Initialed by the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid and the President and CEO of the SNRT, Faïçal Laraïchi, this convention aims to inform and educate on the importance of archaeological excavations, enrich knowledge historical and heritage of Morocco, promote research and preserve heritage through the highlighting of archaeological discoveries.
Under this agreement, the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication undertakes in particular to plan archaeological missions for the benefit of the Chellah and Sijilmassa sites, to facilitate access to these sites for researchers, archaeologists, experts and interns, to reserve credits for research in archaeological excavations in these places, and to organize awareness workshops led by experts and archaeologists.
For its part, the SNRT undertakes to regularly broadcast documentaries on the Chellah and Sijilmassa sites, to ensure exhaustive media coverage of archaeological excavation missions in these sites, as well as to produce broadcasts, reports and documentaries highlighting archaeological discoveries.
On this occasion, Mr. Bensaid underlined the importance of this partnership which will allow the SNRT to contribute to the production of weekly programs on the archaeological sites of Chellah and Sijilmassa, which is of great importance in the history of the Kingdom and of the region in general.
The minister also indicated that strengthening media coverage of archaeological discoveries in these two sites will contribute to making the history of Morocco known, to linking the past to the present, to democratizing access to culture and to promoting cultural industries. in general.
Classified as a historic monument since 1920, the Chellah archaeological site was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 2012. In November 2023, the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication unveiled important archaeological discoveries at the exterior of the Marinid wall of Chellah.
Registered on the national heritage list since November 2017, the site of Sijilmassa, which is located near Oued Ziz and Rissani, is of great archaeological importance as a commercial crossroads, linking numerous civilizations, particularly African and Oriental.