Rabat as Islamic World’s Cultural Capital: Official Celebrations Begin

Rabat – Official celebrations of Rabat as the Islamic world’s cultural capital for 2022 are kicking off today, March 24.

King Mohammed VI gave the instructions to begin the celebrations, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication.

The ceremony, which will be held at the Mohammed V theater in Rabat, aims to highlight the richness of Morocco’s cultural and artistic heritage.

Minister of Culture Mehdi Bensaid is set to coordinate the celebration’s program.

Director General of ISESCO Salim Mohammed Al Malik and Mehdi Bensaid will chair the ceremony, which will mark the start of a year-long variety of activities in the capital city.

In November 2021, ISESCO namedRabat as the Islamic world’s cultural capital for 2022 in recognition of the city’s implementation of an urban and cultural development program launched in 2015.

ISESCo’s nomination of Rabat comes in recognition of the implementation of the “Rabat Capital of Culture, City of Lights” initiative, aimed at reducing traffic congestion, improving road safety, and having a positive impact on the environment.

Rabat’s selection also testifies to its centuries-old cultural heritage as well as being home to several international cultural and artistic institutions, making it a cultural and tourism destination for both locals and foreign visitors.

In celebration of the city’s long-standing status as part of the Program for Culture Capitals in the Islamic World, ISESCO and the National Library of Morocco agreed that all publications chosen to be regularly carried by the library this year will bear Rabat’s logo as the Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022.