Guelmim hosts one-day workshop on Rock Art Sites in Southern Provinces

The Center for Saharan Studies and CNDH’s Regional Human Rights Commissions in TanTan-Guelmim, Laayoune-Esmara and Dakhla-Aoussred organize a one-day workshop on Rock Art Sites in the Souther Provinces. The workshop will take off at 9:00 a.m., on Saturday, January 18, 2014, at the Conference Center in Guelmim.

Held in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the Agency for Economic and Social Development in Sothern Provinces and OCP Corporate, this workshop aims at contributing to the preservation and promotion of rock art heritage in the region and strengthening the role of local stakeholder in this regard.

It will highlight the need for a collective and voluntary to (i) draw up an inventory of rock art and tumuli in the Southern Provinces, (ii) identify actions that would preserve and transmit this heritage and hold local stakeholders (territorial leaders, elected officials, civil society, public opinion, etc..) accountable for the preservation of cultural, historic, aesthetic, identity and economic values linked to this heritage and (iii) take concrete measures for its integration into a global development project.

The workshop will address three main issues: defining and identifying rock art heritage in the Southern Provinces and its actual status, the legal aspects and prospects for the promotion and development of this heritage, and how to include rock art heritage in local development.

In addition to the opening and closing sessions, three panels are scheduled for this workshop to discuss “Rock art in Southern Provinces: research and inventory”, “Tumuli and archeological sites in Sahara”, “National and international human rights law for the preservation of rock art and archeological sites”, “Action of the National Center of Rock Art Heritage for the preservation of rock art and archeological sites in Southern Provinces”, “Cultural heritage, vector of development in Moroccan Sahara: experience of the South Agency, “Preservation and enhancement of the rock art heritage in Southern Provinces: the case of Asli Bou Kerch Site in Es-Smara”, “The House of Rock Art in Icht: local initiative for the preservation of rock art in Southern Provinces”, and “Preservation policies and roles of actors: Ministry of Culture, public institutions, local authorities, civil society, etc.).

Elected officials, human rights activists, rock art experts and government representatives will take part in this workshop. The opening session will be chaired by Mr. Omar Dkhil, Chairman of the Justice Commission, Laws and Human Rights at the Chamber of Councilors. The Chairman of the Regional Human Rights Commission of Tan-Tan-Guelmim, the Wali of Guelmim-Es-Semara and Governor of Guelmim Province, the Director of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture, the President of the Regional Council and the President of the City Council of Guelmim will take the floor in this opening session, which will be attended by Mr. Driss El Yazami, CNDH Chairman.

Download the Rational and program of the workshop