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Submitted by admin on 12 July, 2010 - 15:14
Date: 
13 July, 2010

The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and the Assilah Forum Foundation signed a MOU Sunday 11th July. The MOU was signed by the Mayor of Assilah, Mohammed Benaissa and Dr. Sami el Masri, ADACH’s Deputy Director General of Culture and Heritage and Director of Strategic Planning and Development.

The MOU provides for a number of joint programmes, activities and projects which include the following:-  Long-term collaboration on cultural, educational and conservation projects between ADACH in Abu Dhabi and the Assilah Forum Foundation in Assilah, Morocco.

   Collaboration on the research and development of the planned Aslam Museum of Art in Morocco. ADACH will carry out a feasibility study for this project in consultation with the Assilah Forum Foundation.  Ongoing exchanges of publications between the Assilah Forum Foundation and ADACH (the National Library and other related library, reading and publication projects of ADACH).

Ongoing collaboration in areas pertaining to arts education, artist residences and artistic exchanges whereby Moroccan artists will be welcomed to Abu Dhabi for participation in cultural projects and programmes and Emirati (Abu Dhabi) artists will be welcome at Assilah (and other Moroccan towns and cities via the Assilah Forum Foundation) for similar exchanges. The organisation and production of an art exhibition of works by Moroccan visual artists in Abu Dhabi.

Dr Sami el Masri said of the signing: “This MOU is one of the most important dimensions of ADACH’s work. We want to establish partnerships with important cultural institutions in the region that have status and history.“

“This is about strengthening our cultural ties through the implementation of a wide range of cultural programmes. We have already seen this instigated through the artists workshops that took place during this iteration of the festival. We will see more of this with the organisation of a series of panel discussions on cultural diplomacy - this is a very significant part of ADACH’s work.”

ADACH, along with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Masdar are representing UAE officially at the Assilah Festival as a guest of honour this year.