Strengthening cultural cooperation between Morocco and France was the focus of a working session held Wednesday in Paris between the Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid and his French counterpart Rachida Dati. These talks, which followed on from last Saturday's bilateral meeting in Cannes, provided an opportunity to review the various areas of Moroccan-French cooperation, notably in the fields of craftsmanship and cultural and creative industries, as well as ways of strengthening heritage protection, particularly in the face of appropriation attempts by some countries. In a statement to MAP at the end of the meeting, which took place in the presence of Morocco's ambassador to Paris, Samira Sitaïl, Dati stressed the importance of the agreement on co-production and cinematographic exchanges signed last Saturday in Cannes with Bensaid. She noted that Morocco and France are committed to developing this dynamic, which will be strengthened in the coming weeks. Emphasizing that Morocco's culture and values of hospitality, tolerance and respect, as well as its creativity, «have a lot to teach us», Dati announced that the meeting agreed to allow Moroccan craftsmen and craftswomen to come to France for immersion and residencies, particularly with the public operator «Le Mobilier National». «We are going to continue this cooperation, and we have decided to meet in Morocco very soon, because we have enough material to be able to amplify this dynamic», stated Dati. In addition to cinema, discussions also focused on the museum sector and preventive archaeology, where Morocco has recently adopted a legal framework for heritage protection, according to the French Minister of Culture. For his part, Bensaid pointed out that his trip to Paris is part of his participation in UNESCO's African Cultural Week and strengthens the friendship between Morocco and France. He sees it as an opportunity to «boost this partnership and friendship» through various means, such as conventions, agreements, joint conferences, and showcasing Moroccan heritage in France. The Minister also welcomed Dati's invitation to host Moroccan Maalem in France as part of immersion trips to promote their know-how. He believes that protecting and preserving heritage requires not only legislation but also communication. The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the promotion of the Moroccan gaming industry, with a view to benefiting from French expertise and developing it jointly. Bensaid pointed out that this market, worth $300 billion worldwide with annual growth of 10%, represents an opportunity for Morocco in terms of job creation and development for young people.
