The renowned Bergers de Semmama, founded by shepherd and writer Adnen Helali, kicked off the celebrations of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists with a musical concert on 26 January 2026 in Hammamet, Tunisia. The ceremony was organised by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) in collaboration with the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture and the Tunisian General Directorate of Forests, and attended by Jonathan Davies and Ykhanbai Hijaba as representatives of the Global Alliance for Rangelands & Pastoralists, the Tunisian Minister of Agriculture, as well as ministers and representatives from several countries in North Africa, the Middle East and beyond: Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Sudan. The Bergers de Semmama are shepherd-artists who have transformed their mountain, Semmama, located in central-west Tunisia, into an international forum for shepherds, artists and pastoralism researchers. This collective achieved a historic milestone in 2018 by building the first pastoral cultural centre in Africa and the Arab world: a beautiful mountain cultural center covering 6000 m² The Shepherds of Semmama hold an annual festival there every year, with the next one scheduled for 25-29 March 2026.
NEWS FEATURE from Le Quotidien (The Daily) on 26 January 2026: The Shepherds of Semmama at the opening of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
Highlights from the event:
1 – The Shepherds’ Festival in Semmama honours Mr. Hijaba
On the occasion of the opening of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), the Djebel Semmama Cultural Center awarded the Djebel Medal to Mr. Yhanbai Hijaba, representative of Mongolian herders and activists who initiated this movement. This gesture of recognition pays tribute to the collective efforts that emerged from the Mongolian steppes and patiently matured into this beautiful international harvest, now consecrated by the adoption of the IYRP by the United Nations and the FAO. It honours a long-term commitment to pastoral communities and to the preservation of rangelands worldwide.
2 – Semmama presents an ecological collection celebrating the IYRP
Semmama presented a collection of ecological materials including ceramic pins, a roll-up banner made of sheepskin, a trophy crafted from halfa (esparto) plant fibre, wooden supports, and bouquets of wild mountain flowers. This initiative is part of the Green IYRP Collection, entirely designed in accordance with the IYRP visual identity, and serves as a strong invitation to avoid plastic and polluting materials during this pastoral year.
