فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
On Friday, April 4, 2025, the historic Lahboul Park in the city of Meknes hosted a distinguished collective art workshop entitled “I Draw My City’s Heritage”, organized by the Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat, chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa. This initiative is part of the park’s rehabilitation project, launched in partnership with the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection.
The workshop, held in continuation of World Heritage Day, was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, UNESCO, the Maison de l’Artisan, and ICOMOS Morocco. It aimed to engage children and youth in discovering their local cultural heritage through art.
A total of 450 students from 45 educational institutions in Meknes participated in the event. They were taken on exploratory field visits to significant heritage sites in Meknes and Volubilis, guided by experts and professionals in the fields of heritage and traditional crafts. The goal was to help them understand and appreciate the cultural elements that shape the identity of their city.
The young participants created artistic works that expressed their visions of heritage landmarks such as El Hedim Square, Bab Mansour, Sahrij Swani, and Bou Inania School. They also depicted traditional arts like zellige, woodcarving, and copper engraving. Some drew inspiration from the archaeological site of Volubilis, illustrating the Arch of Triumph, the columns of the Capitoline Temple, and its unique mosaics.
The workshop was supervised by a group of artists and specialized educators who helped the students refine their artistic and expressive works. These creations will be featured in a special exhibition presenting the younger generation’s perspective on their local heritage. Additionally, the artworks and accompanying texts will be compiled into a documentation book serving as a living testimony of children’s interaction with the cultural heritage of Meknes and Volubilis.
This initiative represents a successful model of interactive heritage education, through which the Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat aims to promote awareness of national heritage and strengthen young people’s connection to it, as a driver of social and cultural development and a cornerstone of Morocco’s identity.
