2022 FIFA World Cup: Why are Moroccans accusing Qatar of “stealing” their heritage?
Social media in Morocco have sparked outrage after the Qatar 2022 World Cup page published a promotional photo of the Qatar World Cup featuring what is said to be a picture of Moroccan architectural legacy.
سبحان الله بقدرة قادر أصبح ضريح محمد الخامس يتواجد بالدوحة بدلا من الرباط و يمثل دولة قطر ? دول منعدمة التاريخ أصبحت تتطاول على تقاليدنا و معمارنا و تنسبه لها و هذا لا يمكن أن نسمح به . الصورة من صفحة كأس العالم فيفا الرسمية و منشوراتها المتعلقة بالترويج لكأس العالم #FIFA pic.twitter.com/KYJniCRKyu
— Abdel Addo (@Abdel_Amazighi) November 26, 2021
The photo, posted on the official page of the Qatar World Cup, shows football stars standing in front of a door with the slogan “Qatar 2022” waiting for it to open.
According to users, the background belongs to the door of the mausoleum of Mohammed V, the grandfather of the current Moroccan king, Mohammed VI in Rabat, which was amended and presented as a Qatari heritage, which sparked their anger.
The image went viral on social media in Morocco, with activists expressing their displeasure at what they called “the theft of their heritage”.
Many stressed that they would always stand against any attack on their civilization, culture and heritage.
Others replaced the background of the main image with the Arabic tent.
On the other hand, users considered that “the World Cup in Qatar is a source of pride for all Arabs, from the ocean to the Gulf, adding that the houses in Andalusia and Morocco, almost entirely have a common heritage in Damascus or Beirut “.
Following the campaign on social media, Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football University, and Mehdi Bensaid, the Minister of Culture and Youth, demanded that FIFA withdraw the post on social media about the draw in the annex to the European qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
According to local media, “this official step comes within the framework of the keenness to protect Moroccan heritage from piracy, which the Ministry of Culture revealed during the current mandate, especially after repeated theft and exploitation by non-Moroccan organizations”.
Commenting on Lekjaa’s and Bensaid’s move, Atef Dalgamouni said: “The Qataris are saying the World Cup in Qatar is the Arab World Cup, and for that I think they chose the Maghreb doors to be represented in the World Cup ads. That’s fine, in my humble opinion, and what does Morocco lose? I didn’t understand why this fuss from the Minister of Culture to pull the door pictures”.
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 22nd edition of the World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022.
This will be the first-ever World Cup in the Arab world and the second to be held entirely in Asia after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
المغرب ??
هذه باب مغربية تقليدية اصيلة من ابداع صناع تقليديين مغاربة و نتاج تراث مغربي تبلور على مدى 12 قرنا من السيرورة و التطور
هي من بوابات ضريح محمد الخامس بالرباط الذي بدات اشغال بنائه عام 1962م و انتهت عام 1971م pic.twitter.com/8dIbAY1Ttp— ?? بدرالدين كمال (@Lixus_014) November 26, 2021
In addition, the championship will be the last one in which 32 teams will participate. The number of teams will increase to 48 teams in the 2026 championship, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
