French President Emmanuel Macron Visits Morocco’s Pavilion at the Paris Book Festival
French President Emmanuel Macron visited Morocco’s pavilion, the guest of honor at this year’s Paris Book Festival, held from April 11 to 13 at the Grand Palais in the French capital.
Accompanied by Culture Minister Rachida Dati, Macron was welcomed by Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and Samira Sitaïl, Morocco’s ambassador in Paris, upon his arrival at the Moroccan pavilion. Following the raising of the flags to the tunes of the national anthems of both countries, performed by Moroccan singer Nabila Maân, President Macron toured various sections of the Moroccan pavilion, which was designed to celebrate the diversity and richness of Moroccan literature. He also engaged in discussions with several Moroccan publishers and authors.
In a statement to the press after the visit, the French president expressed his pride and joy at hosting Morocco as the guest of honor at the festival, praising the “sensitive, deep, and friendly” relations between France and Morocco. He also extended his gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for his support of this event.
Macron stated, “We are pleased to have Morocco as the guest of honor at the Book Festival, and we thank His Majesty the King for providing momentum to this event.” He also expressed his appreciation to the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, as well as to Moroccan writers and publishers who contribute to enhancing cultural dialogue between the two countries.
The Moroccan pavilion spans an area of 330 square meters and features five interactive sections: the Maritime History Space, offering a journey into Morocco’s maritime past through ancient maps and traveler accounts; the “Dialogue” Space, a meeting place for publishers, authors, and the public; the Signing Space, hosting meetings and book signings with Moroccan authors; the Children’s Space, providing stories and interactive workshops to foster a love of reading among the youth; and the Publishing Houses and Library Space, showcasing the diversity of the Moroccan publishing scene.
