UfM Workshop discussed how to revalorise and rehabilitate urban heritage for future generations
Nouakchott, 9-10 May 2024. The fourth and last “UfM Workshop on Urban Heritage and Traditional Building Skills in the Southern Mediterranean Region” gathered experts from the region to explore innovative solutions rooted in traditional construction methods in Nouakchott, Mauritania on 9 and 10 May 2024. This is part of an approach dedicated to enhancing the resilience of local heritage and fostering discussions on sustainable building practices in the face of climate challenges.
Organised in collaboration with UNESCO Regional Office for Maghreb Countries and the Mauritanian Ministries of Housing and Urban Planning and of Culture, with the financial support of the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), the workshop is part of the broader programme “Urban Heritage and Traditional Building Skills in the Southern Mediterranean Region: Know-how in the South Mediterranean”.
The core aim of the programme is to identify and promote good practices in raising awareness, preserving and promoting urban heritage, vernacular architecture and traditional construction techniques. It underscores the cultural significance of traditional solutions and their capacity to adapt to environmental shifts, while also promoting a sustainable local economy. Moreover, it aims to create meaningful employment opportunities tied to traditional materials and techniques, and to safeguard urban heritage for future generations.
Launched in July 2023, the programme was addressed to representatives of the national governments of the countries participating in the project (Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia), as well as experts from national and international organizations. Following the inaugural meeting held in Barcelona (Spain) in July 2023, a series of workshops were organised in 2023 and 2024 in each of the participating countries. The Final Meeting in Cordoba (Spain) on 5-6 June 2024 will help draw lessons learned, share best practices, promote opportunities for cooperation and outline the way forward.
