International Colloquium on Tunisian-French Archaeological Cooperation
An international colloquium on "Tunisian-French Archaeological Cooperation: New Directions, New Results" kicked off on Thursday, October 23, 2025, in Gammarth, a northern suburb of Tunis, at the initiative of the French Institute of Tunisia (IFT), in partnership with the National Heritage Institute (INP) and the Agency for the Promotion of Heritage and Cultural Promotion (AMVPPC), in the presence of Tunisian and French co-directors of currently active missions.
Objective of the Colloquium
The objective of this two-day meeting is to present recent advances in the study of archaeological sites and artifacts, evaluate the contributions of multidisciplinary approaches, and outline future research perspectives. Particular attention will be paid to the evolution of the studied sites, their origins, the typology of artifacts, and the complementarity of scientific methods.
Publication of the Colloquium Proceedings
The proceedings of the colloquium will be published for a wide audience, aiming to valorize the results of this exemplary cooperation and contribute to the promotion of Tunisia's archaeological heritage.
Opening Remarks
"The colloquium provides an opportunity to take stock and outline new perspectives. Cooperation should not only celebrate its past, no matter how prestigious, but also invent its future, integrating digital tools, multidisciplinary approaches, and valorization for the general public," said Tarek Baccouche, Director General of the National Heritage Institute (INP), at the opening of the colloquium.
Historical Context
"Since the first joint missions after independence, to the most recent programs, this cooperation has allowed us to write decisive pages in the archaeological history of Tunisia. Emblematic sites bear witness to this: Dougga, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where excavations and studies have revealed the urban planning and daily life of a Roman-African city; Ammaedara, the current Haïdra, where research on the Byzantine fortress and ancient urban planning continues to enrich our knowledge of Roman and late antique Africa; and Carthage, a prestigious capital also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where Franco-Tunisian excavations have largely renewed our understanding of the Punic, Roman, and Christian phases," he recalled.
Cooperation between Tunisia and France
For her part, French Ambassador to Tunisia Anne Gueguen highlighted the dynamic aspect of cooperation between the two countries, "built in an exemplary manner with our Tunisian partners, particularly the INP, always thinking of concrete action on the ground and, on the other hand, exchange and training, academic and practical, which unfolds in multiple projects."
New Projects and Initiatives
She mentioned the launch of a new project with the France Team Fund on the issues of preservation, training, and valorization of heritage in Tunisia, which will allow for the establishment of a master's degree in archaeology and heritage, in partnership with the INP. The ambassador also reviewed the cooperation and projects, including those conducted on the Punic site of Kerkouane and the site of Thaenae in Sfax. She indicated that she had inaugurated the France Team Fund HAYA BIN THYNA in April 2024, which covered three unprecedented aspects of training, research, and valorization.
Support for Archaeological Projects
This project allowed for the delivery of necessary equipment for archaeological excavations at Thaenae, worth over 500,000 dinars, some of which is being used by Tunisian archaeologists from the INP and French archaeologists from Aix-Marseille University. The ambassador added that the embassy and the Service of Cooperation and Cultural Action are committed to supporting these projects at the heart of the Tunisian-French bilateral relationship.
Conclusion
The representative of the AMVPPC, Daouda Sow, noted that this meeting will provide an opportunity to shed more light on aspects of Tunisia's history that are still little known or insufficiently studied, which have played a major role in the history of North Africa and the Mediterranean. He emphasized that this meeting, a continuation of precious and centuries-old scientific traditions, "testifies to the constant commitment of our institutions to the continuity, research, and valorization of Tunisia's archaeological and historical heritage."
Exemplary Partnership
"A partnership was established between the Tunisian and French ministries of culture through the direction of architecture and heritage in Bordeaux and the National Heritage Institute and the Agency for the Promotion of Heritage and Cultural Promotion, which resulted in two major publications on the archaeological site of Uthina, 'Oudhna (Uthina) the rediscovery of an ancient city of Tunisia' and 'Oudhna (Uthina) colony of veterans of the 13th legion - history, urban planning, excavations, and enhancement of monuments' brought together by the late Habib Ben Hassen and Louis Maurin in the 'Mémoires' collection of AUSONNIUS (Institute of Research on Antiquity and the Middle Ages (CNRS-UMR 507))," he highlighted.
Reflection on Heritage
The director of archaeological and historical research at the INP, Samir Aounallah, told the TAP agency that the objective of this colloquium is to reflect on heritage and, as a researcher, to take stock of the current state of knowledge and outline future perspectives.
