Morocco displays its cultural wealth

• Pages: 16-17

The dept h, diversit y and distinc tivenes s o f t he

cultu re of the Kin gdom of M orocco was show-

cased in one of two exhibi tions o n the s ideline s

of this yea r’s meeting s of WIP O As semblie s.

WIPO Magazin e

bring s a tast e of wha t was on of-

fer t o its readers.

A feas t for th e sen ses

The exhibition sponsored by the Governmen t of

Morocco offered a sumptuou s glimpse of the

country ’s uni que heritage, rich cultural diver sity

and ext ensive biologic al resources.

At the crossroads be tween sub-Sa haran Africa,

Europe and th e Middle East, the K ingdom o f

Morocco is “a pla ce where civilization s meet and

cultures converge.” Its unique geographical loca-

tion and historical heritage have influenced and

shaped the country ’s dist inctive personality, en-

abling the developme nt of an amazing wealth of

art fo rms. These ra nge from arc hitecture, cal ligra-

phy and metalw ork, to pottery, leat her and wood-

work, weaving and jewelry-mak ing – each com-

bining tradition wi th modernit y. Crafts a nd prod-

ucts from ceramics to kaftans and saffron to

tagines were on displ ay.

The exhibition offered a flavor of th e dynam ism

and vitality of Moroccan culture, reflecting age-old

traditions and modern creative trends. Morocco has

taken a number of measures to highlight the “excel-

lence and authenticity” of its products and to pro-

tect and preserve its “tangible and intangible na-

tional heritage.” I ts agricultural policy, for example,

known as the “Green Morocco Plan,” places special

emphasis on the development of local products to

promote sustainable and viable local development

and foster a “truly modern” sector that offers “a wide

range of quality products with high added value” for

local and international markets.

At a rece ption o n the first day of the WIPO

Assemblies mee tings, Morocco’s Ambassador to

the United Nations in G eneva, His Ex cellency

Omar Hilal e, underlined that p rotecting the coun-

try’s h eritage was one of his Government’s priori-

ties. He stress ed that such ef fective leg al protec-

tion was an essential safeguard a gainst ille gal

reproducti on and would enab le the crafts se ctor

to conti nue to flour ish.

WIPO Director General Francis Gurry said that the

rich and varied display of Moroccan culture offered

“a prism” through which to “experience the distinc-

tive creative heritage that is so integral to Morocco’s

global identity.” He applauded the Moroccan

Government’s commitment to promoting and pre-

serving the country’s cultural wealth, which cur-

rently employs some 20 percent of the national la-

MOROCCO DISPLAYS

ITS CULTURAL WEALTH

DE CE MB ER 20 10

16

“A country at the heart of history,

a country where art is culture,

a country strengthened by its cultural

diversity, a country of exceptional genetic

resources, a country with an eye

to the future, a land of hospitality”

Anis Birrou, Secretary of State in Charge of Handicrafts

Photos: WIPO/C. Jewell