Yesterday, Thursday, the press conference for the International Festival of Young African Talents, AFRIFATA, in its second edition was held in the city of Casablanca, under the theme “Casablanca: Capital of African Fashion,” sponsored by UNESCO to support and encourage African youth interested in fashion design and to promote their products across Africa and the world. The organizers of this second edition of AFRIFATA aim to reunite young African designers and creators by supporting them and promoting their products, said Zaineb El Kadiri, one of the organizers of the second AFRIFATA edition and a Moroccan designer born in France. She stated, “Africa lives within me, and I am happy to return to my roots. Therefore, I wanted to combine my culture with my passion for fashion, especially since this edition enjoys special sponsorship from UNESCO. Additionally, I am pleased to promote our African and Moroccan culture in European countries, especially France.” The same speaker added, “The students from the Louis Michel High School in France were chosen to participate in this event, where the initiative was well received by young people.” In the same context, Hicham Lahlou, the world-renowned designer and a member of the AFRIFATA judging committee, explained that the event’s role is to help young people develop and promote their products worldwide. He also mentioned that he designed the award trophy, which will be presented to the winners at the end of the event. Meanwhile, Adama Paris, the artistic director of the AFRIFATA edition, expressed her happiness to be in Morocco to participate in this edition, explaining that it is a great opportunity for ambitious youth seeking to develop and promote their products across Africa and Europe. For her part, the journalist Ibtissam Kettibi expressed her joy in participating in presenting the AFRIFATA fashion show, emphasizing that this initiative carries significant meanings in humanity above all, saying, “As a young Moroccan and African woman aspiring to Africa’s development, my presence here is an appreciation of these relationships and an appreciation of our African partnerships in various fields.” It is worth noting that several roundtable discussions are organized within the framework of the second edition, aiming to create a broader space for youth in the field of design. Several roundtable discussions will be held throughout the event, in addition to fashion shows to select and prepare the winners to participate in the “Fashion Week Cape Town” event in South Africa next week.
