The protection and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, as an expression of cultural diversity, has been recognized by UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, 2001, as a driving force in sustainable development, an asset to contribute to poverty reduction, mutual understanding and peace-building. Tangier, with its historical and multicultural Medina, and Siwa, an ancient oasis in the western desert of Egypt, are linked in this proposal through their important cultural heritage and eventually the lack of a strategic plan for the preservation and enhancement of their centennial cultural specificities.

The overall objective of this project is to preserve and enhance the local cultural heritage in Morocco and Egypt within a sustainable development framework: the challenge of the action is to leverage on the basic principles of sustainability - such as participation, local ownership and knowledge dissemination. The action aims at promoting better knowledge and understanding of the local cultural asset, thus creating effective management tools for sustainable safeguard of the tangible and intangible heritage of the specific culture in Tangier and Siwa.

The final beneficiaries of the action will be the whole population of Siwa and the Medina of Tangier, mostly women and youth. The project is carried out by the Italian NGO COSPE in partnership with SCDEC (Siwa Community Development and Environment Conservation), a local NGO involved in sustainable development programmes in Siwa and Al Boughaz, a local cultural association engaged in preserving the historical heritage of Tangier and its Medina.

• To preserve and enhance the local cultural heritage in Morocco and Egypt within a sustainable development framework
• To create effective management tools for sustainable safeguard of the tangible and intangible heritage in Tangier and of the Berber culture in Siwa

• Association Al Boughaz (Morocco)
• Siwa Community Development and Environment Conservation (SCDEC) (Egypt)
• Musée de la Kasbah de Tanger - Direction du Patrimoine - Ministère de la Culture (Morocco)
  Contact person: Abdelaziz El Idrissi (conservateur du musée de la Kasbah)

• Arts & Crafts
• Cultural Tourism
• Museums, Exhibitions
• Intangible Heritage
• Research/Education & Training

• Siwi language and Berber oral tradition preserved and disseminated
• Tangible cultural heritage in Siwa and Tangier managed in sustainable way
• Traditional handicraft of Siwa revitalized and marketed
• Income-generating local cultural heritage strengthened and enhanced
• Network of artisans and artists created
• Community of Siwa and Medina of Tangier involved in awareness activities
• Methodologies and best practices exchanged

		Interview with Lotfi Chraibi, “Siwa & Tangier, a cultural heritage for a better life” project Tangier, with its historical and multicultural Medina, and Siwa, an ancient oasis in the western desert of Egypt, are linked in this project through their important cultural heritage and eventually the lack of a strategic plan for the preservation and enhancement of their centennial cultural specificities. Cultural heritage could be a driving force in sustainable development, and an asset to contribute to poverty reduction, mutual understanding and peace-building…