Djanet Launches First International Rock Art Festival

The first International Rock Art Festival officially opened in Djanet, running from October 20 to 24 under the high patronage of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The opening events, attended by Minister of Culture and Arts Malika Bendouda and Djanet Province Governor Mohamed Moumen, featured festive parades and artistic performances that highlighted the rich cultural heritage of the Tassili n'Ajjer region.

The festival serves as a gathering point for experts, researchers, and artists from Algeria and beyond. Initial activities included the inauguration of a rock art exhibition at the Djebbarine Museum, as well as an exhibition showcasing works by students from the Higher School of Fine Arts. Further exhibitions focused on cultural parks at the Tassili n'Ajjer Cultural Park headquarters, alongside evening artistic performances, folk parades, and traditional heritage displays in Djanet's city center, featuring local folklore groups. The event also honored former workers of the National Office of the Tassili n'Ajjer Cultural Park.

Officials emphasized the festival's significance for Djanet and Algeria. Minister Bendouda described the event as an important international occasion and a milestone for Djanet, deserving further artistic, cultural, and scientific gatherings. Governor Moumen considered it a historical appointment and a platform to introduce Algeria's civilizational treasures, particularly the prehistoric arts of the region. Festival Commissioner Abdellah Boukandoura underscored the event's role in preserving and promoting Djanet's ancient human heritage, documented by its rock inscriptions and drawings, as a shared civilizational wealth and a message of dialogue and peace among peoples. The festival aims to integrate scientific, academic, cultural, artistic, and touristic dimensions to protect and valorize this heritage.