“Craftsmanship is a virtuous bridge because it has united, through its know-how, the full diversity of our country and has also been able to express unity,” stated Azoulay during a speech delivered at a meeting jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, and UNESCO.
Highlighting the unique character of this aspect of Moroccan identity, His Majesty the King’s Advisor reiterated that craftsmanship “is the embodiment of our civilization.” In this regard, he mentioned the city of Essaouira, a hub of artisanal creativity, which, according to official figures, has over 5,000 artisans registered in the commercial register.
“Craftsmanship has also allowed our country to express itself through art, tradition, and local heritage as a legacy from our grandparents,” noted Azoulay. This event provides an opportunity to appreciate the true value of craftsmanship and to prepare for the future to safeguard “a significant part of our know-how linked to craftsmanship and ensure its continuity.”
Citing the program connecting the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, and UNESCO, which focuses on training apprentices in endangered artisanal trades, such as wool felting and embroidered saddles, His Majesty the King’s Advisor called for the expansion and promotion of this program “to revive artisanal trades and pay tribute to the master craftsmen who have preserved the memory.”
In this context, he observed that only two countries worldwide have benefited from such a program—Morocco and India—adding that this represents “an approach that goes beyond mere conservation instincts to align with the dynamics of an ambitious and sustainable strategy, the result of an exceptional partnership with UNESCO for the safeguarding and promotion of traditional artisanal trades that lie at the heart of our intangible heritage.”
He further emphasized that this partnership with UNESCO is simultaneously a revival, a starting point, and a form of commitment to pursue the preservation of Moroccan craftsmanship’s signature “in its most beautiful expressions, in its creativity, and in a significant part of the know-how, whether it has disappeared or been reduced to modest reality.”
Azoulay also praised the dynamism and mobilization driven by the ministry to ensure that this exceptional partnership with UNESCO bears fruit, stating that this event of excellence and resilience “vividly demonstrates the Ministry of Handicrafts’ determination to give every chance of success to the urgent need to pass on to future generations the centuries-old legacy of some of our fragile and sometimes endangered artisanal trades.”
During the ceremony, attended notably by the Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatim-Zahra Ammor, and the National Coordinator of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), Mohammed Dardouri, a heartfelt tribute was paid to master artisans for their efforts to preserve the trades associated with Moroccan craftsmanship.
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