Press conference of M. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Minister of Cultural Affairs, about the official inauguration of the City of Culture

“The City of Culture gives the opportunity to a new interpretation for a different cultural landscape, it creates new occasions for creators to work and opens the door to artist to learn, create and perform … This City will exclude no one”
It was with these words that the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Mohamed Zinelabidine, started the press conference, held on Wednesday morning at the City of Culture, in prelude to the official ceremony of inauguration, tonight, under the supervision of his Excellency the president of the republic Mohamed Beji Caied Essebsi.
The Minister said also that the City gathers all arts and letters, in a collection of poles directed by institutions, financially and administratively independent making them able to work with more freedom. Each institution has its own aims planned in a global policy and goals. Before mentioning these poles, the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Mohamed Zinelabidine, talked about the new innovations, mainly, the Opera and Puppets Theater and the National Museum for Modern and Contemporary Arts. He added: “The Orchestra and Choir of Tunis is a distinguished work created to make the Opera Theater a space opened for more than the scenic performances but also a space for training and framing with the support of the Tunisian Symphonic Orchestra founded. No one denies the importance of this Orchestra, founded in 1969, but also the creation of the Orchestra and Choir of Tunis remains crucial within the existence of the City of Culture and the Opera Theater, to avoid dealing with the same institutions, which will open the door for more creation.
The Minister of Cultural Affairs also enumerated the Artistic poles, starting with the Music and Opera pole, headed by “Saima Samoud” and where a number of old frames were integrated, among them the Tunisian Symphonic Orchestra, the National Band of Music and the Popular Arts Band. Also the creation of new frames added to the Orchestra and Choir of Tunis, newly created and which will have the honor to animate the official inauguration ceremony today, Wednesday, March 21st at 18:00, with the participation of the Orchestra and Choir of the Ukrainian Radio and Television; with the Soprano Amira Dakhlia, Tenor Hamadi Lagha, Baritone Haithem Lahdhiri and Artist Lotfi Bouchnak as honor guest.
More other frames were created within the Music and Opera pole such as the Ballet and Choreography Arts, directed by Nasrine Chaabouni, which will promote the modern dance, Ballet and Choreography arts in Tunisia.
Besides, the Theater and Scenic Arts pole, Directed by Mounir Argui, which offers the opportunity to young creators and professionals to perform and train. This pole will be opened on the raising regional centers of dramatic art.
The City is opened on the Tunisian regions and experiences, mainly those of young creators.
The City is also honored with the Cinematographic project which gathers the new Tunisian Cinematheque directed by Hichem Ben Ammar with Mohamed Challouf (artistic councilor). The Cinematheque will have as mission to preserve and protect the Tunisian cinematographic memory and the national treasury. Minister Mohamed Zinelabidine also added that 125 artistic works were indexed, digitized and transported to the City of Culture, insuring that the preservation of these works is a protection of the memory and also an act of respect to the artist and their works.
From the other side, the Letters and Arts pole gathers the House of translation, the House of poetry, the Tunisian Forum of Civilizations and the House of Novel newly created and created by Kamel Riahi.
The programming of the city of culture is rich, added the Minister. It extends into its inaugural season until Mai 16, it is open to the initiatives of artists and intellectuals of all generations, and offers young creators, all the possibilities to achieve their dreams.
The opening of the City of Culture concluded the Minister, is a great historical event and a great dream that is realized thanks to the sacrifices of the employees and executive frame of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Equipment, of which, Minister Mohamed Salah Arfaoui kept to his commitments.