Moroccan Craft Fair at the Three Cultures Foundation

The Three Cultures Foundation hosted the Moroccan Craft Fair at its headquarters in Seville, which was a great success in terms of attendance and interest and was attended by important figures such as André Azoulay, advisor to King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

The fair was organised by the Moroccan Ministry of Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy and the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra Chamber of Craftsmen, and hosted by the Spanish-Moroccan cultural institution.

The Three Cultures Foundation has just signed an important agreement with the Moroccan Ministry of Handicrafts to carry out joint projects, such as this spectacular Handicraft Fair.

One of the highlights of the Craft Fair is the space dedicated to tea. It recreates a typical wedding tea ceremony, where visitors can sample both the tea and some of the cakes traditionally served at these celebrations.

There was also space for henna designers, a craft typical of the first day of the wedding. In Morocco, these weddings are celebrated over three days and it is customary for the bride to receive these designs on her skin on the first day. 

Also noteworthy in the exhibition is the presence of a large cross made of thuja wood. It is a replica of the so-called Cross of Essaouira, a cross that two artisan brothers from this Moroccan city gave to the brotherhood of Cristo de la Corona in Seville.

Copper craftsmanship, created by Atika Maher from Fez, one of the few women in the world (there are three or four) who practise this art, also had its place at the fair. She says that her father is a jeweller and she uses the same techniques, but applied to copper.

A beautiful burgundy-coloured tapestry also caught everyone's attention. This tapestry won the 2025 National Award for Best Craftsman, as can be seen from the trophy displayed next to it. 

Directly opposite this tapestry was the display by Khadija Ben Hamza, who also gave live demonstrations. She comes from the Khiemsset area and says that tapestries are usually made in two colours: red and white. Next to her was a display of typical wedding night bedding.

The exhibition also featured the very typical carpets of Yahya El Yahyaoui and the National Prize for Traditional Moroccan Caftans, created by Ghita Benjlil, who was present at the exhibition and proudly displayed the trophy.

Next to this caftan was the display by Younnes Bouaddown, who works with metal, an almost disappearing craft of which he is one of the few exponents. He comes from the Fez region, where he has been practising this craft for almost 25 years; for this reason, he often represents Moroccan craftsmanship at international fairs and exhibitions around the world: France, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Mexico, etc.

Also present was Aissa Habbab, a craftsman specialising in jewellery from the south, specifically from Laayoune, with jewellery and various works in silver and costume jewellery. In addition to Noura Zaim, a stylist who is also a member of the jury that selects the best national craftsman each year. She blends tradition with modernity, as can be seen in her use of fabrics (velvet, but also more contemporary fabrics) and embroidery.

There was also space for an exhibition of ceramics, known as zelliges, such as those on display at the Hassan II Pavilion, headquarters of the Three Cultures Foundation. They are made piece by piece: they are cut by hand and then carefully placed, taking up to two days to complete. 

There was also a Berber carpet company that works with both traditional and more modern designs and whose unique feature is that they are certified as a fair trade company. They have a workshop in a town in the Middle Atlas, Khemisset, and mainly employ women.

The same is true of the artisan Naoual Souti, who specialises in traditional sewing. Originally from Oujda, she has been recognised for her pioneering work in integrating women from rural areas into the labour market. She has around a hundred women working in her company, which has also been recognised nationally for its quality.

Fátima Zahra, who came from Agadir with her women's cooperative specialising in argan oil products, was also present. They started in 2017 and now number 21. Their great achievement has been to systematise and organise work that each woman used to do on her own, bring them all together, establish production systems and become a driving force in their community.

A typical example of pottery from Assafi, an area very close to Marrakech, and the fashion creations of Islam Talbi, with designs ranging from the most traditional to jeans, for example, surprised the attendees.

The tour ended with the carpets and cushions of Zahra Oasmine, which present a mixture of the different styles of this type of craftsmanship that can be found in all regions of Morocco.