"Parlons Territoires" by OTED: Webinar on Douars, their significance, and the challenges they face

On October 10, 2024, OTED’s latest “Parlons Territoires” webinar will tackle a critical topic for Morocco’s rural and peri-urban communities: the role of douars (small rural villages) in preserving socio-cultural heritage and the challenges they face due to their lack of formal recognition.

The September 2023 Al Haouz earthquake revealed the importance of douars in managing crises. While lacking institutional support, many douars demonstrated their resilience and organization in the face of disaster, underscoring the need for clearer recognition and support for these communities, particularly as they are often tasked with preserving both natural and cultural heritage without resources or authority.

Douars have long been the backbone of rural life in Morocco, functioning as social, and territorial units, allowing residents to share values and a strong sense of community.

Despite their importance, these communities are outside Morocco’s formal administrative framework, unlike communes or municipalities. Douars have no official status, which leaves them neglected from government support programs.

One of the key points of the webinar is the douar’s role in preserving tangible and intangible heritage. These communities maintain traditional ways of life and preserve cultural practices passed down through generations.

The webinar will feature important scholars, including Mohamed Tozy, a deputy director of research at Sciences Po Aix, Samira Mizbar, a socio-economist, and Mohamed Mahdi, a professor of rural sociology. They will discuss several questions about the future of douars including:

What is the territorial status of the douar?How can it preserve its cultural and social role while also fostering development? Should local knowledge and culture from douars be incorporated into school curricula? What institutional models can sustain douars in the modern context, and how can these communities address challenges like migration and drought?

The webinar will also explore the possibility of creating participatory structures such as jma3a (local community assemblies) to have a better representation of douars. These structures would offer a way to formalize douars while preserving their autonomy and cultural identity.