The two events were inaugurated by Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, and Director General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, in the presence of Advisor to HM the King, André Azoulay, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN organization, ambassador Samir Addahre, Moroccan ambassador in Paris, Mohamed Benchaaboune, and president of the National Foundation of Museums of Morocco, Mehdi Qotbi.

The opening of the exhibition and symposium, intended to present the richness and diversity of the Kingdom's prehistoric heritage and highlight recent archaeological discoveries, was also attended by ambassadors of several countries to UNESCO, personalities from the worlds of arts and culture, as well as a host of researchers and specialists in prehistoric sciences from various Moroccan and international academic institutions.

Ms. Azoulay stressed, on this occasion, the importance of this international event, insofar as prehistory continues to "question what we are, what we have in common, our place in the scale of time and in the scale of life".

Praising Morocco for this initiative, Ms. Azoulay said she was "very pleased that this high-level scientific dialogue is being held at UNESCO in a field of study and research that is booming and needs international perspectives”.

"This field also needs to cross disciplines to advance knowledge, because prehistory, which is a heritage of humanity, is far from being a frozen and mythical moment," added the UN official, who welcomed the support of the Kingdom to the efforts of UNESCO in the various areas of its competence, including by hosting several forums and conferences, notably the 7th International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII), held last Wednesday in Marrakech.

Ms. Azoulay announced, on the same occasion, the upcoming annual conference on intangible heritage of UNESCO in the Kingdom.

For his part, Bensaid noted that throughout the day, researchers, experts and scientists will discuss this heritage treasure that makes Morocco a cradle of humanity.

"In Morocco, if we are proud of the archaeological discoveries that we present today, we are also aware of the scientific challenges they represent and the problems posed by their preservation ... as well as the stake they symbolize, allowing us to read entire chapters of the history of humanity and the world," he said.

On the same occasion, Morocco donated to UNESCO replicas of the skull of the oldest Homo Sapiens in the world, dated 350 thousand years ago, discovered in Jebel Ochoud in Youssoufia, and the oldest elements of adornment in the world dating from 142 to 150 thousand years, discovered in the cave Bizmoune in Essaouira.