The development model for the southern provinces, currently being drafted, will make culture a lever for the reforms and structural projects programmed in its wake, indicated, on Tuesday in Rabat, the president of the Council, Chakib Benmoussa.

This development model, which aims to be global, innovative and adapted to the human and territorial specificities of the southern provinces, cannot ignore Hassani culture, affirmed Mr. Benmoussa at the opening of the work of a two-day national seminar on "Hassani culture, potential for creativity and lever for development".

He noted that this culture "suffers more and more from neglect and is confined to folkloric aspects, which causes it to lose, over time, its aura, its authenticity and its potential for creativity". The president of the CESE insisted on the imperative of valuing the different forms of expression characteristic of Hassani heritage by calling on the know-how of all the parties concerned, including institutional, economic and cultural actors, local authorities, young people and civil society.

Chakib Benmoussa also advocated the implementation of new operating methods to rehabilitate the components of local and regional culture, which is called upon to become a key component of the development dynamic of the southern provinces.

In the same vein, the researcher Mustapha Naimi noted that the Hassani language is losing momentum in the southern provinces. He called, to remedy this situation, for the integration of this language, and of Hassani heritage in general, into the school curriculum, the judicial system and the audiovisual sector.

The programme for the second day of this seminar was to include the organisation of two workshops on "Ways to safeguard and promote Hassani culture", and "Cultural heritage, a lever for creating wealth and promoting employment".