The first stage of the Moroccan Living Crafts Treasures programme, aimed at preserving embroidered saddlery, has begun at the El Batha Traditional Crafts Training and Apprenticeship Centre in Fez. The programme was launched on 16 November in Rabat.
The idea was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy; UNESCO; and in collaboration with master Hicham Seqqat, considered to be a living craft treasure in Fès, who will pass on his knowledge and expertise in the field of Fès embroidered saddlery to eight young craftsmen selected in advance.
The aim is to preserve this ancestral craft and ensure its longevity, through a 9-month training programme," explained Abderrahim Belkhayat, Regional Director of Crafts in Fez.