Morocco launches third edition of “Moroccan handicraft treasures” to preserve endangered crafts

Morocco has launched the third edition of its “Moroccan Handicraft Treasures” program, a national initiative aimed at safeguarding traditional crafts threatened with extinction. The ceremony took place Tuesday in Rabat under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI, and was organized by the Secretariat of State in charge of Traditional Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, in partnership with UNESCO.

Launched in 2023, the program seeks to protect Morocco’s intangible cultural heritage by training young artisans under the supervision of master craftsmen classified on the official “Moroccan Handicraft Treasures” list. The initiative not only preserves ancestral knowledge but also promotes innovation among the next generation.

“We are very proud of this partnership with UNESCO,” said Lahcen Saadi, Secretary of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Economy. “Thank God, we have been able to safeguard more than 32 crafts recognized as being at risk of disappearing. There were only four master artisans who still practiced them. Through this training program, we will prepare more than 350 new instructors in all these crafts.”

Sharaf Ahmimd, Director of the UNESCO Office in the Maghreb-Arab Region, emphasized the importance of preserving manual techniques. “Participants were shown, for example, that a saddle cannot function without leather,” he said. “Leather is worked entirely by hand. We thank the Ministry for this enormous effort, which relies on techniques that are at risk of disappearing.”

Through this initiative, Morocco continues to assert its commitment to protecting its rich cultural heritage while empowering youth to carry ancestral craftsmanship into the future.