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Rabat – The Ministry of Culture and Communication will organize an international congress to celebrate 1,300 years of the historic city of Sijilmassa’s existence.
Collaborating with the National Institute of Archeological Sciences and Heritage, the ministry will hold the congress December 2-3 in the city of Rissani, a town in Errachidia Province, eastern Morocco, under the theme: “Sijilmassa: The Memory and the Challenge of Development.”
Sijilmassa was founded in 757 by the Zenata Amazigh tribe. It was a medieval Moroccan city that served as an important trade center in the Maghreb during the middle ages. In the year 1000, the city was inhabited by approximately 100,000 people.
The ancient city experienced many invasions of several Amazigh (Berber) dynasties before it was abandoned in A.D. 1339.
The initiative is part of the ministry’s strategy to preserve and enhance archaeological sites and historic monuments.
The ministry has adopted a comprehensive and integrated approach to strengthen archaeological research in all Moroccan regions.
The conference will be a platform for debate on the legal protection of Sijilmassa following its inclusion in the National Heritage list.
