International Photography Encounters of Ghar El Melh Return in 2025
After a nearly decade-long hiatus, the International Photography Encounters of Ghar El Melh are back in 2025 with a new edition, dedicated to contemporary environmental and climate issues. Created in 2003 by a collective of photographers, including Salah Jabeur, this cultural event has had a profound impact on the Tunisian art scene by inscribing photography into a dynamic of dialogue between art, territory, and civic engagement.
Organized by the Association Club Photo de Tunis (ACPT)
This year's event is organized by the Association Club Photo de Tunis (ACPT), with the support of the Delegation of the European Union in Tunisia, its member states, and other partners. The festival offers a programming that is resolutely focused on the climate challenges of our time.
An Artistic and Civic Project Anchored in an Emblematic Territory
Located on the northern coast of Tunisia, Ghar El Melh is an exceptional site at the crossroads of history, culture, and nature. Classified as a "City of Wetlands" by the Ramsar Convention, it is today faced with serious environmental threats: rampant urbanization, drought, and threatened biodiversity.
Mobilizing Photography as a Tool for Awareness and Valorization
In this context, the 2025 Encounters mobilize photography as a tool for awareness, transmission, and valorization of natural and human heritage. Through the collective exhibition "Sawer bel Akhdhar", the invited artists question the effects of unconsidered development on nature around the world, particularly in Tunisia.
A Comprehensive Artistic Program
This edition brings together 22 photographers, including 5 international artists (from Spain, France, Austria, and Sweden), alongside numerous recognized and emerging Tunisian photographers. It is accompanied by a rich program of activities for the general public and professionals:
- 11 masterclasses in French, Arabic, and English, led by the invited photographers at the crossroads of photography and ecology
- Guided photographic walks in the city of Ghar El Melh
- Guided tours of the exhibition
- A pedagogical treasure hunt covering 7 heritage sites in the city (Fort Lazaret, Arsenal, Borj Eloutani, Church of Saint-Pierre-l'Apôtre, etc.)
Accessibility and Participation
In a stated desire for inclusion, access to all activities is free. Free shuttles are also provided from Tunis on September 8, 9, 10, and 11, according to the following schedules:
- Departures from Tunis: 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM
- Returns from Ghar El Melh: 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM Meeting points: Departure: Avenue Mohamed V (next to the National Tourism Office) Return: Fort Lazaret, Ghar El Melh
Mobile Application and Social Media
A dedicated mobile application allows users to reserve their place in the various activities and shuttles and provides all the information related to the event (program, artist bios, articles, etc.). The public can also follow the festival's news on the social media of the ACPT, the Delegation of the European Union in Tunisia, the embassies of Austria, Spain, and Sweden in Tunisia, the French Institute of Tunisia, as well as the cooperation projects ADAPT Tunisia, ARESSE, SWAFY, and Greenov'i, and the cultural company Teskerti.
