On 8 April Abdelaziz Jatim visited the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution, and was then welcomed at the Rectorate Building by Josep Anton Ferré, rector of the URV. The IPHES collaborates with the Université Mohamed I Oujda in the fields of archaeology, geology, paleontology and the socialization of science

During his visit the Consul was accompanied by Mar Gutiérrez-Colón, vice-rector for Internationalisation of the URV; Robert Sala, director of the research centre, and Marina Casals, head of the International Center.

Since 2005 the IPHES and the URV have been working with the Université Mohamed I in Oujda. “The objective is to carry out research into the various waves of human settlements in a region south of Oujda, in Eastern Morocco. Several archaeological and paleontological remains have been discovered which demonstrate a very primitive human dispersion in the Maghreb during the Lower Pleistocene,” said Robert Sala. Moreover, for the first time in the region, Mode 1 industries have been detected, the oldest in history, and the presence of remains from all stages of the evolution show that human settlement was continuous throughout prehistory.

In this context, “the URV and IPHES wanted to show the Consul the research centre, introduce him to the team and raise awareness of the joint projects with Morocco, so that we can maintain the good relations already established and work together even more closely in the future,” said Gutiérrez-Colón.