Vol. 34, Issue 1
James L. Holt - President and CEO
Salute to Tunisia!
Fall 2009
Susan S. Arney - 2010 Board Chair
TUNISIAN FUN FACTS
Memphis in May’s 2010 International Salute to Tunisia will open cultural doors to students and teachers across the Memphis and Shelby Country area. This North-African nation is a land of the familiar and the exotic, where one can watch the sun rise over the Sahara and set over the Mediterranean. A colorful country of natural beauty and diversity, Tunisia rises with the Atlas Mountains in the north and disappears into the rolling dunes of the Sahara in the south. Its gentle sand dunes, craggy ridges, salty deserts, and turquoise blue waters make Tunisia a palette of colors and textures. History’s greatest empires have passed through this land – from Phoenicians, Berbers, Turks, and Arabs, to Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, and Vandals. Hannibal, one of history’s most legendary generals, called this land home. Today, this country boasts a modern constitutional republic; it is open to international trade and protective of human rights. Tunisia is governed by a president and a prime minister and is sub-divided into twentyfour governorates. The overwhelming majority of Tunisia’s population is Muslim, and while the constitution declares Islam (continued on page 2)
Roman Coliseum During the occupation of Tunisia by the Roman Empire, the Romans constructed the Amphitheatre of El Jem, which is the third-largest Roman coliseum in the entire Roman Empire. Tunisian “Everglades” Tunisia’s Jebel Ichkeul National Park is one of only two water-based conservation areas in the world that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (the other is the Florida Everglades). This park is home to many colorful Tunisian animals, including the purple gallinule, water buffalo, wild boar, jackals, and otters. Star Wars The image that many people have of Luke Skywalker’s home planet of Tatooine is actually Tunisia. The famous Tunisian “troglodyte” houses served as the desert buildings and homes in this renowned sci-fi blockbuster. There is even an actual Tunisian city called Tataouine, but no filming took place there. Living Underground Today in the town of Matmata, many Tunisians still live in the underground structures called troglodytes. Camel, Anyone? In Tunisia, sometimes camels aren’t just for caravans. Camel meat is served in some restaurants and homes, mainly in the South. Land of the Sahara Southern Tunisia is characterized by the dry sands of the Sahara Desert. The Sahara is the largest desert in the world, with a surface area of around 3.5 million square miles. That’s a lot of sand!
French Teachers! As Tunisia was formerly a French protectorate, one of the country’s primary languages is French. Take advantage of Memphis in May’s education programs to spice up your classroom!