13-14 March 2025, Marseille (France) – A filed visit to Marseille will take place on 13 and 14 March 2025, as part of the programme Traditional Building Skills in the Southern Mediterranean. During these two days, participants will explore innovative solutions for the teaching of traditional construction techniques. This will allow them to reflect on national actions in their respective countries, with the aim of establishing nationally certified education for traditional construction trades. In addition, this initiative will strengthen a vernacular architecture capable of responding effectively to the current climate challenges in the region.
As a concrete outcome of the first part of the programme, an initial field visit on Traditional Building Skills in the Southern Mediterranean took place in Marseille (France) from 25 to 28 November 2024. Targeting public representatives and experts, the visit showcased examples of certified programmes in the teaching of traditional construction techniques.
The objective of the programme Traditional Building Skills in the Southern Mediterranean is to identify and promote good practices in raising awareness, preserving, and enhancing vernacular architecture and traditional construction techniques. The aim is to strengthen the cultural anchoring of traditional solutions and their capacity to adapt to the climate, promote a sustainable local economy, and create useful and qualified jobs related to traditional materials, techniques, and heritage protection.
On 6 July 2023, the inaugural meeting of the programme was held in Barcelona at the headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean. It was attended by representatives of the national governments of the participating countries (Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and Tunisia), as well as experts from various national and international organisations. Following this first meeting, workshops were organised in each participating country, culminating in a Final Meeting held in Cordoba (Spain) on 5 and 6 June 2024.