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Rabat – Essaouira is committed and has mobilized resources to expand its classified perimeter in the UNESCO World Heritage List, said Andre Azoulay, Counselor to King Mohammed VI on Sunday.
Azoulay, in his capacity as Founding President of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, delivered an opening address in a forum whose proceedings extended throughout the weekend in Essaouira.
In his address, he emphasized the urgency and legitimacy of the project to expand the perimeter of the Essaouira medina classified in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Azoulay invited the audience to “understand the stakes, challenges, and promises for the future of this decisive project for the Windy City in the medium and long term.”
While working to expand the perimeters of Essaouira in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Counselor highlighted “the relevance of the first stage of this process, which aims to optimize, expand, and consolidate the historical achievements resulting from Essaouira’s first introduction in 2001 on the list.”
After analyzing the factors that underpin the legitimacy, feasibility, and purpose “of the great leap that Essaouira is preparing for,” Azoulay praised “the ambitions and determination of the Souiris (residents of Essaouira) to always go further to promote Morocco’s colors in the global realm of heritage, culture, and the richness of all our diversities.”
He further recalled that Essaouira “is one of the most renowned cities on the African continent in the UNESCO galaxy of lists of world rankings of material and intangible heritages.”
For Azoulay, the inclusion of Essaouira in the list imposes a “mutual responsibility whose central actors and guardians are the Souiris, who are called upon in their daily lives to protect, promote, and transmit respect for their heritages and the values they embody.”
For his part, the governor of the province, Adil El Maliki, stressed the importance of reconciling heritage protection with economic development, noting that Essaouira’s history extends beyond the city walls.
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“We now have the necessary tools to protect our heritage, but we must act with diligence and responsibility,” he noted, calling for concerted efforts and thoughtful action to preserve the city’s cultural identity while promoting sustainable development.
Meanwhile, President of the Communal Council, Tarik Ottmani, praised the importance of this project for Essaouira and its inhabitants and advocated for the preservation of the city’s unique architectural aspect, which contributes to its charm and tourist attractiveness.
Echoing other officials, Ottmani called for the preservation of Essaouira’s historical and cultural heritage while allowing for harmonious and respectful development of its heritage.
In a statement to MAP, the responsible for the UNESCO Maghreb Office’s Culture Program, Karim Hendili, remarked that
“Essaouira goes beyond the walls of the medina,” insisted Karim Hendili, Head of UNESCO Maghreb Office’s Culture Program.
The UNESCO official noted that the proposal to modify the boundaries of the old Mogador is legitimate and encouraged by the World Heritage Convention.
The venture is focused not only on expanding the perimeter but also on strengthening the safeguarding and transmission of collective and shared memory, he added.
The two-day event included sessions of debates, reflection, and exchanges aiming to reach concrete conclusions and recommendations to guide the implementation of the project to modify the boundaries of the Essaouira Medina.
The event was jointly organized by the Essaouira Culture, Arts and Heritage Local Development Society (SDL. ECAP), the Essaouira Mogador Association, the Ministry of Culture, the city of Essaouira, and the UNESCO Office for the Maghreb, this forum laid the groundwork for a process that will develop over the coming weeks and months.
