A Strategic Educational Initiative
Maghreb in Pixels is a strategic initiative launched by the Center of Excellence in Design and Applied Arts at Ibn Tofail University, under the supervision of Professor Houriya Kelkoul. The project seeks to transform the teaching of Moroccan cultural heritage by making it more dynamic, interactive, and aligned with the expectations of younger generations.
A New Way to Learn Heritage
In a constantly changing world, where many young people feel distanced from their cultural roots, Maghreb in Pixels offers a different approach to learning—not through passive listening, but through immersive experiences. Its educational philosophy is built on three key principles: Learn by Living, Play to Learn, and Create to Remember. This strategy shifts students from being passive recipients of knowledge to active participants in preserving and transmitting heritage.
Digital Tools for Inclusive Learning
The initiative leverages accessible and creative technologies such as virtual reality, game engines, interactive platforms, and open-source artificial intelligence. It proves that even with limited resources, it is possible to create powerful educational experiences that can be replicated across various academic institutions.
A Digital Ecosystem of Cultural Projects:
Maghreb in Pixels brings together a variety of creative projects that reimagine cultural learning through technology. Dar’s Data, winner of the National Innovation and Heritage Architecture Prize, offers a virtual tour of traditional Moroccan homes, guided by an AI narrator sharing forgotten traditions. Beldi Carpet is a dress-up game where children learn the meaning behind regional clothing through voice and music. Morokenz turns Moroccan heritage into a strategic board game experience with riddles and city exploration. Beyond El Maghreb allows users to visit real cultural sites in VR, while raising awareness about climate risks. The Immersive Art History Course takes learners back to prehistoric Morocco in an interactive timeline filled with challenges and discoveries. Prolancia provides a platform for young creatives to build their own cultural projects, showcase them in a virtual museum, and collaborate in VR environments. Shinners is a short 3D animated film that revives ancestral Moroccan myths through AI-generated visuals and poetic storytelling.
Each project, in its own way, invites students to experience, play with, and recreate Moroccan heritage.
A Vision Aligned with Morocco 2030
The Maghreb in Pixels initiative is also part of a broader national movement supported by programs like “Challenge Maroc 2030” and “Maghrebna 2030”, led in partnership with platforms such as Dialna Maroc and Maghrebna Innov. These collaborations aim to empower Moroccan youth through creativity, entrepreneurship, and new technologies. As part of this dynamic, the project Dar’s Data proudly won the Innovation and Heritage Architecture Prize at the National Architecture Ideas Competition, standing out against strong contenders. Through these connections, Ibn Tofail University reaffirms its role in shaping a generation ready to meet the challenges of the future, where culture and technology build tomorrow together.
A Cultural and Educational Mindset
Maghreb in Pixels is more than a project — it’s a mindset. It encourages creativity, digital fluency, and cultural pride, helping students reconnect with their roots while shaping the future.
It’s a clear example of how tradition and innovation can go hand in hand, creating a new model of higher education built on culture, creativity, and student engagement.