Seminars, Colloquia, and Study Days
They are intellectual meetings, during which topics concomitant to the event and/or related to the field of archives are presented, analyzed and discussed to come with conclusions and recommendations that ensure the advancement of the archives sector. Colloquia are the techniques and means most adopted by the National Archives Center, because they allow different archivists at the national and international level to exchange their opinions and experiences, and they are also a means of education and training.
Seminar on “The Health System in Algeria, between Yesterday and Today” 2023
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of restoring the national sovereignty, the National Archives Center organized a seminar on the health sector in Algeria under the title: “The Health System in Algeria between Yesterday and Today” on March 29, 2023. The center was honored by the presence of executives of the General Directorate of the National Archives, representatives of the Ministry of Health, directors and professors of the National Paramedical Institute, as well as executives and employees of the National Archives Center.
The seminar included a set of interventions, starting with a welcome speech by Mr. Mohamed Tiliouine, Director of the Center, followed by an intervention by Mr. Omar Wali, Director at the Ministry of Health, entitled: “The Development of Health in Algeria”, in addition to an intervention by Dr. Jamal Fourar, a specialist in epidemiology and Director General of Prevention and Health Promotion, entitled: “The Algerian Health System in Confronting the Covid-19 Pandemic”.
In conclusion, an exhibition held on the sideline of the Seminar was visited to learn about different documents and pictures of the most important historical milestones through which the health system went.
Seminar on “Agriculture in Algeria… Progress and Challenges” 2023
Within the framework of celebrating the 60th anniversary of restoring the national sovereignty, the National Archives Center organized a seminar on the agricultural sector under the title: “Agriculture in Algeria… Progress and Challenges” on March 8, 2023. The seminar was attended by executives of the General Directorate of the National Archives, a representative of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, and representatives of the National Security, students and professors specialized in agriculture, and executives and employees of the National Archives Center.
The seminar began with an opening speech by Mr. Mohamed Tiliouine, Director of the National Archives Center, followed by a recorded speech by Mr. Abdelmadjid Chikhi, Advisor to the President of the Republic in charge of the National Memory and the National Archives. A documentary tape was also shown about the stages that the agricultural sector has gone through since independence until the present day, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture.
This seminar concluded by highlighting the importance of the National Archives Center and the archives fonds it stores, as well as the necessity of valorizing them in the service of science and knowledge.
Signing of Cooperation Agreement between the Algerian Archives Institution and the Hungarian Archive on February 6, 2023
The Director General of the National Archives received a Hungarian delegation consisting of the Director General of the Hungarian Archives, the Director of the Historical Archives and Head of Archives Digitization Department, at the institution’s headquarters. This meeting was attended by representatives from the General Directorate of the National Archives, as well as the Director of the National Archives Center; it falls within the framework of strengthening the bonds of friendship between Algeria and Hungary, especially in the field of archives and developing executive programs for them. This meeting witnessed the signing of a cooperation and exchange of experiences agreement between the two parties.
The signing of the agreement was followed by two workshops, in which the two parties discussed opinions and experiences in the field of historical archives custody, processing and communication, as well as the archival legislative system in both countries.
Awareness Day on Protecting and Securing Archival Documents from Natural and Human Disasters December 14, 2022
Given the great importance that the archival document has for institutions, bodies, and nations, we must protect it from different types of risks to which it may be exposed, whether these risks are natural such as floods, fires, etc… or human such as arson, theft, etc.
In light of these risks that lurk and surround archival institutions, the National Archives Center organized an awareness day on protecting and securing archival documents from natural and human disasters on December 14, 2022, aiming to:
- Setting guidelines to help archivists across the nation develop a strategy and a policy for disaster management.
- Working to prepare preventive rules to protect and preserve archives centers from natural and human dangers and disasters.
- Ensuring the implementation of circulars and instructions issued by the General Directorate of the National Archives in this field, especially the latest circular No. 53 dated November 3, 2022 regarding the completion of the emergency plan to save archives and the way it is implemented by archives custody departments at the national level.
- Ensuring the implementation of the ISO 11799 standard for archives buildings which would provide the conditions for applying security and safety rules and preserving archival documents.
- Developing a special preventive plan for archival institutions that allows protection, security, and safety of archives.
- Developing an emergency plan for archival institutions that allows fast intervention in the event of these dangers and disasters, and reduces the amount of losses that could happen to archives and documents fonds.
These activities were attended by executives of the General Directorate of the National Archives, archivists of the National Archives Center, representatives of ministries and Wilaya, representatives of the National Gendarmerie, the General Directorate of Protection, and the General Directorate of National Security.
