Minister of Culture oversees the Conclusion of the 13th Edition of the Madain Heritage Festival in Chinguetti

The Minister of Culture, Arts, Communication and Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesman, Mr. El houssiin Ould Medou, supervised on Tuesday evening, accompanied by the Wali of Adrar, Mr. Abdallahi Ould Mohamed Mahmoud, the conclusion of the thirteenth edition of the Madain Heritage Festival, which was hosted in the historic city of Chinguetti from December 13 to 17.

In his speech on the occasion, the Minister of Culture, Arts, Communication and Relations with Parliament explained that this edition was distinguished at all levels, organization, presence and content, pointing out that it embodies the fragrance of the place with the history of Al-Bahi, and its painting was formed from the city’s heritage full of science, knowledge, jihad and trade.

“Five days ago, I stood among you here, in moments that witnessed the presence of the whole country, in the best way that reflected the richness of our culture, the depth of our history and the integration of our diversity, I stand among you for the second time, after we were received by Chinguetti, the pearl of our heritage and history, led by His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, many members of the government, a constellation of intellectual, cultural and community leaders and heads of international bodies concerned with culture and heritage,” he said.

He added that that moment, in which the past and the present were mixed, and carried with it a message of love and brotherhood, consolidates the meanings of national unity, tolerance, solidarity and equality, values that His Excellency the President of the Republic wanted to be the title of the festival, and its goal.

The festival included deep intellectual seminars, authentic poetry evenings, lyrical and theatrical arts that reflected the period of serenity and purity, shooting performances and competitions, traditional sports that embodied the meanings of courage and bravery, and in traditional industries the creativity of hands and the genius of ideas.

The Minister of Culture explained that this edition carried multiple messages, the message of national unity through our diverse and inclusive heritage, and the message of development through the development programs and projects launched by the government in the city of Chinguetti.

He pointed out that these projects have a financial envelope of four billion old ouguiyas, noting that the projects included strengthening basic services such as electricity and water, improving infrastructure in the health and education sectors, in addition to youth employment and training programs, sand stabilization projects, and the opening of local radios, museums and vocational training centers.

He said that the presence of the highest cultural authorities in the world, represented by the directors of UNESCO, ISESCO and ALECSO, to the Mada’in Heritage Festival is a cultural, political and security success that reflects Mauritania’s heritage status and its ability to achieve stability and civilizational openness.

He added that the festival stressed the importance of heritage cities as a cultural and historical symbol, and attracted the world’s attention because of its rich heritage that deserves protection, noting that the participation of these international organizations enhances Mauritania’s position on the world heritage map, and justifies its efforts to preserve its historical and civilizational identity.

He pointed out that the Chinguetti edition was also characterized by the promotion and enrichment of scientific content through the printing of eleven new books by Mauritanian authors who were celebrated in parallel with the launch of the scientific component, adding that a special issue of the Culture magazine was issued, dedicated to the city of Chinguetti, its history, heritage, flags, landmarks, customs and folklore.

He explained that the Madaen Heritage bulletin was issued to document the festival’s diaries, noting that 35 seminars were also organized that focused on many topics, including the protection of cultural heritage, the historical role of the Shinqeeti embassy in the Levant, and the importance of trans-Saharan trade as a link between the north and south of the continent.

The Minister stressed that this edition was also characterized by the participation of dozens of poets and artists, adding that many competitions were organized in the Holy Quran, jurisprudence, fundamentals, biography, language, poetry, arts, excellence, traditional games, football, horse and camel races.

He added that this edition was a bright station in which His Excellency the President of the Republic reaffirmed his commitment to a just vision of a state of citizenship and equity, a state that elevates the status of all its citizens without discrimination or marginalization, a state whose citizens transcend backward social hierarchies.

“The Madayn Heritage Festival was more than just a cultural demonstration, but an integrated national painting in which values inspire us, originality that enhances our identity, and thought that illuminates our future,” the Minister said.