As part of the festivities organised to celebrate the inscription of the city of Rabat on the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Ministry of Culture is organising an exhibition at the National Library of Rabat from 9 to 17 November on the theme "The city of Rabat in manuscript heritage". Inaugurated last Friday by the head of this department, this event aims to shed light on the precious manuscripts that the city abounds with and which belong to renowned authors native to Rabat, notably Abdesselam Bennani, Sheikh El Arbi Sayeh and Abdesselam Tazi, who produced works dating back more than three centuries in different disciplinary fields, namely mathematics, history and even grammar. "Through this exhibition, we wanted to present precious manuscripts relating to the history of Rabat, its society, its culture and its illustrious personalities, as well as works written on different subjects by scholars, jurists, men of letters and historians, originating from Rabat or having resided in this city," declares the Minister of Culture. Valuing this title which has granted the Kingdom's capital its deserved status among world cities remarkable for their historical and modernist potential, this exhibition offers its visitors the possibility of following the historical stages through which Rabat has passed since it was the nucleus of a Kasbah overlooking the sea, for strategic purposes during the Almoravid era, until its role was subsequently reinforced with its urbanisation and renaissance pursued in later eras. "History, civilisation, urban planning, society and culture are all constituents that have given Rabat its distinct personality, so much so that the city will be crowned capital of the Kingdom in 1912," stresses Mohammed Amine Sbihi. Indeed, through an impressive manuscript production, the exhibition reflects the renewed presence of this city, its strong interaction with the history of Morocco on all levels and its particular contribution to the development of the national field with a view to consolidating historical authenticity and modernist efficiency. Let us recall that this event is part of a rich and varied programme of festivities planned to celebrate the consecration of the capital as a UNESCO World Heritage site. These also include the organisation of music concerts, plays, shows for children, book presentations on the capital, painting exhibitions in the Bab Rouah and Bab El Kebir (Oudayas) galleries, as well as guided tours of the various classified monuments and other remarkable sites for the benefit of visitors, notably pupils from schools and colleges and residents of social centres. All these activities have the ultimate goal of celebrating this prestigious title that the capital was able to win in the space of two years despite the stiff competition from other cities in the world, thanks to its historical sites, its Medina, its architecture and the beauty of the neighbourhoods surrounding the Kasbah of the Oudayas, notably the Habous, Diour Jamaa, the Botanical Garden, Kebibat, Océan and the entire city centre.

It was Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem who personally inaugurated the photo exhibition "Rabat of yesterday, today and tomorrow" last Friday in Rabat, thus kicking off the festivities celebrating the inscription of the Kingdom's capital as a World Heritage site. After having followed the explanations provided by the Minister of Culture, Mohamed Amine Sbihi, on the various works exhibited, H.R.H. Princess Lalla Meryem took a tour through the various pavilions of this exhibition, which is being held on Mohammed V Avenue until the end of the year, around 5 major themes: "Rabat's Heritage Monuments", "Rabat of yesterday", "Rabat of today", "Rabat of tomorrow", "Rabat environment"..

-* This exhibition offers its visitors the possibility of following the historical stages through which Rabat has passed since it was the nucleus of a Kasbah.

-* This event is part of a rich and varied programme of festivities planned to celebrate the consecration of the capital as a UNESCO World Heritage site.