Couscous, the Berber dish beloved across northern Africa's Maghreb region and beyond, Wednesday joined the UN list of the world's intangible cultural heritage. The countries that submitted the listing to UNESCO -- Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania -- may have their differences, but their common love of the grain staple runs deep. "Couscous, present at every social or cultural event, is at once ordinary and special," their joint presentation argued. The regional pride in couscous found full expression in the countries' joint nomination for the "knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscous". Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia all have their particular styles, he said, but adding: "We are all the same people, and the couscous is Maghrebi, the couscous is ours."

Source: The North Africa Journal December 16, 2020 17:03 UTC