Culture Minister Opens International Rock Art Event
Minister of Culture and Arts, Malika Bendouda, inaugurated the first edition of the International Rock Art Festival in Djanet on Tuesday, an event organized under the high patronage of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The Minister highlighted the festival as a vital platform bringing together experts, researchers, and artists with the collective goal of introducing and safeguarding Algeria's national rock art heritage.
During the inauguration, Ms. Bendouda underscored the importance of valuing and preserving rock cultural heritage. This objective is to be achieved through enhanced scientific research, robust knowledge exchange between Algerian and international researchers, and active involvement of artists and youth in promoting this significant civilizational legacy. The international event, described as the first of its kind, seeks to strengthen cooperation and facilitate the exchange of expertise among Algerian researchers and their counterparts from various nations across different continents. It also provides an opportunity to explore the latest techniques in the study, documentation, and preservation of rock art, thereby contributing to the recognition of its historical and civilizational value and ensuring its protection for future generations.
As part of the festival's opening, Ms. Bendouda inaugurated three exhibitions: two at the Jabarine Museum in central Djanet, affiliated with the Tassili n'Ajjer Cultural Park, and a third at the Tisseras site. The exhibitions showcased the evolution of rock art in national parks listed by UNESCO and featured artworks created by students from the Higher School of Fine Arts who completed an artistic residency in Djanet. The event, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Arts, sees the participation of 15 international experts and researchers representing 12 countries, including managers of UNESCO World Heritage sites, alongside 85 Algerian participants and representatives from Algeria's five national cultural parks.
