Tunis, April 20 (TAP) - The archaeological site of Kerkouane (Nabeul), the only city in the Mediterranean to have preserved its entire Phoenician-Punic urban and architectural fabric, was the setting for the official launch on April 19, 2025 of the festivities scheduled as part of the 34th Heritage Month (April 18-May 18), under the theme "Heritage and art, the memory of civilisation."
The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Cultural Affairs Amina Srarfi who, in a statement to TAP, announced the launch of preparations for the inclusion of Tunisia's jebba on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
She also announced that projects are underway to prepare new applications for the inclusion of intangible heritage assets, following the submission of several applications, the most recent of which, in December 2024, involved the performing arts of the Twayef of Ghbonten.
The minister also stated that the ministry is monitoring the implementation of the recommendations regarding the application for the island of Djerba to be included on the World Heritage List, and is endeavouring to finalise the necessary steps for the application for the "village of Sidi Bou Said: Hub of Cultural and Spiritual Inspiration in the Mediterranean."
The ministry, she added, is also keen to pay due attention to the various components of the national heritage, both tangible and intangible, through a number of large-scale programmes and projects, including the project to restore the Great Mosque of Zitouna and its surroundings, the restoration and enhancement of the Great Mosque of Kairouan and its surroundings, the rehabilitation of the Aghlabid basins and several sections of the ramparts of the Kairouan medina, the refurbishment of the Carthage archaeological museum and the restoration of the Roman amphitheatre at El Jem. Special attention is also being paid to all the Tunisian sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
"The choice of the Kerkouane site, which has been on the World Heritage List since 1986, for the official launch of this year's Heritage Month, aims to showcase Tunisia's archaeological and historical wealth through creative and innovative artistic approaches," said Amina Srarfi.
It is also an invitation to visit these places of history and memory, to develop cultural, artistic and economic activities around them and to raise their profile at both national and international levels, she added.
With this in mind, the 2025 edition kicked off with a stage performance entitled "The Lady of Kerkouane," featuring theatre, music, dance and song in the Punic language. This immersive creation, supported by digital technologies and lighting effects, offered a sensory re-reading of the daily life of the inhabitants of the Punic city, while retracing the historical upheavals it undergone over the centuries.
NEJIBA
