Tunis: A 3D scan of a selection of musical instruments was launched in July by the Ezzahra Centre of Arab and Mediterranean Music (CMAM) and the Tunis International Centre for the Digital Cultural Economy (TICDCE) under a project to develop an immersive experience at Ennejma Ezzahra Palace's Musical Instruments Museum (MIM). This is the first step towards the development of an innovative immersive tour using Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR), created by a young Tunisian start-up, TICDCE said. This tour will be installed inside the palace and distributed nationally through TICDCE's "MADAD" programme. The goal of this partnership is to connect young Tunisians with their musical heritage through digital content retracing part of the history of Tunisian music via events, personalities and instruments at the Ennejma Ezzahra Palace. This initiative is part of the three-year Musical Instruments Conservation Project (2022-2025) at the Ennejma Ezzahra Palace, financed by CMAM, the Ambassadors Fund for C ultural Preservation (AFCP) and the Embassy of the United States of America in Tunisia. This project, due to be completed in June 2025, will help CMAM ensure the long-term conservation and enhancement of its unique collection of over 320 musical instruments, whose diverse origins bear witness to the richness of its musical heritage. The main aim of the project is to carry out a comprehensive programme that includes cleaning and restoring the instruments, setting up a management system for the MIM's collection in line with international standards, and rehabilitating and upgrading its storehouses. The project further aims to involve young Tunisians in preserving and promoting their rich musical heritage, by training a new generation of musical instrument curators and mobilising young people to develop cultural content, particularly digital content, to promote Tunisia's musical heritage, in a bid to encourage young people working in the cultural sector (artists, cultural and creative industries, etc.) to crea te and distribute new digital content. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse