Marrakesh To Be 2024 Islamic World Culture Capital

Marrakesh will be the Islamic World Capital of Culture in 2024, announced Minister of Culture Mohamed El Mehdi Bensaïd.
The announcement came in the closing ceremonies marking Rabat’s designation as World Capital of Islamic Culture for 2022, which was organized by ISESCO over the course of the year and was marked by a series of artistic and cultural events and celebrations, perhaps most notably through the Biography of the Prophet Exhibition and Museum.
Marrakech is anticipated to host a number of festivities and events that celebrate Islamic heritage and which feature the Andalusian and Islamic architecture of mosques and palaces.
The occasion will also allow for the promotion of the city’s historical sites, intangible heritage, and tourist attractions.
Marrakech is one of the cities included in the list of Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. “Intangible cultural heritage” refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills–as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts, and cultural spaces associated–that communities, groups, and in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.
Almost 700 elements correspond to 140 countries that UNESCO designates as being worthy of such status. Over the course of the past decade, Morocco has been a major contributor to the list, including but not limited to falconry, calligraphy, date palm and argan agricultural practices, the Taskiwin High Atlas martial dance, the Tbourida equestrian practice, and the Gnawa.