Tunisia Site Management Planning Training

Tunisia

Project Context

Bulla Regia Archaeological Site

World Monuments Fund (WMF) began working in Tunisia in 2009, embarking on a conservation project at Bulla Regia to preserve and document ancient Roman villas dating back to the first century CE. Among the projects completed by WMF was a site management plan, which would help establish guidelines for the future protection of archaeological sites across the country.

Site Management and World Heritage

More than a decade later, in 2020, WMF collaborated with the Institut National du Patrimoine (INP) in Tunisia, the Tunisian Ministry of Culture, and the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage (ARC-WH) in Bahrain to develop a series of trainings on the preparation of site management plans. Intended to help improve the management of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites across the country, as required by the UNESCO World Heritage Center, the Tunisia Site Management Planning Training program is also designed to facilitate the preparation of future World Heritage nominations and build heritage management capacity across the region.

Our Involvement

Tunisia Site Management Planning Training

The Tunisia Site Management Planning Training program is composed of four phases, each made up of multiple modules, with 12 participants. The first phase of the project was completed in the summer of 2020 and familiarized participants with the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (also known as the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage), as well as other foundational texts such as the ICOMOS international charters.

Phase one also included modules on heritage management in theory and practice, abroad and in Tunisia; the development of heritage management plans; assessment surveys; risk management; and the role of local communities. All training modules were held virtually to ensure safety and appropriate social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case Study Training

In 2021, WMF began the second phase of the program to prepare participants for the case study applications in phases three and four. During phases three and four, participants will create full management plans at three selected Tunisian heritage sites: Dougga, considered one of the best preserved Afro-Roman towns in North Africa; Kairouan, an ancient Arab-Muslim base of the Maghreb (670 CE) and one of its principal holy cities; and Medina of Sfax, founded in 849 CE by the Aghlabids of Kairouan and included on Tunisia’s Tentative List for World Heritage.