December 10, 2025 will remain a day to be remembered. Despite the maneuvers undertaken by Algiers to counter this historic vote, despite a shameless cultural appropriation practiced for far too many years, despite aggressive and mendacious propaganda carried out both on social networks and in the media and even on educational platforms like Wikipedia, Morocco has finally won the battle of the caftan by inscribing it on the list of intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO.
🔴 BREAKING
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) December 10, 2025
New registration on the #IntangibleHeritage List: Moroccan Caftan: art, traditions and skills, #Morocco🇲🇦.
Congratulations!https://t.co/xoL14QknFp #LivingHeritage
This inscription was highly anticipated, not only by those involved in traditional fashion who see it as a major economic driver, but also by all Moroccans. The caftan is indeed considered an essential part of the national identity and history of the Kingdom, which is twelve centuries old.
The victory of history over false propaganda
Although the Moroccan identity of caftan-making skills, passed down through generations of artisans, has never been a diplomatic issue, this traditional garment has acquired a new political and cultural dimension. This shift occurred when Algeria embarked on a veritable campaign of cultural plunder. This victory for Morocco thus represents a resounding defeat for the Algerian regime, which relentlessly tried to prevent its neighbor's candidacy from materializing.
Despite the evaluation body's recommendations in favor of Morocco's candidacy, Algeria, as expected, attempted to block the inscription by submitting an amendment. Although a member of the intergovernmental committee (2024-2028), the country could not exercise a veto, as consensus is the preferred process for inscribing elements on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
It should be noted that none of the 32 other applications submitted on December 10, including Morocco's, were blocked by an amendment. This exception is due to Algeria, which, despite being part of the Arab group at UNESCO, is, much to its chagrin, headed by Morocco."We have never seen a country oppose an application submitted by a member state of the same group," Mustapha Jellok, director of cultural heritage at the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, told Le360.
On December 8, during the opening of the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Algerian delegation attempted yet another maneuver. This attempt was led by Abdennour Khelifi, appointed Algeria's ambassador to New Delhi in March 2025. This former Director for Africa at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been nicknamed the"wrestling diplomat" in Morocco since his assault on a Moroccan representative in August 2024, during the preparatory work for the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9).
Algiers' choice of this man speaks volumes about the methods of a regime that has become a pariah in the eyes of the international community. But it was above all the incompetence of this man and his cronies that shone through on December 8th. By attempting to disrupt the session's agenda, their sole objective was to change the wording of an item already registered for 2024. Their goal was to add the term"caftan" to the item "Women's ceremonial dress in the Grand Est region of Algeria" in order to claim to have registered this designation before Morocco.
An attempt that failed miserably, definitively buried on December 10 with the consecration of the Moroccan caftan, now an integral part of the representative list of intangible cultural heritage.
🇲🇦 "LONG LIVE THE MOROCCAN CAFTAN" 🎉
— Le360 (@Le360fr) December 10, 2025
It's official: the Moroccan caftan has been added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage 🇺🇳
A historic victory for our heritage, our know-how, and twelve centuries of Moroccan elegance✨ pic.twitter.com/1qUyIDkgP7
Thus, on December 10 in New Delhi, Algeria suffered another resounding defeat, following a scenario similar to that of October 31 in New York. Indeed, despite being a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2024-2025, it helplessly witnessed the adoption of a historic resolution enshrining autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. This defeat follows a previous setback in November 2025, when Morocco was elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2025-2029 term, securing first place among the Arab groups with 146 votes, while Algeria was eliminated from the ballot without receiving a single vote.
Far from the underhanded maneuvers of the Algerian regime, this is a time for celebration for all Moroccans. The caftan, much more than a simple garment, is a marker of national identity and a source of pride linked to centuries-old craftsmanship. With its inscription on the UNESCO list, the Moroccan caftan will be celebrated both at home and abroad, carried by the innovation of designers who ensure its status as a timeless icon.
