As part of the activities organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in China in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the historic Royal visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to China in May 2016, a landmark visit notably marked by the signing of the Declaration establishing the Strategic Partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the People’s Republic of China, the embassy organized a culture and sports festival on May 9 and 10 in Beijing in partnership with one of the Chinese capital’s leading multidisciplinary sports complexes, and in collaboration with the Moroccan National Tourism Office (MNTO) Representation in China, as well as the Morocco-China Business Council under the auspices of the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco.
The event is part of the embassy’s ongoing efforts to enhance the kingdom’s visibility in China and to promote Morocco’s cultural, economic, and tourism assets, notably through: promoting Morocco as a premier destination for sports tourism, showcasing the richness and diversity of the Kingdom’s cultural and tourism potential, encouraging investment and raising awareness of Morocco’s major development projects, and further strengthening the Moroccan-Chinese economic partnership more broadly.
The festival featured a diverse and dynamic program of activities, including: football, basketball, and badminton events, aerobics sessions which involved Moroccan students in China, an exhibition highlighting Morocco’s regional products export potential, a business lecture and networking sessions with Chinese companies, the screening of promotional videos and a gala dinner which showcased the richness and diversity of Moroccan gastronomy, accompanied by traditional Moroccan musical performances.
The event was also distinguished by a magnificent fashion show featuring talented Moroccan designers, who presented exclusive collections reflecting the richness of Moroccan creativity in the art of the caftan, officially inscribed at the end of last year on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
During the opening ceremony of this event, Abdelkader El Ansari, Moroccan Ambassador to China, highlighted the strength and historical depth of the relations uniting the two friendly countries. He underscored the remarkable momentum that bilateral relations have gained in recent years, in accordance with the High Guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, particularly since the establishment of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries in 2016, whose 10th anniversary is being celebrated this year through the organization of numerous economic and cultural events.
El Ansari further emphasized that this initiative aims to spotlight the richness of Moroccan culture and the diversity of its expressions, ranging from culinary arts and music to traditional haute couture, thereby embodying the authenticity of Morocco’s national heritage. In this context, he also highlighted Morocco’s growing stature as a preferred tourist destination for Chinese visitors, as well as a promising host country for high value-added Chinese investment in the technical and technological sectors.
The event brought together more than 300 guests, including prominent figures from the business, cultural, academic, and artistic communities, as well as a number of ambassadors accredited in Beijing and members of the Moroccan community residing in China. Guests expressed their admiration for the richness and diversity of Moroccan culture as showcased through the many dimensions featured during the festival, commending this initiative, which will undoubtedly contribute to bringing the vibrancy of Morocco’s cultural heritage closer to the Chinese public.
