Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture


The Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture ; Asinag Ageldan n Tussna Tamazight is an academic institute of the Moroccan government in charge with the development and the promotion of the Berber languages and culture and of the development of Berber language courses for Morocco's public schools.
The institute is located in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. It was officially founded on October 17, 2001 under a royal decree of King Mohammed VI. The institute has legal and financial independence from the executive branch of government, but its recommendations about the education of the Berber languages in Moroccan public schools are not legally binding to the government.

Role

The Institute offers advice to the Moroccan king and government about the measures that would help develop the Berber language and culture, especially within the educational system.

Responsibilities

The institute has played a pioneering role in the adoption of Tifinagh for the transcription of Berber languages in Morocco.
The adopted transcription system is an alphabet, as opposed to the original Tifinagh maintained by the Tuaregs which is an abjad. It is made up of 33 characters and is largely inspired by the neo-Tifinagh developed in the 1970s by Kabyle militants.