Morocco is filled with light, color and talent. The style and tastes are unique and renown as is the quality. It is both exotic and approachable; the feeling of comfort emotes. I had the privilege of going invited by Aid to Artisans (http://www.aidtoartisans.org/) through a pilot project they had funded in part by the Millennium Project (http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/) and the Moroccan Government to research a "Made in Morocco" brand to preserve their artisanal handicraft. This is not a new concept but one floating around for a while in this sector as a means to preserve regional-specific craft. This ties in with the Cairo Forum topics (http://www.cairoforum2010.org/), I attended 10 days before, where they addressed the same issue on how we globally preserve the identity and heritage of regions through the preservation of their craft. This not only preserves the above, it also preserve their way of life, traditions, means of income and so much more. In terms of alleviating poverty and maintaining sustainability, it is vital and it needs to go a step further to also expose them to new markets of opportunity where they can exchange ideas, learn new skills, attract others internationally such as designers, producers, distributors, buyers, tourists and so forth to actually improve their conditions in their own way and on their own terms. How one would go about protecting this and marketing this globally creates challenges. The branding of countries handicraft is an interesting proposition filled with opportunities and issues, how do you feel about it?
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