The event was inaugurated with a speech delivered by Mr. Mohamed Tiliouine, Director of the National Archives Center, followed immediately by the intervention of Mr. Abdelmadjid Chikhi, Advisor to the President of the Republic in charge of the National Archives and National Memory delivering a welcome speech in addition to his intervention on the subject.
Several interventions were made successively as follows:
- Intervention by a representative of civil protection about the tasks and role of civil protection, legislation and regulation in the field of prevention and how to respond to fires and insure against their risks.
- Intervention by a representative of the National Security on defining the concept of danger and the experience of the General Directorate of National Security in protecting archives.
- Intervention by a representative of the National Gendarmerie on securing documents and methods for detecting forgery.
- Intervention by Mr. Lakhdar Amrani entitled “Preserving Documents: Why and How?”
- Intervention by Mr. Omar Mimouni under the title “Archives Buildings” which focused on archives building, digitization, and electronic document management.
- Intervention by representatives of the General Directorate of the National Archives, Mrs. Jouhra Malik and Mr. Mouloud Rahal, under the title: “Intervention plan to save archives in urgent cases”.
In conclusion, the invitees visited the exhibition to learn about the most important activities of the National Archives Center, as well as workshops for restoration, binding, and micrographic.
Archives between Reality and Horizons 2022
On the occasion of celebrating the World Archives Day 2022, the National Archives Center organized a study day entitled: “Archives between Reality and Horizons”, with the participation of executives and representatives of ministerial sectors, including heads of archives departments on neighboring Wilaya, as well as executives of the General Directorate of the National Archives and the National Archives Center.
The activity was inaugurated by Mr. Mohamed Tiliouine, Director of the National Archives Center, with a welcoming speech expressing the value and status of this International Day for the archivists and the sector in Algeria, praising the efforts being made to advance and promote this sector in Algeria and outside Algeria.
In order to valorize and enrich this study day, interventions were scheduled for the executives of the Directorate General of the National Archives and the National Archives Center, as well as representatives of the ministerial sectors, where the interventions of the two gentlemen were recorded:
• Othmani Merabout Sami, Director of Inspection, with an intervention entitled: “Archival legislations in Algeria”.
• Abbasi Mohamed, in charge of studies and summarization, with an intervention entitled: “Archives… Development and Memory”.
As well as the intervention of Mrs. Bouabdallah Ghania, interim head of the scientific processing service, on “Modern Technologies in the Field of Archives”.
The Fourth International Colloquium on the Common Algerian-Ottoman Heritage 2022
The National Archives, with the participation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, organized the fourth international colloquium on the common Algerian-Ottoman heritage, entitled: “In the Footsteps of Piri Reis: The History of Algeria in the 16th Century through the Book of the Navy”, on March 9 and 12, 2022 at the International Conference Center Abdellatif Rahal in Algiers.
The purpose of this colloquium was to know the extent to which Piri Reis’ book “The Navy” constitutes the main source in drawing the geo-nautical map of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean Sea in the 16th century, in addition to trying to understand the position of the regency of Algiers and the Maghreb region as a whole in the Ottoman strategy and the Spanish-Ottoman conflict in the Mediterranean.
The colloquium also sought to search for the true point of view of the original sources, whether Islamic or Western, regarding the information content or maps employed by Piri Reis to place his huge and unique work in the modern era. Additionally to investigating the nature of the reasons that prevented the Ottoman Empire from paying attention to the movement of the geographical explorations in the Atlantic Ocean when it was at the height of its power, and the impact of this on the routes and the weight of the Islamic world in international maritime trade.
In addition to knowing the extent to which Piri Reis’ early travels to the Islamic Maghreb region and his relationship with the inhabitants of the region served as the groundwork that paved the way for the activity and stability of the Barbaroussa brothers in Algeria in particular.
Arab League: Appreciation and Gratitude 2022
In gratitude and appreciation for all the efforts made and still being made by the Algerian National Archives institution in order to advance the archives sector and the archival profession at the national and international levels, especially the Arab one, the institution was chosen that year among the Arab archives centers to be honored by the League of Arab States during the Arab document day on October 16, 2022. The honorary shield arrived in Algeria and was received by Mr. Director General, Abdelmadjid Chikhi.
The Second National Colloquium on Archives Communication and Accessibility between Text and Application Mazafran 2020
The National Archives Institution organized its second national colloquium on Archives communication and accessibility between text and application on January 19 and 20, 2020.
