Scientific meeting The Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), a tool to protect and safeguard World Heritage

Managers of classified sites, local actors in charge of regional planning and, more broadly, professionals, teachers and other stakeholders of the heritage conservation have been invited to attend this webinar dedicated to the concept of Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), and to the interest of this powerful tool allowing to intervene in a preventive way against any urban development that could negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of a property inscribed on the World Heritage list.

This scientific meeting, which was held face-to-face, by videoconference and via webinar, was organized by the Foundation for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage of Rabat, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Culture And Sports, the Rabat office of The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

The discussions resulted in the drafting of five main recommendations:

  • The incorporation in Law n ° 22-80 of provisions governing world heritage and HIA;
  • The establishment of a regulatory framework relating to these studies as well as a funding mechanism guaranteeing the impartiality of their authors;
  • The rapprochement with the global consultative bodies in order to be inspired by good practices;
  • The integration of HIA and notions of Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) in training;
  • Capacity building of stakeholders in this area.

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Suggestions

As part of the UNESCO Week for Cultural and Artistic Education 2026, the Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat published an illustrated publication entitled “7 Chapters of Our Musical Heritage”, created by primary school children aged 8 to 12 from schools across Rabat.

This initiative was implemented within the framework of the educational programme “I Draw My Heritage”, which encourages children to explore and reinterpret cultural heritage through drawing, observation and creative expression.

The initiative combined teachers’ capacity-building, pedagogical training, artistic practice and heritage education, with a particular focus on Moroccan musical expressions as intangible cultural heritage and as vectors of memory, identity and intercultural dialogue.

This initiative was developed in collaboration with the National Institute of Music and Choreographic Arts (INSMAC) and the National Conservatory of Music, whose academic and artistic contributions helped enrich the pedagogical and cultural dimensions of the workshop. The programme also aims to create bridges between different disciplines, institutions and fields of expertise by bringing together culture, education, heritage and the arts within a shared framework of transmission, creativity and cultural awareness.

The publication brings together children’s drawings, interpretations and creative reflections inspired by Moroccan musical heritage, including themes related to Tarab Al Ala, Malhoun and Gnawa traditions. Conceived as both an educational and artistic resource, it highlights the role of children as active participants in the transmission and reinterpretation of intangible cultural heritage. The publication is freely accessible online in order to promote public access to cultural and artistic education.

I Draw My Heritage.pdf

26 May 2026

The Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat, presided by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa has launched a rich program of cultural and heritage-related activities to mark the hosting by the Kingdom of Morocco of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a continental event offering an opportunity to enhance Morocco’s cultural and civilizational outreach.

This program reflects Rabat’s unique role as the capital of the Kingdom and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a city shaped by encounter, dialogue, and openness.

From December 27, 2025 to January 18, 2026, the Foundation invites residents and visitors of the Capital to enjoy a program of free guided tours every weekend across Rabat’s eight UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Led by enthusiastic student volunteers trained as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Volunteers initiative, these tours offer a unique opportunity to discover the city’s heritage in an engaging and accessible way.

Designed to bring heritage closer to the public, these itineraries aim to make cultural sites more approachable while encouraging young people to play an active role in their preservation, promotion, and transmission—especially in an international context marked by the presence of visitors from many different countries.

27 December 2025

What do you know about Morocco’s victory at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations ? Have you ever listened to an interview with one of the heroes behind this legendary achievement? How did the Moroccan team prepare for this major continental competition?

From Morocco to Ethiopia, an extraordinary journey marked by unprecedented continental brilliance, brought to life in sound and vision with our guest, former player Redouane GUEZZAR.

This podcast preserves Moroccan sports memory through a conversation led by Sarah Rabih and Ishaq El Hafiane, both participants in the Foundation’s educational programs.

Generation “AFCON 2025” meets generation “AFCON 1976” in a unique podcast connecting past and present, celebrating Morocco’s football legacy.

Listen now!

23 December 2025