MORRISTOWN, N.J. and ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, March 31, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Algerian Ministry of Culture recently awarded Louis Berger a European Union (EU)-funded contract for the design and work supervision of pilot rehabilitation operations at two World Heritage sites in Algeria.
"We are proud to partner with Algeria's Ministry of Culture to protect and enhance the country's cultural heritage," said Thomas Topolski, executive vice president and managing director, Middle East and North Africa. "Efforts to preserve and enhance these sites help safeguard them for future generations to enjoy and to support Algeria's tourism sector, a potentially job-rich and lucrative industry for the country."
Three locations have been selected for the EU program, which aims to protect and enhance Algeria's cultural heritage. Louis Berger will support Algeria's Ministry of Culture on the first two of the three pilot sites:
Two buildings and a section of the protection wall of the Kasbah of Algiers, an urban inhabited site and ancient city classified in 1992 as a UNESCO world heritage site, started as Algeria's ancient medina, initially built in the fourth century B.C. and expanded in the tenth century A.D.
The Berber Tomb of the Imedghacen, chosen for its location as an "archaeological site in a rural environment," and included in the indicative list of UNESCO's world heritage sites, is a funerary monument built between the third and fourth centuries B.C. in the region of Batna.
The pilot rehabilitation operations program, which began in March 2015 and is scheduled for completion in July 2018, is part of a multi-disciplinary Cultural Heritage Program, which is supported by the EU with a 21.5 million euro ($24 million USD) contribution and the Algerian government with a 2.5 million euro ($2.8 million USD) contribution.
Louis Berger's contract terms cover architecture and engineering design as well as construction supervision for site rehabilitation-related work. Louis Berger's mission also includes supporting touristic enhancements, such as providing design for an information kiosk and monument lighting for the two buildings and a section of the protection walls of the Kasbah.
"Louis Berger has a particular grasp of the technical and institutional challenges that these two sites represent, and is committed to deploying our best efforts as well as our best expertise in order to successfully deliver high quality design and works supervision," said Jacques Blanc, deputy general manager of Louis Berger, during the contract signature ceremony on March 11.
About Louis Berger
Louis Berger is a $1 billion global professional services corporation that helps infrastructure and development clients solve their most complex challenges. We are a trusted partner to national, state and local government agencies; multilateral institutions; and commercial industry clients worldwide. By focusing on client needs to deliver quality, safe, financially-successful projects with integrity, we are committed to deliver on our promise to provide Solutions for a better world.
Louis Berger operates on every habitable continent. We have a long-standing presence in more than 50 nations, represented by the multidisciplinary expertise of nearly 6,000 engineers, economists, scientists, managers and planners. For more information, visit louisberger.com.
Photo: At the signing ceremony (from the left) Jacques Blanc, deputy general manager, North Africa; and Zouhir Ballalou, director of the heritage programme, Ministry of Culture.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=31779
