On May 20, on the sidelines of African Week at UNESCO, members of the Algerian delegation reportedly targeted Moroccan representatives of civil society in the organisation’s corridors in Paris, according to media present at the event.
A statement from the kingdom’s permanent delegation to UNESCO emphasised that “no insults were spared the representatives of Moroccan civil society who came to contribute to the promotion of Moroccan heritage, culture, and identity.” “The Algerian delegation must take responsibility for these actions, which have multiplied since the inscription of the Moroccan caftan on UNESCO’s
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 10, 2025, in New Delhi,” the Moroccan statement noted.
It added that these actions, which have become systematic, “reflect a veritable obsession with Morocco, its diverse history, and its internationally recognized cultural influence.”
Morocco reiterated that “its heritage is well-documented, historically established, and widely recognized by the relevant international bodies, particularly UNESCO, through several inscriptions that attest to the richness and authenticity of Moroccan heritage.”
For Morocco, “attempts at falsification or opportunistic appropriation cannot alter historical facts or call into question the deep attachment of the Moroccan people to their ancestral heritage.”
The UN organisation is called upon to uphold its principles of ethics and cultural integrity, free from any political manipulation or attempt at historical manipulation.
“The Moroccan Caftan: Art, Traditions and Know-How” was officially inscribed on December 10, 2025, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, during the 20th session held in New Delhi.
AK/te/Sf/fss/as/APA