The First National Colloquium on Archives Accessibility between Text and Application Bechar 2018
On December 9 and 10, 2018, the National Archives Institution organized a national colloquium in the Wilaya of Bechar, its topic of which was communicating archives under the title “Archives Accessibility between text and application”.
A group of heads of archives departments in the Wilaya of: Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Bechar, Tizi Ouzou, Ghardaia, Bejaia, Ouargla, Skikda, Msila, Medea, Tlemcen, and Annaba participated in this event. In addition to the sub-directorate of the archives of the central administration of Ministry of the Interior, Local Authorities, and Urban Development as well as the land conservation of Bechar and many executives of the National Archives.
The colloquium had many interventions discussing the experience of archives communication whether at the National Archives Center or at archives departments in different Wilaya followed by sessions of discussion, raising concerns and exchanging opinions. The colloquium culminated in final statement by the participants and included many recommendations that were submitted to the guardianship which are:
- The necessity to amend the legal and regulatory texts related to the archives management, especially those affecting the process of communicating archives, with the inclusion of new articles in the Wilaya law regarding Wilaya’s archives.
- The necessity of issuing legislative and regulatory texts to separate historical archives from administrative archives in order to remove confusion and ambiguity prevailing among some administrations and institutions.
- Working to activate Circular 39 dated November 21, 2010 regarding the formation of the national archives catalogue.
- Conducting inspection operations in coordination between the Ministry of Interior and the National Archives for various regional archival departments.
- Taking the necessary measures and procedures to save the historical archives located at municipalities level.
- The need to unify archival terminology.
- The necessity of issuing legislative and regulatory texts dealing with communicating private archives.
- Priority for processing historical fonds required for communication.
- Unifying the internal regulations of the reading room at the level of all Wilaya departments.
- The necessity of promoting the archival profession and providing legal protection to those in charge of archives.• The necessity to maintain technical positions that are about to disappear in order to preserve archival work and create other professions related to archives.
Annual Seminar of the International Council on Archives (ICA) Cameroon 2018
The annual seminar of the International Council on Archives was held from November 24 to 28, 2018 in the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé, entitled: “Archives, Government, Memory and Heritage”. The opening ceremony was chaired by the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Cameroonian Government; the personal representative of His Excellency the president of the Republic of Cameroon.
It should be noted that the capital city Yaoundé has been chosen as the international capital of archives for the year 2018 and this is also the first time that the International Council on Archives has held one of its important meetings in an African country.
More than 500 archivists and documentarians from various countries around the world attended this seminar, where the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives was represented by Mr. Abdelmadjid Chikhi, Director General of Algerian Archives, who raised the problems and concerns of ARBICA and put them up for discussion, whether at the workshop level or the General Assembly.
Algeria Participates in the Events Celebrating the Arab Document Day Cairo 2018
The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, in coordination with the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ARBICA), organized the annual celebration of the Arab Document Day for the year 2018 in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, under the slogan “El Qods the Eternal Capital of Palestine”, in order to shed light on the Israeli violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, which constitute a serious violation of international law against the Arab identity of El Qods and its history. On the sideline of this celebration, a seminar was also held entitled “The dangers faced by Arab archives and ways to confront them”. This celebration was attended by a group of public and official Arab figures including the Palestinian Minister of Culture, permanent delegates from Arab countries, ambassadors, members of the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, and heads of Arab archives centers.
The participation of the National Archives delegation, under the chairmanship of the Director General of the National Archives, consisted of presenting three interventions that addressed the various risks to which archives are exposed from human, natural, and technical perspectives, in addition to providing recommendations in order to address these risks.
At the end of the celebration, a group of Arab figures and institutions in the field of preserving the Arab documentary heritage were honored.
Participation of the National Archives in the Celebrations of the Arab League 2017
Within the framework of celebrating the Arab Document Day for the year 2017, which coincided with the 100th anniversary of issuing the ill-fated Balfour Declaration, “the Palestinian Question” was chosen as the title, it was supervised by the League of Arab States in coordination with the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ARBICA) and was attended by public and official Arab figures, permanent delegates of Arab countries and heads of Arab archives centers. The National Archives Institution contributed to the celebration of this day by organizing a photo exhibition highlighting some of the documents dealing with the ill-fated Balfour Declaration and the Algerian position vis-à-vis the unfair Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.
