The First Forum for Young Researchers in Cultural Heritage in the Arab World kicked off on September 17, 2024 at ALECSO headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia.
The Forum was inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities of the Republic of Iraq, and Ms. Samira Ben Badr, Director-General of International Cooperation at the Tunisian Ministry of Cultural Affairs, representing H.E. Ms. Amina Srarfi, Minister of Cultural Affairs. Members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Tunisia were also in attendance.
In his opening address, the Director-General welcomed all guests and participants, and expressed ALECSO's gratitude for the participation of prominent Arab scholars in the field of cultural heritage. He underlined the importance of adopting a heritage approach in keeping with the new and evolving contexts, and producing innovative scientific knowledge aligned with the spirit of current times. ALECSO’s initiative to launch this Forum, he added, is designed to “consolidate a scientific tradition for youth that contributes to creating a knowledge environment supporting young researchers and motivating them to advance in the fields of heritage-related research, by offering them opportunities for active involvement in research projects”.
For his part, the Iraqi Minister expressed his delight at participating in this event at ALECSO headquarters, and announced Iraq's readiness to host the second edition of the Forum.
The Representative of the Tunisian Minister of Culture welcomed all participants and commended the initiative of organizing this Forum. She underlined the importance of providing guidance for young researchers and helping them to be actively engaged in the field of research.
The Forum saw the participation of representatives of heritage authorities and culture ministries from 17 Arab States, in addition to representatives from relevant regional and international institutions and organizations.
The Forum, which ran over three days, discussed the following topics:
- Cultural heritage in the context of international agreements
- Presentation of research projects by young researchers
- Preservation of cultural heritage between local and international perspectives
- Cultural heritage through the experiences of young researchers.
- Research methodologies in intangible cultural heritage.
Day 3 the Forum was dedicated to a field visit to the National Museum of Bardo, with an interactive session on museums and related sciences in light of contemporary changes.
