Anne-Claire Legendre, newly appointed President of the Institut du monde arabe (IMA), will embark on an official six-day visit to Morocco from June 19 to 24, 2026. The trip, her first to the Kingdom since assuming leadership of the Paris-based institution in February 2026, aims to solidify a joint cultural roadmap between the IMA and Moroccan authorities. This initiative builds on ongoing exchanges between the two parties in recent months.
The itinerary includes stops in Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech. Marked as Legendre’s inaugural official visit to Morocco in her current role, the agenda features a high-level meeting with Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication. Discussions will center on finalizing a shared cultural framework, with a focus on emerging creative sectors such as animation, comics, Arabic-language publishing, and cinema.
This visit follows a productive meeting held earlier in Paris at the IMA headquarters, where Legendre and Bensaid outlined key priorities for collaboration. The Moroccan minister, who visited the IMA for the first time under her leadership, emphasized the potential of this partnership, particularly in light of the reinforced exceptional partnership between Morocco and France—driven by the strategic vision of King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Strengthening cultural ties through institutional cooperation
Legendre, who took the helm of the IMA on February 17, 2026—becoming the first woman to lead the institution since its 1980 founding—brings a fresh diplomatic perspective. Prior to her appointment, she served as Advisor to the French President on North Africa and the Middle East, a role she held from December 2023 until joining the IMA.
The IMA itself was established in a unique geopolitical context. Founded on February 28, 1980, under the guidance of a High Council comprising representatives from Arab League member states, the institution was created as a bridge between France, Europe, and the Arab world. Morocco is among the 19 Arab states that contributed to its establishment alongside France.
Expanding partnerships beyond the IMA
This cultural diplomacy push extends beyond the IMA’s visit. In March 2026, Legendre met in Paris with Mehdi Qotbi, President of the Fondation nationale des musées, to explore collaboration opportunities. Qotbi framed these efforts within the broader Partenariat d’exception renforcé between Morocco and France, reinforcing the cultural dimension of bilateral relations.
The upcoming June visit will translate these discussions into concrete actions on Moroccan soil, further cementing ties between the two nations’ cultural institutions.