International colloquium: “Crossed visions on the Ottoman Heritage in Algeria during the Ottoman Era” Algiers 2017
The institution of the Algerian National Archives in collaboration with the Turkish Agency for Cooperation and Development organized, on December 13 and 14, 2017, an international colloquium entitled: “Crossed Visions on the Ottoman Heritage in Algeria during the Ottoman Period, 1516-1830”. It was held at the University of Algiers 2 Abu el Qacem Saadallah, in Bouzareah, in presence of the Director General of the National Archives Mr. Abdelmadjid Chikhi and a group of university professors from both countries. The colloquium addressed the nature of the old relationship that links Algeria to Turkey and the common history between the Regency of Algiers and the Ottoman Empire. This event was an opportunity to consolidate relations and strengthen the bonds of cooperation between the two countries.
International Colloquium: “Commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Barbarossa Brothers on the Algerian Coasts and the Birth of the Algerian State in the 16th Century” Istanbul 2017
Within the framework of celebrating the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Barbarossa brothers on the Algerian coasts and the birth of El Djazair El Mahroussa (the well-guarded Algiers) during the Ottoman era, 1516-1830, a second international colloquium was held in Istanbul in February 2017; in cooperation between the National Archives of Algeria and the Turkish National Archives as a continuation of the first international colloquium which was organized in Algeria 2016.
In the light of this colloquium, Turkish and Algerian professors presented important interventions including that of the Director General of the Algerian Archives, Mr. Abdelmadjid Chikhi, in which he highlighted one of the most important stages of the Algerian history during the Ottoman era.
International Colloquium: “Commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Barbarossa Brothers on the Algerian Coasts and the Birth of the Algerian State in the 16th Century” Bejaia 2016
The institution of the Algerian National Archives, in collaboration with the Turkish National Archives and under the high patronage of the Wali of the Wilaya of Bejaia and the National Center of Anthropological Studies, Abderrahmane Mira University, in the same Wilaya, organized on November 9 and 10, 2016, an international colloquium entitled “Kheir Eddine Barbarousse and the Birth of the Algerian State in the 16th century” which lasted three days; the first two days in Bejaia and the third in Algiers.
This historic event was attended by a high-level delegation composed of historians and researchers in the history of the Ottoman navy as well as officials from the Turkish Archives.
There were three scientific sessions which included 10 rich conferences and addressed different questions related to the history of Algeria and the Ottoman Empire and highlighted documents, photos, copies of correspondences between the inhabitants of Algeria and the Sublime Porte in Turkey and other writings and historical references which speak of this pivotal era in the history of our country and it also included scientific debates.
Algerian-Spanish Relationships at the Time of the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Tlemcen 2014
Tlemcen, the capital of the Zayyanids, hosted the activities of a scientific seminar on June 17 and 18, 2014, which highlighted Algerian-Spanish relationships at the time of the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. This seminar was attended by a group of academic historians and researchers from Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Tunisia and national universities.
The participants, who were more than sixteen speakers spread over five scientific sessions, addressed different topics including: “The Perception of the Dramatic Personality in the Book El Trado de Argel” by Miguel de Cervantes, “The Regency of Algiers, between the failure of Spanish expansion and Ottoman hegemony during the era of Cervantes”, “Algeria in the Archives of Portugal”, “The Algerian coast, a space for the hopes and frustrations of the Spanish at the time of Miguel de Cervantes”.
The National Archives participates in the Meeting of the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives. ARBICA 2014
The Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ARBICA) held, on May 27, 2014, its regular annual meeting in which an official delegation from the Algerian side participated, led by the Director General of the National Archives and president of ARBICA, Abdelmadjid Chikhi.
During the meeting, participants discussed a large number of problems and topics related to archives in order to find ways to preserve Arab heritage by raising awareness of the importance of documents in Arab countries and by discussing how to encourage archives centers to establish legal mechanisms allowing them to claim the return of Arab documents that have been usurped by foreign colonizing countries, and this is the point on which Mr. Abdelmadjid Chikhi insisted in his speech when he addressed the subject of “Deported Arab Archives”. It was also agreed that the ninth day of June would be “The International Archives Day” by decision of the International Council on Archives.
Seminar and exhibition entitled: Spirit of Bandung, Promising Prospects 2010
The National Archives Institution, in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized on May 24, 2010, a seminar and photo exhibition entitled: “The Spirit of Bandung, Promising Prospects”.
The Director General of the National Archives, Mr. Abdelmadjid Chikhi, his Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mourad Medelci and the Indonesian Ambassador to Algeria participated in the activities of this colloquium with interventions that were at the very heart of the subject.
An exhibition of photos and documents bearing the same title was also organized on the sideline of the event.