Morocco, Guest of Honor at Croatia’s 11th ‘MEETeatING Mediterranean’ Event

This event is held annually by the municipality of Bol and IMENA, a Croatian Association dedicated to preserving cultural, artistic, literary, musical, and gastronomic heritage.

In her inaugural speech, Morocco’s Ambassador to Croatia, Nour El Houda Marrakchi, said this initiative « can only build bridges of understanding between the world’s cultures and civilizations in general, and consolidate relations between our two countries, Morocco and Croatia. »

« Morocco is a country whose rich and varied culinary art reflects its ancestral cultural heritage, drawing its originality from a subtle blend of Berber, Arab-Andalusian, and Jewish culinary traditions, » the diplomat pointed out.

The authenticity of the Kingdom is also expressed through its nine sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as its six intangible cultural heritages, including hospitality and intercultural dialogue.

For her part, Hanan Affassi Idrissi, deputy to the head of the Chefchaouen Communal Council, highlighted the city’s status as an emblematic community of the Mediterranean diet.

« This recognition enabled our town to become aware of the richness of its intangible heritage, namely the typical Chefchaouen way of life and the set of knowledge, habits, and customs that have endured in local culture for centuries, » she stated.

As part of this cultural event, several gastronomic events featuring Moroccan and Croatian cuisine were organized, thanks in particular to the contribution of Moroccan chef Samah Tribech.

Besides gastronomy, a rich cultural program was on the agenda, including an exhibition dedicated to the city of Chefchaouen and a roundtable with experts to discuss activities that support local tourism.

Recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, the Mediterranean Diet is supported and promoted by a task force comprised of several emblematic Communities: Chefchaouen (Morocco), Soria (Spain), Koroni (Greece), Cilento (Italy), the Islands of Brač and Hvar (Croatia), Tavira (Portugal), and Agros (Cyprus).