The Moroccan Foundation for the Promotion of Sahrawi Heritage organised an exhibition of Saharan artisanal products on the 18th of May. It was "Dar El Janoub" that hosted this event, which aims to showcase, highlight and market artisanal products from the Saharan provinces, with a view to making them a lever for socio-economic development and contributing to the fight against precariousness, exclusion and poverty in these provinces.

They came by the dozen from Tata, Aka, Zagora, M’hamid, Ouarzazate, Assa Zag, Guelmim, Tan Tan, Tarfaya, Smara, Laâyoune, Boujdour and Dakhla. Men and women, members of cooperatives and community stakeholders involved in development projects were brought together by the Moroccan Foundation for Sahrawi Heritage (FMPS) for the inauguration of this exhibition. World Heritage Day and the 7th anniversary of the National Initiative for Human Development were the occasions the FMPS wished to seize by bringing together all these cooperatives, to whose development it has contributed.

While the exhibitors came from different Sahrawi regions, hundreds of visitors, curious onlookers, representatives of the national and international press, artists, men and women from the world of culture, as well as Belgian and Spanish investors, also attended this ceremony.

The foundation's representative in charge of the project explained that "Dar El Janoub" includes four spaces dedicated to the exhibition of Sahrawi heritage products (musical instruments, jewellery and products manufactured by cooperatives and women's associations), in addition to a traditional Sahrawi tent.

The Director of the Agency for the Promotion and Economic and Social Development of the Southern Provinces, Ahmed Hajji, stressed that the association will be given an essential role in supervising cooperatives working in the field of social economy and the promotion of income-generating activities.

He explained that "Dar El Janoub" will also be responsible for raising awareness of Moroccan Sahara products through an exemplary exhibition. It will also be responsible for establishing fruitful partnerships at national and international levels.

The Vice-President of the Moroccan Foundation for the Valorisation of Sahrawi Heritage, Elmekki Elmestari, for his part, observed that the social dimension is of capital importance in this project, through the training of young people in various artisanal trades, insisting on the foundation's desire to create similar centres in other regions of the Kingdom.

The former President of the Advisory Council on Human Rights, Ahmed Herzenni, noted the relevance of this initiative, given the richness and variety of Sahrawi heritage and the role it can play in the development of Moroccan culture.