Pomp and colour was on display at the Africities summit as Moroccan delegates showcased their songs, dances and unique exhibition booth, in a move to market their culture.
In an interview with KNA, the Moroccan General Secretary for Cooperation in the Ministry of Intelligence, Mr. Aissam Kebdani, oozed enthusiasm about their culture and its positive impact on the Morocco City of Rabat.
Kebdani explained that the traditional dances, songs, and attires they wore when displaying their culture at the 9th Africities Conference are called ‘Gnaoua’.
“By the end of this year, Rabat will be fully transformed from an administrative city to a cultural city and it is with this initiative that we decided to market our culture to the outside world and to show our fellow Africans how the country can earn from its own culture,” stated the General Secretary.
Mr. Kebdani explained that the Kingdom of Morocco has different cultures, depending on the region the citizens hail from, for instance the Moroccans from the north are accustomed to the Spanish way of life, and the central region is more of French and the southerners uphold the local way of life.
According to Mr. Kebdani, the Kingdom of Morocco has two official languages, French and Arabic.
“Rabat will be the capital of all African cultures and through this occasion, other African countries will also be invited to showcase their culture. Morocco has a lot to offer, ranging from the traditional culture itself, mountains, Sahara Desert, monuments, history, architecture, and food mainly the ‘couscous’, cats among others,” added Kebdani.
He also stated that the people from this kingdom have strong values, and practice the Muslim religion, and are known for their traditional dresses called ‘djellaba’ which is a long, loose hooded cloth, full of sleeves worn by both men and women.
“We want other African countries to make good use of their cultures to make money just like Morocco. We are very proud of our culture and it is a source of income for our country,” added Kebdani.
He emphasized that African cities need to invest more in the cultural sector since African countries have very interesting cultures that can generate income if well developed.
By Becky Galyns and Mary Odago
