Fez — The exhibition “L’Afrique, patrimoine du monde : voyage à travers les paysages, les civilisations et les songes” (Africa, Heritage of the World: A Journey Through Landscapes, Civilizations, and Dreams) is currently on display at Rabat’s former Palace of Justice, offering visitors an immersive introduction to Africa’s World Heritage sites.
MFoundation for the Safeguarding of Rabat’s Cultural Heritage is putting on the exhbition in partnership with the Mohammed VIFoundation for Environmental Protection, UNESCO, and Rabat Region of Historical Heritage
Together, these institutions present a cultural itinerary that blends large-format photography, trilingual interpretation panels in Arabic, French, and English, and interactive digital installations.
An invitation to travel across African heritage
Speaking on the sidelines of the exhibition, Jonathan Yoambale Loola, a volunteer with the Foundation for the Safeguarding of Rabat’s Cultural Heritage, described the initiative as an invitation to travel across the African continent. He noted that the exhibition was organized in connection with Morocco’s hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, using the tournament’s continental dimension as a moment to spotlight Africa’s shared cultural legacy.
The exhibition unfolds as a multi-stage journey that introduces visitors to major archaeological sites, remnants of ancient civilizations, sacred spaces, religious buildings, and remarkable natural landscapes found across Africa.
From coastlines to mountains and deserts
Moving from one space to another, visitors symbolically travel from the Atlantic coast to ports along the Indian Ocean, passing through Mediterranean shores, mountain ranges, oases, and vast plains. Each section presents stories shaped by both human history and natural forces, revealing how geography and culture have intersected over centuries.
Faces, gestures, and architectural traces appear alongside sweeping landscapes, creating a narrative that connects daily life, belief systems, and long-distance exchanges that once linked African societies to one another and to the wider world.
Heritage as a living presence
Beyond simple documentation, the exhibition aims to help visitors feel Africa’s heritage as a living presence rather than a distant past. By immersing audiences in images and narratives, the display encourages reflection on memory, continuity, and the way heritage links past generations to future ones.
The curators present African heritage not as static monuments, but as dynamic markers of identity, resilience, and creativity that continue to shape the continent today.
Africa as a cradle of humanity
“Africa, Heritage of the World” also emphasizes the continent’s role as one of humanity’s essential cradles.
Its stones, ancient routes, and historic sites bear witness to centuries of cultural exchange, trade, and intellectual movement, highlighting Africa’s deep contribution to global civilization.
