The caftan attracts the First Lady of Serbia

The day before yesterday, Tuesday, Belgrade witnessed the opening of an exhibition entitled “The Moroccan Caftan: A Costume of International Fame,” which is being held at the initiative of the Kingdom’s Embassy in Serbia.

This cultural event, which was organized in cooperation with the Serbian Ethnographic Museum, was distinguished by the presence of Serbian dignitaries, most notably the First Lady of Serbia, Tamara Vucic, as well as guests from the diplomatic, academic, media and cultural circles, according to a statement by the embassy.

In addition to the traditional embroidered “Bensherif” caftan from Fez, which will join the international collection of the Ethnographic Museum, the exhibition presents accessories that complement the traditional costume and demonstrate the expertise of Moroccan craftsmen and goldsmiths (Charbel, Madama, gold jewelry studded with precious stones, and others), in addition to examples of brocade products. different.

In his speech on the occasion of the opening of this event, the Moroccan Ambassador to Serbia, Mohamed Amin Belhaj, highlighted that the exhibition provides an opportunity “to honor the talented and seasoned Moroccan craftsmen who have dedicated their lives to enriching the art of the caftan.”

“Thanks to their dedication and experience, the caftan has become a symbol of our cultural identity and heritage, which is passed down from generation to generation,” the diplomat said, noting that the gift provided by the Moroccan embassy to the museum is a traditional embroidered caftan dating back five generations, which “does not only serve as a symbol.” “For the friendship between the Serbian and Moroccan peoples, it will also allow the Serbian public to discover closely some aspects of Moroccan ethnography.”

Belhaj noted that Morocco faces similar challenges to Serbia with regard to protecting its craft heritage, stressing the need to educate future generations about the importance of traditional crafts.

The diplomat explained, “By educating future generations, in schools and elsewhere, about handicrafts and the importance of preserving our cultural heritage, we can ensure the survival of this priceless heritage and continue to be passed down through future generations.”

The embassy’s statement stated that the cultural event was also an opportunity to provide a historical overview of the art of the Moroccan caftan and its development over the years.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition, which continues until July 4, paid a special tribute to the talented Moroccan craftsmen who devoted their lives to developing the art of the caftan, by showing promotional films that shed light on the knowledge passed down from generation to generation.