Tayeb Zitouni: “Algeria's Relationship With France Is Exceptional Because Of The Memory”

Algerian authorities and people in general are stuck in the need to save the national memory file of any historical or political considerations with the French state until the two parties reach natural and normal relationships.

“Algerian-French relationships are neither normal nor natural on the background of not deciding about an important part of the national memory, similar to the file of archive and revolution, and the files of the missing and the victims of nuclear tests.” 

He explained, on the sidelines of the National Forum of the Revolutionary Poetry and Folk Songs in supporting the liberation revolution, the importance of the role of the French-Algerian joint committees which began their work immediately after a visit to France.

“Recovery of the skulls of the Algerians in French museums is an issue that attracted the attention of officials in Algeria and it is among the priorities of the Ministry’s work.”

On the memory file, Zitouni recalled the accomplishments of the ministry in the field of preservation of memory through archiving and statistics, as during 2016 they counted more than three thousand cemeteries of the martyrs, as well as the completion of 42 museums, including 6 regional museums, and the production of 32 documentary films and 3 long films, as the process also included continuing the process of naming neighbourhoods with the names of martyrs and war veterans across 29 provinces.