The Museum of Jewish Culture is taking shape. The project’s scientific committee signed an agreement on the acquisition of works of art that will be exhibited when this cultural space opens, scheduled for May 2022.
The scientific committee of the Museum of Jewish Culture in Fez signed the agreement with the Minister of Culture, Othman El Ferdaous, the governor of the region of Fez-Meknes, Said Zniber; the president of the regional council of Fès-Meknes, Mohand Laenser, secretary general of the Council of Jewish communities of Morocco, Serge Berdugo, and the president of the National Foundation of Museums of Morocco, Mehdi Qotbi.
As part of the 2018-2023 plan to renovate the medinas of Fez, the Jewish museum has raised a budget of 11.81 million dirhams and should be ready to receive art lovers by the end of May 2022.
“This project, of a high symbolic significance born from the enlightened vision of the King, is part of the conception of the unique and diverse national identity engraved in the preamble of the constitution of 2011”, underlined Berdugo adding that this royal initiative “Goes beyond the museum universe to do justice to our common past and highlights the defense and conservation of the tangible and intangible heritage of the Hebrew tributary of national identity“.
“This partnership with the National Museum Foundation will help lay the foundations for a cultural ecosystem in the Fès-Meknes region. Indeed, the museums of the art of Islam and of Moroccan Jewish culture constitute real milestones for future generations in view of the very strong message they convey ”, indicated, for his part, El Ferdaous during this meeting.
The construction of the museum began after the visit of King Mohammed VI to the city of Fez on April 16, 2019. The royal visit was aimed at supervising the progress of certain projects of renovation and restoration of the medina (old city) of Fez initiated as part of a larger development project called “Medina of Fez 2018-2023”.
Serge Berdugo, the secretary general of the Moroccan Jewish Council, chaired the meeting of the scientific committee of the Jewish museum in Fez last week.
After the meeting, the committee visited the construction site of the Jewish Museum and the Museum of Arab-Muslim Art (Al Batha Museum). The Batha Museum is also undergoing restoration work which is expected to be completed in July.
For his part, Mehdi Qotbi welcomed the holding of this meeting which is the opportunity to “Celebrate the values of coexistence, tolerance and peace dear to our country and our King”, adding that Morocco remains a land of welcome and living together thanks to the importance given by HM the King to the dialogue of civilizations and the enhancement of memory and Moroccan Jewish culture.