Tunisia celebrated the inscription of Sidi Bou Said on the UNESCO World Heritage List during a ceremony hosted by Minister of Cultural Affairs Amina Srarfi, attended by diplomatic, cultural and public figures, as well as Arab and foreign ambassadors accredited to Tunisia.
The celebration followed the UNESCO World Heritage Committee’s decision to inscribe the centuries-old village, recognizing its historic, architectural and cultural significance and its distinctive place within the Mediterranean’s cultural and heritage landscape.
In her remarks, Srarfi expressed pride in the achievement, saying the inscription represented international recognition of Sidi Bou Said’s historical and cultural value. She said it also placed greater responsibility on Tunisia to preserve the village’s unique character and identity for future generations, stressing that it must remain a living testament to the depth and diversity of Tunisia’s heritage.
Perched on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Tunis, Sidi Bou Said is one of Tunisia’s most prominent historic landmarks. The village is renowned for its harmonious architectural landscape, where traditional architecture blends with a distinctive local character.
Its whitewashed houses, blue doors and windows, winding lanes and façades adorned with traditional decorative elements have given Sidi Bou Said a unique visual identity. That architectural harmony and aesthetic, combined with its long-standing cultural and artistic heritage, have made the village an enduring symbol of Tunisian architectural identity and a major destination for visitors from Tunisia and abroad.
The ceremony also featured a documentary film tracing the history of Sidi Bou Said and the evolution of its architectural and cultural character, highlighting its most prominent landmarks and the distinctive features preserved across generations.
TunisianMonitorNews (Douha Essaafi)
