The city of Tlemcen hosted, on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, the opening of the Second National Colloquium entitled “The Andalusian Moriscos: Their History and Legacy in Algeria – Intangible Heritage”.

The event is being held at the Centre for Andalusian Studies, and is organized by the National Public Museum of Art and History of the City of Tlemcen, under the scientific supervision of the Laboratory of Literary, Linguistic and Andalusian Studies at the University of Tlemcen, directed by Dr. Hicham Ben Senoussi.

The opening session was marked by a distinguished academic and official attendance, including Pr. Bounouar BENSAIM, Vice-Rector of the University of Tlemcen in charge of Pedagogy, Pr. Abdelrahmane KHERBOUCHE, Dean of the Faculty of Letters and Arts, and Pr. Nasreddine BENDAOUED, Dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, in addition to a number of professors and researchers specialized in Andalusian and historical studies.

During the opening ceremony, tribute was paid to several prominent Algerian scholars who have made significant contributions to historical research and Andalusian studies. The honored professors were Pr. Hanifi HELALI ,HAMMADI Abde-allah , Chakib BENLAGHOUATI et Djamal YAHIAOUI, in recognition of their academic careers and scholarly contributions to the preservation of national historical memory.

The presentations delivered on the first day addressed the historical roots of Morisco migration, focusing on the tragedy of displacement following the fall of Granada in 1492, the political and military role played by the Andalusians in Algeria during the Ottoman period, as well as the manifestations of Morisco identity within Algerian society through family names, customs, and traditions.

The colloquium will continue until Wednesday, 21 January 2026, and will conclude with the presentation of scientific recommendations.

In its second edition, the colloquium is considered a strong candidate to evolve into an international academic event, in light of the recommendations expected to emerge from the participants.