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In service since 2017 to succeed Daarkom, the Flemish-Moroccan cultural center Darna has closed at its own request, considering that the managing nonprofit organization «was not functioning as it should» and that «the objectives were not fully achieved». On Thursday, the Flemish Minister of Culture, Caroline Gennez (Vooruit), confirmed before the Culture Committee of the Flemish Parliament that the continuity of the structure was uncertain.
Last year, the board of directors of Darna «conducted its own evaluation» before reaching out to the overseeing ministers, reports Bruzz. Initially set up to replace the first Flemish-Moroccan House on Wolvengracht, the center benefited from a memorandum between the Flemish and Moroccan governments, as well as subsidies from both parties.
Under this agreement, the association responsible for managing the activities and operations of the space was intended to «bridge Flanders and Morocco through cultural events», including gatherings around cinema, music, and an annual festival. Due to insufficient effectiveness relative to the resources allocated, Minister Gennez and her Moroccan counterpart «decided to pull the plug on Darna», as it was deemed not to be functioning as it should. «The objectives were not fully achieved», the minister emphasized in the committee.
In this regard, Caroline Gennez mentioned the possibility of re-examining the memorandum with Morocco to ensure the sustainability of cultural cooperation on both sides. In the meantime, Darna's premises are being emptied. The nonprofit organization is considering its dissolution.
