Stands set up for the occasion offered visitors the opportunity to discover works of traditional crafts and the art of embroidery on Moroccan jellabas and caftans, as well as to taste authentic Moroccan pastries and dishes. The organizers’ objective was to reflect the millennial heritage of a nation proud of its history and which works to preserve and renew its memory.
Members of the Moroccan community in Geneva and different Swiss cities responded to the call of the “Damane” association, active in supporting the initiatives of Moroccans around the world, making this meeting a celebration of the spirit of belonging to Morocco and the opportunity to ensure the transmission of values, traditions and the Moroccan art of living between generations.
The involvement of children from the third generation of migrants during the festivities of this cultural and artistic day, most of them wearing Atlas Lions jerseys, illustrated the rooting of Moroccan citizenship values despite the distance. Values which were at the center of the artistic workshops offered to children.
The Swiss guests, men and women, showed their joy by enriching their previous stays in Morocco with additional knowledge about a culture whose diversity and openness to others they closely appreciated. Other foreign visitors danced to the rhythm of popular music, while discovering Moroccan wedding customs.
“This Moroccan cultural fair serves as a showcase for our heritage, highlighting the cultural and artistic wealth of the Kingdom in a family setting, which offers visitors the opportunity to live an immersive experience of various rites and activities,” explained Ichrak Bennani, the president of the Association who also provides support in their development projects.
“In a context marked by globalization, it is imperative that we maintain our link with our roots and share our cultural heritage with future generations,” she underlined in a statement to MAP, ensuring that the cultural fair was “met this need, serving as a platform to experience Moroccan culture in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.”
In addition to promoting Moroccan culture and supporting the Kingdom’s artisans, the Salon provides a space conducive to marketing, networking and the exchange of know-how, she added.
Moreover, women entrepreneurs represented 90% of exhibitors, in line with the objectives of the “Damane” association, recently founded in Geneva to support project leaders and initiatives of Moroccan origin, in particular women, who contribute to the local economy and cultural diversity, said Ms. Bennani.
For their part, members of the Moroccan community welcomed this initiative, while expressing the hope of seeing this type of meeting increase, in order to strengthen the cohesion of Moroccans in Switzerland and facilitate collective mobilization in the service of the interests of the Morocco and its cultural influence.