The Regional Meeting of Creative Cities in Arab Countries kicked off on November 19, 2024 in the city of Tetouan, Morocco, with the participation of relevant experts, researchers, and specialists from the Arab world and beyond.
The meeting was organized by ALECSO in partnership with the UNESCO Maghreb Office, the Agency for the Development of the Northern Regions, the Tetouan Municipality, and the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication.
Attended by representatives from 50 creative cities in Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia, Libya, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE, the meeting focused on the role of youth in building resilient and creative cities.
This event consolidated the strategic importance of Morocco and Tetouan as drivers of creativity and innovation for sustainable urban development.
Addressing the meeting, Dr. Humaid Al-Nofali, Director of Culture at ALECSO, conveyed the greetings of the Director-General, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar. He underlined the importance of the meeting in strengthening multilateral partnerships that aim to firmly embed culture in cities. He stressed the need to draw up a fresh vision of cities based on their cultural components and to strengthen the place of culture in development-oriented public policymaking.
Dr. Al-Nofali also emphasized the importance of coordinating the efforts of relevant international organizations, including UNESCO and ALECSO, to address the challenges facing cities, by leveraging the potential of culture; thereby making culture and creativity a driver of development for building inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities.
