The Ministry of Cultural Affairs stated that the Minister, Mrs. Hayet Ketat Guermazi, received yesterday, January 11, 2023, at the ministry’s headquarters the Chargée d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Mrs.Natasha Franceschi, for a working session.

This working session was an occasion to discuss ways to strengthen cultural partnership between Tunisia and the United States, especially in terms of saving the heritage and national reserves of plastic arts.

The exchange of expertise in the transfer and safeguarding of artistic heritage was at the heart of the meeting as well, according to a statement by The Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

This involves the transfer of works of art currently housed in the warehouses of Ksar Said in Bardo, to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art at the City of Culture in Tunis.

The Tunisian side spoke of future projects for the restoration of some historic sites in Tunis the capital including Dar Ben Abdallah, in the medina of Tunis, Borj Baccouche in Ariana and the Palace of Letters and Arts, Ksar Said, Bardo.

In this regard, the Minister referred to the steps being taken to safeguard the national heritage, according to scientific standards.

These projects should involve specialists in the preservation and restoration of heritage, said the U.S. Chargée d'Affaires, while stressing that coordination should be made to implement this type of work under bilateral partnership agreements.

It was agreed to schedule a visit by representatives of U.S. aid funds specializing in cultural partnership in order to take note of national needs in terms of saving and restoring the heritage.

The two sides also agreed to set a later date for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the governments of both countries, on the modalities of transfer of archaeological and anthropological pieces and objects, from Tunisia to the United States.

The Ministry announced that a new working session will be arranged soon to focus on the projects to restore the amphitheater of El Jem and the site of Oudhna, in order to examine obstacles that would hinder the completion of work.