For the third edition of I draw my heritage, the Foundation for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage of Rabat, chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, in partnership with the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports and the Moroccan Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS – Morocco) and the participation of the National Institute of Fine Arts of Tetouan, held a training workshop for 60 teachers from 20 Rabat schools, on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at the Regional Academy of Education and Training of Rabat, Salé, and Kenitra.
This year, “I draw my heritage” chose the theme of intangible cultural heritage at home to be illustrated and recounted by children. This theme ties into ICOMOS’ International Day of Monuments and Sites, educating younger generations on how intangible heritage reflects the responsible values of previous generations to promote ecological awareness.
Teachers and principals of schools taking part in the program received training on both theme and output from project partners. This training emphasized the importance of coaching student research on intangible cultural heritage and building an emotional connection to the drawn object. The final output is the drawn heritage subject, along with a personal (or fictional) story written by the child with help from the teacher.
The workshop is also an opportunity to sensitize teachers and school principals to the importance of raising child awareness of heritage through art education to enhance the place of culture in educational processes.
Teachers and visual arts inspectors from the National Institute of Fine Arts in Tetouan guided the training workshop.
A total 1200 children from 20 elementary schools will attend the program’s 2022-23 edition, drawing a heritage object of their choice and telling a short story about it.
About I draw my heritage
I draw my heritage is a Foundation educational program in its third edition this year. It raises awareness of Rabat’s cultural heritage through creative art and design. The program targets Rabat schoolchildren and comes on the heels of International Monuments and Sites Day. It is ruń by the Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of National Education, Pre-school and Sports and ICOMOS-Morocco. Budding artists are first made aware of heritage through classroom research and historical site and monument visits guided by curators. Teachers and visual arts inspectors oversee the children’s work. An annual award ceremony, including an exhibit, is held at the end of the school year.
About the Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat.
The Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat was created by His Majesty King Mohamed VI to preserve the material, immaterial and landscape heritage of the city of Rabat. “Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage” with eight major historical sites has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012.
Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, who chairs the Foundation, defined and initiated a comprehensive policy to raise the awareness of both inhabitants and visitors. A city’s heritage is only preserved sustainably when its population appreciates its value and takes ownership thereof.
The Foundation develops programs around three main pillars – educating, raising awareness and bringing people together. A powerful catalyst for inclusion and cohesion, Rabat’s heritage is a genuine driver of social, economic and cultural development. The Foundation regularly runs heritage discovery programs for the general public, especially targeting young people, to build an emotional connection that ensures respect for and preservation of this heritage.
Foundation programs target a variety of audiences, including the general public, professionals, institutions, private actors, and young people. As part of its educational programs, the Foundation develops educational kits, cultural heritage mediation platforms with the “Heritage Digitalization” program, in addition to hosting scientific workshops. Experts from all continents are invited to share, exchange, and advance the valuable cause of preserving cultural heritage in Morocco.
This work, carried out in a collaborative approach, combines expertise and resources, and brings together institutional, public and private actors to assert the importance of heritage protection in the Kingdom.
