I rencontre interview I encounters interview I لقــاءات مقابلـة
this place. Today, the Cinévog is a genuine space of creation and exchange.
MD : I love the Prado Museum in Spain as well as Rome’s many museums.
There is a screening room, a café-concert and some studios. It was essential
But I had the strongest e xperience at the Cairo Museum. It is an incredible
to offer a place for multidisciplinary creative works, in order to enrich the
place with a unique atmosphere.
Tunisian cultural life.
LG : What is your best travel memory ?
LG : Tell us about your cultural projects in Sfax, especially the one called “El
MD : I keep an excellent memory of the city of Sanaa in Yemen, and the city
Fabrica“, and the renovation of the city’s cathedral.
of Prague. These two places are extraordinary and magical.
MD : First, I was invited to participate in the ongoing project “Sfax 2016
cultural capital“. Since I did not want an official position, I decided to dedicate
LG : A wish for the future of Tunisia ?
myself to the realization of a cultural centre. It was important not to lose the
MD : Tunisia has a real energy. In my opinion, it must remain faitful to it while
opportunity to enhance culture in my hometown. Therefore I got the idea to
trying to evolve in the right direction. I
work on a laboratory of cultural incubation and to include the young generation
into the arts learning process. Thanks to the Governor’s support, we were
able to find an exceptional site : the old, long-abandoned grain silos. There
are six of them and each one offers 1200m2 of exploitable surface as well as
a garden. This rehabilitation initiative is already a common practice abroad.
Actually, former slaughterhouses are regularly rehabilitated and used, for
example, as exhibition spaces. It was also essential to raise civil society’s
awareness of this action and to convince people to participate in this project
in a spirit of solidarity and collaboration, so that everyone would be proud to
contribute. As for the cathedral in Sfax, for now we have proposed to organise
a concert that will let residents know about this magical place.
LG : What kind of resources and support did you benefit from ?
MD : We received a lot of help from the civil society, volunteers and local
associations. Many trades are involved in the project, such as engineers,
architects or carpenters. Moreover, the city of Sfax and its Governor actively
support our initiative. Thanks to them, we were able to occupy the silos. We
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hope that we will soon receive donations, a very precious help indeed.
LG : What is the project of your dream ?
MD : I am doing it ! Creating and building useful places for the Tunisian youth.
LG : What is your favorite destination in Tunisia ?
MD : You will be surprised, but in my opinion the most beautiful place in Tunisia is
where I live, in Sidi Bou Saïd ! I can’t stay away from home very long.
LG : A few words to describe your hometown, Sfax ?
1 : la sublime cathédrale de
Sfax I The sublime cathedral
of Sfax
MD : Sfax reminds me of my childhood and its magical moments. I like its
I
unique gastronomy, which I think has not been equalled.
LG : Your favourite museum in the world ?
كنيسة صفاقس الرائعة
2 : la « Fabrica » vue depuis
l’intérieur I The « Fabrica »
seen from inside
I
"الفبريكا" مشهد من الداخل
3 : Le projet « El Fabrica The
“El Fabrica“ project
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"مشروع "الفبريكا
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