for crafts and the social and solidarity economy bears the responsibility of protecting this heritage and is committed to deploying all necessary efforts to advance these professions, particularly those exposed at risk of disappearance. In 2023, the Ministry of Tourism, Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy joined forces with UNESCO to launch “Treasures of Traditional Moroccan Arts”. This ambitious program aims to support 32 craft trades by 2026. “This process is based on the transmission of master craftsmen with unique know-how to young apprentices in order to preserve trades threatened with disappearance,” reports the secretariat of State responsible for crafts and the social and solidarity economy. Initiated in 2023, the first edition of the program was a great success, according to the same source.
Thus, six master craftsmen representing six distinct trades have been designated as the “Treasures of Traditional Moroccan Arts”. They are Abdelkader El Ouryaghli for the brocade, Mohammed El Mesal for the zellige of Tetouan, Hicham Sekkat for the embroidered saddles, Bouchta Eddiouani for the manufacture of musical instruments (lute), Latifa Mentbeh for the blouza oujdiya, Zahra Benmira for Salé embroidery, JilaMazzi for tent weaving. “These master craftsmen trained 57 young apprentices during an intensive nine-month cycle,” recalls the same department.