“The project we carried out in 2016 in Morocco on your famous Zellige, as well as the many projects we are currently carrying out, will have a complete and holistic approach to intellectual property,” Mr. Tang told MAP, at the end of a meeting with the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.
“As the first CEO from Asia, I come from a region of the world where many cultures are proud of their heritage and contributions over the centuries. Morocco is also a country with a long history,” he noted, noting that intellectual property, often perceived as only relevant in the industrial context, “can also be relevant in a heritage aspect.”
Discussions also focused on Morocco’s “incredible” heritage, the creation of the new Morocco Label and how “we can support it through our expertise in supporting countries’ heritage and legacies, and combining it with branding, marketing and packaging,” said the WIPO Director General.
Morocco and the World Intellectual Property Organization are also working on a project with the city of Essaouira on ways to make its traditional products known to the world, Tang continued, stressing that intellectual property is not only a question of heritage, but also a question of the future.
“I therefore had the pleasure of discussing with the Minister the future agenda between WIPO and Morocco, and in particular the possibility of supporting new legislation with Morocco that pushes the boundaries in terms of copyright and related rights,” he said.
Among the topics discussed were Artificial Intelligence and how it can be a catalyst to support Moroccan industry and Moroccan startups, and ensure that intellectual property is a way to create jobs for young Moroccans and support Moroccan businesses, continued the Director General of WIPO.
The meeting with Mr. Tang was also an opportunity to highlight the efforts that Morocco continues to make to further protect its intangible heritage and its age-old know-how, which are very important in the eyes of Moroccans, in order to perpetuate them, affirmed, for his part, Mr. Bensaid, recalling that this know-how also has an economic importance in providing a living for thousands of mâallems across the Kingdom, hence the importance of protecting and promoting them both nationally and internationally.
The minister added that the marketing of this know-how through the work provided by several ministerial departments interests several countries, warning against the desire to appropriate Moroccan heritage by several companies, and even certain States.
This protection, noted the minister, is today more than necessary, hence the work carried out for more than two years by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Ministries of Crafts and Agriculture in particular, to deposit a maximum of elements and the creation of the Morocco Label intended for the protection of Moroccan heritage beyond borders.
In Mr. Bensaid’s view, if UNESCO recognizes intangible heritage at the international level, WIPO represents an opportunity for Morocco to legally protect elements of its intangible heritage from both private attacks and those from other States.
“The director of WIPO and UNESCO are aware that protection is necessary today, especially since it is also part of the Moroccan strategy for promoting cultural and creative industries,” the minister concluded.
The meeting took place in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication and representatives of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom in Geneva.
2024-09-20 01:25:07