The city of Laâyoune is hosting the 5th edition of the Dar Lemâlma Handicraft Fair from 5 to 11 December with the participation of 150 women artisans, representing different provinces of the Kingdom and several African countries.

Initiated by the Network of Women Artisans of Morocco (Refam), the Ministry of Handicrafts, the Wilaya of the Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El-Hamra region, the elected councils, and the Agency for the Promotion and Economic and Social Development of the Southern Provinces, this edition is being held under the theme "Meeting of African women artisans, the march for sustainable development and the preservation of the environment".

According to a statement from the organisers, "if handicrafts represent an important economic sector, participating in this 5th edition in Laâyoune symbolises a national duty for the women artisans, members of Refam Dar Maalma. It is a modest contribution from the women artisans of Morocco to the national cause. This fair aims to strengthen the economic capacities of women artisans and to make known the richness of the female artisanal heritage in the Southern provinces".

The programme for this event is spread over six days and includes an exhibition of more than 1,000 products, a conference on sustainable development and the environment, thematic workshops, and training workshops for improvement in certain handicraft trades. The same source recalls that the work of Refam was launched on 30 May 2008 in Marrakech. Today, the network brings together more than 800 artisans who represent the different regions of Morocco and numerous sectors of female handicrafts. Dar Maalma aims to promote the Moroccan woman artisan, by making the knowledge she possesses a tool for strengthening her socio-economic capacities.

The strategic orientations of the association are articulated around the strengthening of the managerial and commercial capacities of the woman artisan, the improvement of quality, design, and innovation in order to make products suitable for commercialisation, including for export, and notably through e-commerce. The dimension of sustainable development and preservation of the environment represents a fundamental postulate of the network's work.