Traditional Moroccan industry is well established in Paris
Heba Press
Traditional Moroccan industry of all kinds is in the spotlight at the “Maison et Objet” trade fair held at the Parc des Expositions de Villepinte in the suburbs of Paris.
The Moroccan Gallery, inaugurated today Friday by the Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatima Zahraa Ammor, occupies a prominent place in the middle of the exhibition, as it covers an area of 180 square meters, and includes the latest creations of Moroccan artisans, including interior decoration products, pottery, ceramics, carpets, tiles and interior decoration accessories.
In a statement to the Arab Maghreb Press on the occasion of the opening ceremony, which was attended by Tariq Seddik, Director General of the Dar Al-Sanea Foundation, which is organizing the Moroccan participation, as well as the exhibition managers, Ms. Amour stressed “the extreme importance of Morocco’s presence at this event which is… “one of the largest interior decoration and home furniture fairs.”
The minister considered that Morocco’s participation, which is not the first of its kind at this international fair, “provides an opportunity for traditional Moroccan artisans and companies in the sector to exhibit their creativity.”
In this regard, she stressed “the growing demand today for traditional Moroccan craft products”, welcoming the concern of Moroccan craftsmen to present their best creativity in order to display this level of demand.
In this regard, Ms. Amour stressed that this type of exhibition allows Moroccan craftsmen to come into contact with prestigious buyers, which allows them to increase exports of traditional Moroccan crafts, which have recorded more than one billion dirhams over the last two years.
The minister stressed that this is where the importance of participating in international fairs comes from, particularly in the “Maison et Meuble” fair, which is held in France, “a country that is of great importance for the promotion of Moroccan crafts, especially since it is the second largest importer of craft products after the United States of America.
In the same context, the general manager of Dar Al Sanea expressed his pride in the presence of the Moroccan traditional industry at this important event on the global exhibition agenda.
Mr. Siddiq “Najah” highlighted the Moroccan participation, given the number of visitors, including professionals, potential buyers, designers and architects, who flock to the Moroccan pavilion, and are interested in what Moroccan companies and cooperatives offer, which offer 100 percent labor-manufactured products from several Moroccan regions, including Marrakech and Fez.
The minister added: “This participation is part of our strategy to promote traditional Moroccan crafts.” Today, the volume of our exports reaches more than one billion craft products, not counting the purchases of tourists visiting Morocco, which confirms the growing demand of Moroccan and foreign customers for our products.
It took several months to prepare this participation in order to ensure this presence at the “Maison et Mobilier” show, between the design of a Moroccan gallery that would serve as an invitation to travel into the worlds of traditional Moroccan crafts, and the choice of exhibitors and products so that the display would be “in line with the dominant trend”.
For the “Dar Al Sane” Foundation, the “House and Furniture” exhibition represents an ideal platform for professionals who wish to obtain traditional craft products.
The Foundation, which invited eight exhibitors to its gallery to present a rich and diverse national fair, is counting on Moroccan participation in this international event to enable traditional Moroccan craft companies to “make contact with the most important players in the field of design and decoration.”
In statements to the Arab Maghreb press, a number of exhibitors, including those participating for the first time in an international exhibition, welcomed this initiative as an opportunity to explore developments in the sector and market their products.
Dar Al-Sanea confirms, in its presentation at the Moroccan Gallery, that it aims “to help Moroccan companies enter exhibitions, become familiar with artisanal products (#Moroccohandmade), and thus increase their share in the international market, particularly the European and French arena.
The mission of this institution, affiliated with the Ministry of Tourism, Crafts and Social and Solidarity Economy, is to support Moroccan craft producers and brands in order to promote their products and develop their presence on foreign markets.
The Foundation attaches particular importance to market access for traditional Moroccan industry players by developing market penetration strategies in order to position itself among the world’s leading brands, ongoing cooperation with major buyers and helping them advance business operations.
The “Maison et Meuble” trade fair, which is held twice a year, is an unmissable event in the decoration and design sector, bringing together various major players in the art of living, brands, designers, artisans and decoration experts.
More than 2,300 exhibitors from 147 countries are participating in the event, according to organizers.
The exhibition, which covers an area of up to 120,000 square meters, is divided into two parts: “Home”, which includes four areas dedicated to decoration and antiques from around the world and a selection of luxury furniture, and “Furniture”, which is divided into seven areas including kitchen specialties, a children’s area and a fashion accessories area.
The “Home and Furniture” exhibition, which last year attracted more than 67,000 visitors, 47 percent of whom were foreigners, also launched an electronic platform called “Home, Furniture and More”, aimed at professionals in decoration, design and art of living and exhibiting products from more than 3,000 brands.
