The Chamber of Traditional Industry in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region denounced today Algeria’s repeated efforts to appropriate symbols of Moroccan intangible heritage, including a recent attempt to claim Zellige as part of Algerian heritage with the United Nations.
Algeria’s Minister of Culture and Arts, Soraya Mouloudji, announced that the country is preparing a file to submit to UNESCO this month, seeking recognition for “Zellige, art of ceramic tiles” as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Algerian media outlets supporting the initiative have accused Morocco of promoting Zellige as exclusively Moroccan, while citing experts who claim the art form was introduced to Morocco by artisans from Tlemcen, Algeria.
This move has been labeled as a “dangerous phenomenon” by the Ministry of Tourism, Traditional crafts.
At a symposium organized by the Chamber of Traditional Industry in collaboration with the Heritage and Arts Club and UNESCO-Morocco, participants emphasized the urgency of safeguarding national heritage from theft and erasure.
The Chamber officially objected to Algeria’s Moroccan caftan and traditional zellij nomination for UNESCO heritage status.
Abderrahim Zemzami president of the Chamber, stressed the need to promptly nominate these heritage elements as part of Morocco’s intangible heritage list to ensure their international protection.
The Chamber, under ministry supervision, plans to submit recommendations to relevant authorities and engage with Morocco’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO.
Zemzami highlighted ongoing efforts to undermine Moroccan identity and cultural symbols, citing the caftan’s historical significance to Moroccan royalty and the artistic excellence of zellij, gypsum, and wood carving in Moroccan crafts.
In 2022, sportswear brand Adidas featured Zellige-inspired patterns on the Algerian national football team’s jerseys. The Moroccan Ministry of Culture accused Adidas of cultural appropriation and sent a formal notice to the company. Adidas later clarified that Zellige mosaics inspired the design but was not meant to offend anyone, expressing respect for the people and artisans of Morocco.
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