(10 April, 2017) The Bardo Museum in Tunis will host an exhibition on pre-Roman antiquities from the Uffizi collections as a way to strengthen cultural ties between Tuscany and Tunisia. More importantly, to relaunch the Bardo after the terrorism attack of March 18th, 2015. The plan, which has been circulating for a while, was recently relaunched a few days ago in agreement with the Italian Cultural Institute of Tunis. Although there is no date set for the opening of the exhibition, it will most likely open at the end of the year. The exhibition announced– in context of the seminar on cooperation and the recent 2030 UN agenda in Florence – by the Deputy President of the Tuscany region, Monica Barni, who visited Tunisia at the beginning of April. Ties between the two regions are strong and deeply rooted not only in the cultural field. On this coming December 17th, the anniversary of the Tunisian Revolution, Tunisia will hold its first elections. Tuscany’s efforts in the country have also been to establish a system of decentralisation of power and of local authorities. Barni explains that “it is also for this reason that the EU Ambassador has invited Tuscany to participate in the May 9th Europe Day celebrations in Sbeitla in the Kasserine region”. The Minister for Development and Cooperation has asked Italian regions present in Tunisia to offer their support in areas of social economy, health and in the management of local public services. “A multiregional project is currently underway and it will soon be presented to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to receive funding for upcoming calls and lines of credit for cooperation and globalisation”. (Red)

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Tuscany is among the few European and Italian regions active in the least developed regions of Tunisia such as Kasserine, Jendouba, and Tatauine. These regions have the lowest rates of economic development and the country’s highest youth and women’s unemployment levels. They are also the regions in which the expectation of democratisation of the government and equal access to socio-economic opportunities are higher. It is where international cooperation from the EU is paving a path towards dialogue and exchange towards open local government policies inclusive of society as a whole.