Prince Albert II of Monaco visits “Bayt Dakira” in Essaouira
His Serene Highness Albert II of Monaco paid a visit on Friday afternoon to the emblematic space “Bayt Dakira” in Essaouira, this spiritual and heritage center for the preservation and enhancement of Judeo-Moroccan memory. During this visit, which took place in the presence of the delegation accompanying HSH Prince Albert II, the presidents of the provincial and municipal councils of Essaouira, members of these two elected bodies and various actors and personalities of the city , exhaustive explanations were given to the Monegasque Sovereign by the Advisor to HM the King and founding president of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, André Azoulay, on the emblematic Synagogue “Slat Attia” as well as on the richness and diversity of the heritage culture and worship of the Moroccan Jewish community housed in “Bayt Dakira”. Mr. Azoulay also provided clarifications on the various objects, texts, photos and the film of the exceptional saga of Judaism in the city of Essaouira and its heritage: from the tea ceremony to Hebrew poetic art, from goldsmithery from the filigree of gold and silver to embroidery and the making of sumptuous caftans, from cultural arts to literature and rituals brought to the synagogue and to the great trading posts that have made Mogador shine in the 18th and 19th centuries.
In a statement to the press at the end of this visit to Bayt Dakira, His Serene Highness Albert II said he was “very happy to be in Morocco and in this magnificent historic city of Essaouira”, saying he was “very impressed by this which was carried out in this magnificent space of memory to highlight the rich heritage of this city and its region, but also with a view to showing the importance of the two Jewish and Muslim cultures, without forgetting the Amazigh culture, which is part of the history of this city and of Morocco”. It is “an example for all of us that there can be peaceful coexistence, which can contribute to the wealth of a city and a country,” he argued. “I am very happy to have made this visit and I will keep fond memories of it,” concluded the Monegasque Sovereign.
His Serene Highness Albert II arrived Friday morning in Essaouira for a private visit. “Bayt Dakira”, which presents and explains all the passages of Jewish life in Essaouira, from birth to death and from the Bar Mitzvah to marriage, is also a place of education thanks to the Haim and Célia Zafrani Research Center on history of relations between Judaism and Islam, which constitutes a space for exchange between researchers from various backgrounds and a space for sharing, transmission and resistance to amnesia.
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André Azoulay: Essaouira, pilot city for UNESCO’s cultural indicators of the 2030 program
“It is Essaouira that will embody for Morocco the place, the role and the centrality of Culture in the United Nations 2030 program for sustainable development”, declared André Azoulay, Adviser to HM the King and founding president of the Essaouira-Mogador Association. “A little more than 30 years ago, in 1991 precisely, Essaouira made the pioneering and singular choice to root its refoundation and its rebirth in the inexhaustible richness of all its cultural and artistic expressions”, recalled Mr. Azoulay who spoke in Essaouira in the context of a follow-up seminar (March 31 to April 1) around the thematic indicators set up by Unesco to assess the contribution of culture to the achievement of the sustainable development objectives set by the ‘ UN by 2030. Reinforced by the national and international validation of its strategy and by the possibility now given to it by the Ministry of Culture and Unesco to scientifically measure its achievements, lessons learned and weaknesses. , the Souirie civil society of the Cité des Alizés has set about defining a 2030 roadmap which will focus on the role of “Culture in the reconquest of a universality reconciled with respect, he limited legislature and the richness of all its diversity,” explained the Adviser to HM the King. Morocco was the country recognized and chosen to designate the Arab world in this and Essaouira was selected to embody, carry and explain the legitimacy and depth of this choice. Indeed, Essaouira has anticipated, for thirty years, these choices made today by the international community to give culture the place it deserves in the economic, social, philosophical and spiritual fields. This workshop, whose work ended on Friday, was thus an opportunity to nurture and highlight the legitimacy of the selection of Essaouira as the city that best embodies these cultural indicators of Unesco of 2030 program.