Ahmed Skounti

Dr. Ahmed Skounti is a prominent anthropologist and heritage expert serving as Professor at the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Sciences in Rabat, Morocco, with over two decades of experience in cultural heritage preservation. His academic credentials include a PhD from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, and he has made significant contributions to cultural heritage preservation both nationally and internationally. As the Focal Point of World Heritage in Morocco from 2000 to 2014, he played a crucial role in drafting the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. His expertise has been recognized through various prestigious appointments, including his role as Chair of the Evaluation Body of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2015 and 2017. His contributions to the field were acknowledged with the Jeonju International Award in 2019 for his work in safeguarding and promoting intangible cultural heritage. As a facilitator of the UNESCO Global Network of Facilitators and a member of the Scientific Board of the International Journal of Heritage Studies, Dr. Skounti continues to shape policies and practices in cultural heritage preservation while teaching social anthropology and cultural heritage at INSAP and previously at the University of Marrakech