The Lisbon-based Navy Museum (Museu de Marinha) hosted an international symposium on Friday dedicated to the protection of the maritime heritage of the African Atlantic coast, with the participation of delegations from several West African and European countries, including Morocco.
The event, organized at the initiative of the Assalam Association for the Protection of Maritime Heritage, in partnership with the Navy Museum of Portugal, was attended by a Moroccan delegation led by the President of the Communal Council of Dakhla, Erragheb Hormatallah.
This scientific and cultural gathering highlighted the “Atlantic Initiative for Maritime Heritage,” launched in Dakhla in November 2024, as a regional strategic framework aimed at promoting cooperation and the exchange of expertise in the field of maritime heritage preservation, according to a statement by the Association.
During the symposium, new data concerning submerged maritime heritage off the coasts of southern Morocco and West Africa were presented, revealing the significant potential of these areas and reinforcing Dakhla’s position as a regional hub for the preservation and enhancement of this heritage.
Speaking at the event, Hormatallah emphasized the importance of this meeting within the framework of King Mohammed VI’s Atlantic African vision, highlighting the role of cultural heritage as a lever for development and regional cooperation.
For his part, the Director of the Navy Museum, Captain Augusto Salgado, praised the fruitful cooperation with the Assalam Association, emphasizing the unprecedented scope of this initiative, which, for the first time, brought together representatives from four African countries upholding this cause.
The President of the Assalam Association, Cheikh El Mami Ahmed Bazaid, stated that this symposium represents a key step toward the recognition of maritime heritage as a shared asset of Atlantic peoples and toward the promotion of scientific and participatory approaches to its preservation.