The cultural presentation was organized with the support of the Moroccan Embassy in Hanoi and in coordination with the Vietnamese authorities responsible for managing the historic site, offering visitors a rare glimpse of Morocco’s cultural heritage at one of Vietnam’s most iconic landmarks.
Carried by several men in keeping with Moroccan wedding traditions, the ammaria made its way through the citadel, where Moroccan decorative elements blended with centuries-old Vietnamese architecture before an audience of visitors and heritage enthusiasts.
The event also featured Chirihane Chergui, Morocco’s representative at the 73rd Miss World pageant, who wore a golden-yellow Al Kharib caftan adorned with traditional sfifa braidwork, aqad buttons and a mdamma belt, highlighting the craftsmanship of Moroccan artisans.
“The caftan I am wearing today was not made by a single person but by entire workshops,” Chergui said, stressing that giving Morocco’s cultural heritage international visibility also helps create new opportunities for the artisans who preserve it.
“When we give this heritage an international platform, we are not only representing ourselves—we are also opening new markets for the people who create it,” she added, expressing hope that the momentum would continue beyond her own participation in the competition.
Morocco’s ammaria showcased at Hanoi’s Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
The presentation comes a year after the Moroccan caftan was inscribed, in 2025, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Showcasing the ammaria at the Imperial Citadel added another dimension to the dialogue between tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
The event was held ahead of the 73rd edition of the Miss World pageant, which is taking place in Vietnam this year to mark the competition’s 75th anniversary, bringing together contestants from more than 130 countries.
Morocco’s participation forms part of the country’s official Miss World license, which seeks not only to ensure the Kingdom’s continued representation at the international pageant but also to promote Moroccan craftsmanship, cultural heritage and traditional know-how on the global stage.
The initiative also coincides with the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Vietnam, a relationship shaped over the decades by human ties and a shared historical memory that continues to find new expression through cultural exchanges.
Near Hanoi, the Morocco Gate, located in the Ba Vì region and built decades ago by Moroccans living in Vietnam, remains a unique testament to that shared history. It echoes the Vietnam Gate, inaugurated in Kénitra in 2022, together forming a rare architectural bridge between the two countries and a lasting symbol of their friendship.
