The European cemetery of Saint-Eugène in Algiers: A possible heritage listing for a complex cultural asset?

This article is a scientific essay that proposes to examine the European cemetery of Saint-Eugène in Algiers as a cultural asset. In the current context of a very tense diplomatic crisis, our aim is to consider the long-term relations between the two states through the prism of culture. From this perspective, respect for the dead is a civilizational constant that can and must be a starting point for restarting dialogue between France and Algeria. The Saint-Eugène cemetery is, in fact, engaged in a process of heritage designation that should be examined. This place of remembrance has the resources to become a complex heritage site. An application for UNESCO World Heritage status is possible, given that the heritage markers of the site reflect an intercultural and interreligious approach that goes beyond a superficial colonial interpretation. In this regard, a joint cultural diplomacy project between the two countries would be an additional guarantee of success.