Morocco’s king launches program meant to enhance economic activities, improve living environment in Medina of Fez
King Mohammed VI launched this Monday in Fez, a four-year program meant to enhance economic activities, safeguard and perpetuate traditional trades and crafts and improve the living environment in the Medina of Fez.
The 2020-2024 program, targeting the quality of life of the medina dwellers, requires an investment of $70.2 million (670 million dirhams).
The program translates the king’s keenness to preserve the architectural and historical character of the medina of Fez and to promote the influence of this millennial city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
The King has actually granted a sustained attention to all the ancient medinas of the various cities of the Kingdom and supervised a series of projects to strengthen the medinas’ tourist and cultural attractiveness, promote their civilizational and human heritage, and preserve their vocation as a space for life, work, wealth creation and social economy development.
The Fez medina new program targets the restoration and rehabilitation of 1,197 sites, including 4 sites that are part of the historic heritage of the medina, the upgrading of urban spaces, and the enhancement of the tourist and economic attractiveness of this city-museum. The program also provides for the upgrading of social facilities and the refurbishment of shabby and decaying buildings.
During the new program launch ceremony, the Monarch presided over the signing of the program-related partnership and financing agreement by the concerned ministers and local authorities.
The Monarch then visited the Foundouq Khrachfiyine, which is being rehabilitated under the complementary development program of the Medina of Fez (2018-2023). The restoration project of Foundouq Khrachfiyine seeks, besides safeguarding and preserving this historical heritage, to promote traditional trades in foundouqs and improve craftsmen’s working conditions.
The complementary development program of the Medina of Fez, worth over $61 million (583 Million DH) covers the restoration of 11 historic monuments and sites, 10 places of worship (mosques and Koranic schools) and 40 places of well being (Hammam, fountains and sanitary places). It also provides for the rehabilitation of Dar Al Makina among other projects.
