The Italian Cultural Institute of Tunis, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Tunisia and the Institut National du Patrimoine, presents the exhibition “DACCOURDOU. Aspects and forms of the Italian cultural presence in Tunisia. A photographic narrative”, on display in the halls of the Bardo National Museum in Tunis until 25 July 2025.
The term “daccourdou” [dak.kurˈdu], widely used in Tunisian Arabic, is a word borrowed from the Italian language—one of many Italian-derived terms commonly found in spoken Tunisian. It stands as a vivid symbol of a relationship rooted in centuries of shared history, driven not only by geographical proximity but also by deep cultural ties.
Four internationally renowned photographers—Claudio Gobbi, Tommaso Fiscaletti, Giovanna Silva, and Souad Mani—were invited to conduct four separate photography sessions in Tunisia, resulting in four exhibition sections exploring various aspects of the Italian cultural presence in the Maghreb country.
The first section is dedicated to Tunisian archaeological sites and joint Italian-Tunisian archaeological missions—an extraordinary example of cultural cooperation that has been active for over sixty years. The remaining sections address: Italian architecture in Tunis, commercial cooperation between Italy and Tunisia, portrayed through portraits of individuals living and working across both countries, and the historical memory of the Italian presence in Tunisia during the first half of the 20th century.
The exhibition project is curated by Filippo Maggia and has been made possible thanks to the support of the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture, as part of the public call for the promotion of contemporary Italian photography abroad.
The exhibition is realised in collaboration with Italian partners such as Bisazza Mosaico, Elleti Group, and the NGO WeWorld, and Tunisian partners such as the Bardo National Museum and the Institut National du Patrimoine.
