Spain wants intensified cultural contacts with Morocco for better mutual knowledge

Spanish culture minister, Carmen Calvo, has called for intensified contacts between Moroccan and Spanish creators in order to promote a better cultural knowledge between the two peoples.

The Spanish official, who was interview by MAP during her three-day visit to Morocco, stressed that the two countries, which share an important historical legacy, need to explore the universal values borne by their contemporary artists.

Calvo, who signed on Monday with Moroccan peer, Mohamed Achaari, a memorandum of understanding to bolster cooperation in cultural matters through events such as the Moroccan year in Spain and the Spanish Year in Morocco, further urged for organizing meetings on a regular basis between Moroccan and Spanish artists.

She explained that these encounters between painters, musicians and directors will help promote mutual knowledge of various cultural facets.

She singled out particularly the cinema sector which she argued portrays a message that is easily understood and that promotes rapprochement between peoples. She also cited next year's book fair of Casablanca that will be dedicated to Spain, and the two countries' projects to increase translation works.

Culture, she went on, will henceforth hold an important part in Morocco-Spain relations as it transcends governments to bring peoples closer, insisting that Spain, as a European Union member-country, can serve as a bridge between Morocco and Europe.