Moroccan Studies Chair at Al-Quds University launches academic year

The Moroccan Studies Chair at Al-Quds University has launched the new academic year with a scientific seminar titled “Moroccan Monuments and Endowments in Jerusalem and Palestine: Evidence of a Sustained Presence and Memory.” The event featured participation from Mohammed Salem Al-Sharqawi, acting director of the Bait al-Mal of Al-Quds Al-Sharif agency, and Al-Quds University President Dr. Imad Abu Keshk.

The seminar focused on the importance of documenting Moroccan-related monuments and endowments in Jerusalem and Palestine. Participants discussed methods to transition from scattered knowledge to organized scientific documentation, utilizing digital archiving, databases, and modern technologies to preserve physical and documentary memory. Discussions also addressed the challenges of documenting landmarks that have undergone changes or disappearance.

Al-Sharqawi noted that scientific and cultural research regarding Jerusalem aligns with the ongoing care provided by King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to protect the city’s civilizational identity. The Chair aims to serve as a space for knowledge production and to expand partnerships between academic and archival institutions to study the historical Moroccan presence in the Levant.