Morocco Strengthens Protection of Its Cultural Heritage with Legal Agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organization
The Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Ben Sadik, signed a memorandum of understanding this Monday morning in Geneva with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang. This agreement aims to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of intellectual property protection, particularly regarding copyright and neighboring rights, as well as the legal protection of Moroccan cultural heritage.
The agreement seeks to enable Morocco to benefit from the technical and legal expertise provided by the organization and to adopt modern concepts in intellectual property rights, such as “droit de suite” and “right of reproduction,” within the WIPOCONNECT framework endorsed by the organization, keeping pace with digital and legal transformations in this field.
A key aspect of the agreement is the promotion of the “Label Maroc” brand internationally, which will enable the kingdom to protect its heritage elements before relevant international bodies by legally registering them with the Moroccan Intellectual Property Office.
Morocco has previously registered several heritage elements with the organization, including the caftan and zellige, granting them international legal protection under the new agreement, which allows the state to advocate against any attempts at cultural theft or appropriation.
In this context, the agreement complements UNESCO’s recognition of the intangible cultural heritage of these elements, as it provides a legal dimension through WIPO that grants countries the tools for legal defense against piracy or forgery.
On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Minister Ben Sadik held bilateral discussions with WIPO’s Director General, Daren Tang, to review the existing level of cooperation between the two parties and to showcase joint projects, particularly those related to the exchange of expertise and organizing field visits for experts in the field of copyright, which would enhance the protection of creators and support Morocco’s position internationally in culture and creativity.
