Development of the Heritage Protection System: A Priority
During the joint plenary session dedicated to discussing the budget of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs as part of the 2026 finance bill, Minister of Cultural Affairs Amina Srarfi affirmed early this morning that developing the legal system for protecting heritage is a priority. She announced that the revision of the 1994 Code for the Protection of Archaeological, Historical, and Traditional Arts Heritage has progressed by 80% and that the final text will be completed early in 2026.
Creation of the National Heritage Office
The minister highlighted that the ministry has initiated a comprehensive structural reform of heritage institutions by merging several of them into a new public establishment called the National Heritage Office. The goal is to reduce the overlap of competencies and strengthen efficiency in preservation and enhancement.
She revealed that heritage sites and museums recorded one million visitors in 2024, with a forecast to reach 1.5 million visitors in 2025. This has enabled the Heritage Development Agency to generate its own resources amounting to nearly 16 million dinars.
Progress of Projects in Various Regions
The minister addressed the situation of dozens of projects in different regions, signaling the advancement of work or the completion of studies for a large number of them. She confirmed that the island of Djerba is benefiting from a series of interventions following its inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List, including the restoration of several mosques, the realization of technical studies, and the organization of awareness activities for young people, in addition to the creation of a site presentation center early in 2026.
Over 4 Million Visitors for Festivals
Ms. Srarfi indicated that the ministry supports 6 major national festivals, as well as 1,229 regional and local festivals, including 298 summer festivals in 2025, for a total cost exceeding 20 million dinars, to which the ministry contributed more than 10 million dinars.
She emphasized that cultural institutions organized about 40,000 activities in 2024, including 1,600 during the Heritage Month and 1,300 during the nights of Ramadan.
She also provided precise details on the financial support granted to festivals in the governorates of Medenine, Kasserine, the Mining Basin, Sidi Bouzid, and others, in addition to support for the Sousse International Film Festival for Children and Youth (105,000 dinars).
Administrative and Digital Reform
The minister affirmed that the ministry is implementing a comprehensive administrative and digital reform to build a modern cultural management system based on transparency, decentralization, efficiency, and governance of events, with the adoption of modern communication strategies for the promotion of heritage and artistic productions.
Regularization of Contractual Staff: An Absolute Priority
The minister insisted that regularizing the situation of contractual staff represents an absolute priority for the ministry, especially after the promulgation of Law No. 9 of 2025.
She assured that the ministry is working to apply the principles of transparency and equality and to guarantee the rights of agents, noting that categories such as animators and music teachers require the publication of specific legislative text to regularize their situation.
