Morocco Denounces Insults During African Week at UNESCO
The Permanent Delegation of Morocco to UNESCO has officially condemned the offensive remarks and provocations directed at Moroccans by members of the Algerian delegation during the African Week events held on May 20. In a statement released on Thursday, May 21, the Moroccan delegation highlighted the "unacceptable actions of individuals claiming to represent the Algerian delegation" during the cultural events organized by UNESCO as part of African Week.
According to the Moroccan mission, "no insult was spared towards the representatives of Moroccan civil society who came to contribute to the promotion of Moroccan heritage, culture, and identity" at this event. The Moroccan delegation has called upon their Algerian counterparts to take responsibility for these actions, which have become "systematic" and have increased since the Moroccan Caftan was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 10, 2025, in New Delhi.
Morocco's heritage is "firmly documented, historically established, and widely recognized by competent international bodies, including UNESCO, through several inscriptions that celebrate the richness and authenticity of Moroccan heritage," the statement emphasizes. Attempts at distortion or opportunistic appropriation cannot alter historical facts nor undermine the deep attachment of the Moroccan people to their ancestral heritage, the delegation reassures.
Additionally, the Moroccan delegation strongly condemns the "frantic actions of those seeking to divert spaces dedicated to dialogue, cooperation, and rapprochement between peoples to serve narrow political agendas and fuel sterile controversies contrary to UNESCO's values." Morocco reaffirms, with calmness and responsibility, its unwavering commitment to the preservation, valorization, and transmission of both African and universal heritage in all its diversity. In this regard, it will "continue to work with its African and international partners to promote cultural cooperation based on mutual respect, authenticity, and the values of peace and coexistence."
The Permanent Delegation of Morocco concludes its statement by urging UNESCO to "uphold the principles of the organization regarding ethics, cultural integrity, far removed from any political instrumentalization or attempts at historical manipulation."
As reported by h24info.ma.
