🇹🇳TunisiaNorth Africa
Historic building demolished in Béja, highlighting Tunisia's heritage preservation challenges
via Business News3 min read
On Monday, June 22, 2026, a historic building over a century old in Béja, Tunisia, was demolished due to public safety concerns, as it posed a significant collapse risk. This demolition, which residents witnessed, has sparked questions about institutional inaction regarding heritage preservation. The building, once an architectural landmark, had been deteriorating for decades despite repeated warnings from residents and local observers. Calls for its restoration or consolidation went unanswered by property owners, local authorities, and national heritage institutions, leading to irreversible degradation. This incident exemplifies the persistent failures in Tunisia's heritage governance, characterized by administrative complexities, lack of coordination, and insufficient resources, particularly from the National Heritage Institute. Municipal and regional authorities are also implicated, with local heritage management suffering from fragmented responsibilities and a lack of integrated vision. This pattern of neglect, where historic buildings become dangerous and are subsequently demolished, is recurring across several Tunisian cities. The article suggests this reflects a broader systemic failure in public action, where the state acts reactively rather than proactively. The demolition of the "Ennajma" building is seen as a symptom of administrative dysfunction, marked by fragmented responsibilities, poor inter-institutional coordination, and a lack of continuity in public decisi
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The Ministry of Cultural Affairs announced on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the death of playwright, director, and writer Ahmed Ben Ibrahim Kochbati, a prominent figure in the theatrical movement in the Beja governorate. According to the ministry, Kochbati significantly contributed to the development of theater in the region by founding several troupes and associations. He established the Beja Youth Theater troupe in 1967, the Regional Cultural Commission troupe in 1969, and the Habib Haddad troupe of Beja in 1974. In 1987, he created and presided over the Al Amal Al Jadid Theater Association. He also oversaw numerous cultural and theatrical events in Tunisia and abroad. Throughout his career, Ahmed Kochbati enriched the national cultural scene with hundreds of theatrical creations as an author, actor, director, adapter, and translator. He also trained several generations of theater practitioners and received numerous individual and collective awards at national and international festivals. In its statement, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs honored the memory of Kochbati, stating that he leaves a lasting mark on the history of Tunisian theater.
Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania has been appointed as a member of the international jury for the official competition of the 83rd Venice Film Festival, scheduled from September 2 to 12, 2026. The jury will be chaired by American actress and director Maggie Gyllenhaal and will include prominent figures from global cinema. Alongside Kaouther Ben Hania, the jury will feature Hong Kong director and producer Johnnie To, French filmmaker Xavier Giannoli, Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat, British composer and artist Daniel Blumberg, and Italian professor of film studies Francesco Casetti. This appointment highlights the growing recognition of Tunisian, African, and Arab cinema on the international stage. Ben Hania's participation follows her previous success at the Venice Film Festival, where her feature film "The Voice of Hind Rajab" won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize. This distinction acknowledges the quality of her cinematic work and her contribution to promoting cinema from the Global South on major international platforms.
Must ReadThe Council of the League of Arab States unanimously approved the appointment of Nabil Fahmy as the organization's Secretary-General during a meeting of Arab foreign ministers held on Monday, June 22, 2026, in Amman. This information comes from the Arab League press office. Nabil Fahmy, a former Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and seasoned diplomat, succeeds Ahmed Aboul Gheit. His five-year term will begin in July 2026. His nomination was endorsed by consensus at the ministerial meeting in Amman, confirming member states' support for his candidacy. Starting July 1, 2026, his mission will include coordinating common Arab action and monitoring key regional issues on the Arab League's agenda.