The Hay Mohammedi neighbourhood in Casablanca abounds with numerous historical, architectural and cultural spaces to be safeguarded in order to preserve the common memory, stressed, on Wednesday, associative and human rights actors.

These spaces represent a slice of the living memory that must be preserved within the framework of the community reparation programme, they indicated during a meeting dedicated to the presentation of the results of the project "Traces of spaces, History, memory and heritage of Hay Mohammedi".

These spaces encompass, among others, the Carrières centrales, the former "Chabbou" or Lafarge factory, the slaughterhouses, the former Derb Moulay Chérif detention centre, Dar El Alia (Riad block building), former Esssaadiyine school, Chérif and Saada cinemas, Chama Fountain and Jonquière barracks.

This project, realised by the Casa-mémoire Association within the framework of the implementation of the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER) in their community reparation component, aims to rehabilitate and preserve the memory of this part of Casablanca and to improve its image through a better knowledge of its past and its experience, as well as its transmission to future generations.

It also focuses on the popularisation of the heritage and historical richness of this mythical neighbourhood by providing pedagogical and didactic supports to make history more accessible, notably through the setting up of urban signage, the realisation of a map and a monograph on the neighbourhood. This meeting notably includes the presentation of the work by the researcher Najib Taki "Aspects of the memory of the Carrières centrales of Hay Mohammedi in the 20th century" declared to the MAP Abderrahim Kassou, member of the Casa-mémoire Association.

This work consists of a historical monograph in three parts dealing with the Carrières centrales during the protectorate period, the resistance movement and the former Derb Moulay Chérif detention centre, he recalled, noting that it is among the publications of the project realised in partnership with the Initiative urbaine Association and the Saada Forum and with the support of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), the CDG Foundation and the European Union.

The presentation of the results of the project was followed by the screening of the film "7 and a half stories", a documentary on the Hay Mohammedi neighbourhood which aims to promote the process of national reconciliation and to work for the rehabilitation and active preservation of the memory of the neighbourhood.

This community reparation programme, launched in 2007, is intended for regions and communities having suffered collectively, directly or indirectly, from human rights violations perpetrated in the past.

It aims to develop projects aimed at strengthening the capacities of local actors, the preservation of memory and the establishment of local governance.