Mounir Bouchenaki is an Algerian historian and archaeologist. Holder of a doctorate in archeology and ancient history from the University of Aix-en-Provence, he worked for the Algerian government from 1969 to 1981.
Appointed Director of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Information and Culture in 1976, he was responsible for preparing six Algerian nomination files for World Heritage. In 1982, he joined the Division of Cultural Heritage of UNESCO as head of international safeguarding campaigns. After becoming its director in 1992, he regularly attended statutory meetings for World Heritage while supervising certain sensitive files, such as that of Jerusalem. He was briefly Director of the World Heritage Center between 1999 and 2000, before becoming Deputy Director General for Culture.
In 2006, Mounir Bouchenaki left UNESCO to become Director General of ICCROM, a position he held until 2011. Since 2012, he has been an advisor to the Director General of ICCROM and the Director General of UNESCO , in addition to overseeing the operations of the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage in Bahrain. His distinctions include the 2000 ICCROM Prize and the rank of Officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters. He is also the author of Tipasa, World Heritage Site (ENAG, 1988) and several articles, including “The Extraordinary Development of Museums in the Gulf States”, published in the journal MUSEUM International in 2011.
Algérie54 asked him about several issues related to the promotion of national heritage and the mission of UNESCO
Algeria54: UNESCO is an honorable UN institution with great influence. Could you give us a picture of its impact on international geopolitics, given your cumulative experience over the years within it?
Mounir Bouchenaki: We must remember what UNESCO is and the purpose of its creation in 1945:
“A United Nations Conference for the Establishment of an Educational and Cultural Organization was convened in London from November 1 to 16, 1945. As soon as the war ended, the conference opened. It brought together representatives of 44 countries. They decided to create an organization that embodies the culture of peace. In their eyes, the new organization was to entrench the “intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind” and, in doing so, prevent the outbreak of another world war”.
“UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO seeks to build peace through international cooperation in education, science and culture. UNESCO programs contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015”.
It is therefore an institution where I worked for a quarter of a century in the field of culture and cultural heritage.
Algeria54:- The Maghreb is a region very close to UNESCO. Today, we are witnessing a showdown between Morocco and Algeria over the authorship of Rai, and to a lesser degree the culinary art some couscous. What is UNESCO’s real position and what do you think of it as a better-off Maghrebian expert?
Mounir Bouchenaki: For UNESCO’s Culture sector and in particular its section responsible for the implementation of the 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the example of the culinary art of couscous is the result of a multinational proposal, an application highly appreciated by the entire international community. UNESCO strongly favors dialogue and not confrontation when it comes to cultural heritage, which ultimately remains a common heritage of humanity.
Fortunately, political issues do not come into play in this kind of program. And as a former Maghreb official with UNESCO, I have worked and continue to do so with all the countries of the Greater Maghreb, on all questions relating to our common heritage, which ranges from prehistory to the present day, in passing through the ancient, medieval and modern periods. But I also had the honor of creating, with my Moroccan and Tunisian colleagues, a Maghreb Center in Tipasa for archaeology, museums and historical monuments and sites.
Algeria54: Could you tell us, what are the tangible and intangible heritages, likely to integrate the heritage of UNESCO?
Mounir Bouchenaki: If we only consider Algeria, which is a country with a history spanning several millennia, there are still many sites which appear on the indicative list of the Ministry of Culture, not counting the 6 sites already inscribed in 1982 and the Kasbah of Algiers in 1992. For intangible heritage, Algeria was the first State to ratify the 2003 Convention, followed immediately by Japan and Korea, and today this Convention is ratified by 167 States members of UNESCO. In this area, the Ministry of Culture has already recognized several elements on the representative list of intangible heritage.
Algérie54: In less than six months the Algerian city of Oran, hosts the Mediterranean Games, will UNESCO be present within the framework of the activities of the promotion of the Algerian heritage, planned during this event?
Mounir: Bouchenaki: I think that UNESCO, which has a department in charge of sport, will certainly be invited to the Mediterranean Games. This is not my area of expertise and cannot give more details than you can find with the Algerian National Commission for UNESCO.
Algeria54: UNESCO is an organization at the center of international geostrategic issues. Could you tell us more about this subject?
Mounir Bouchenaki: As indicated above, UNESCO is certainly an Intergovernmental Organization which brings together 195 countries including Algeria, but it does not have a political mandate, which falls within the objectives and essential mission of the United Nations in New York.
Translated by hope from https://algerie54.dz/2022/01/04/patrimoine-unesco/
