Cultural Preservation & Dialogue — High Atlas Foundation

Cultural Preservation & Dialogue

We encourage local community members to value their shared cultural heritage and support the preservation of the past for a better future.

Our Programs

Dakira

Funded by USAID, our Dakira program explores and strengthens interreligious and inter-ethnic solidarity in Morocco. This unique approach maximizes relationship building through the restoration and preservation of cultural heritage and history.

Dakira Factsheet

House of Life

We facilitate the free lending of land at Jewish burial sites and the construction of community-managed fruit tree nurseries, strengthening inter-religious and inter-ethnic solidarity, preserving cultural heritage, and driving sustainable development. Through caring for a shared space of meaning, the House of Life project continues a long history of interfaith collaboration between Muslim and Jewish community members.

House of Life Brochure

TechCamp

A partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Morocco brings together 8 teams of 60 youth and civil society leaders from around Morocco for a five-day workshop focused on cultural preservation. Participants engage with leading experts in the field, build connections, and develop human-centered design skills for cultural heritage preservation, along with receiving training in data protection, digital storytelling, and project management.

TechCamp 2022 Final Report

Results by the Numbers

535

religious and cultural heritage sites identified, evaluated, and mapped in various regions of Morocco with the American Society for Overseas Research (ASOR)

50

educational and outreach tools created for facilitators and participants of interfaith dialogue initiatives, including tour guides, students, and CSOs

1,500

children and youth engaged in heritage learning activities at more than 150 schools in five regions of Morocco

1,000+

community members and leaders engaged in intercultural, interreligious, and intergenerational community dialogue through Dakira events

Insights

Intercultural Solidarity Achieving Agricultural Opportunity in Morocco

A talk by Yossef Ben-Meir, President of the High Atlas Foundation in Morocco, at the Integrated Management of Cultural Tourism Conference on 11 June 2024 hosted by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiques and the United States Agency for International Development.

Insights from Sufi Culture for Participatory Development

As a Jain, I have learned the importance of anekantvada at a very early age. Anekantvada or the multiplicity of viewpoints was instilled into me as a way of understanding the truth as a summation of all its parts.

The Role of Culture in Post-Disaster Recovery Efforts

More than 200 million people are affected by natural disasters each year, causing significant damage in densely populated areas. Only since the 1970s have comprehensive international disaster response frameworks been developed largely in response to the growing number of natural disasters.