Beni kheddache: The city of Beni Kheddache in southeastern Tunisia's Medenine Governorate is immersed in a festive atmosphere for the annual El Gharbouze festival, honoring the region's renowned dried figs and Beni Kheddache's status as a leading national producer.
According to Saudi Press Agency, El Gharbouze is a local word of Berber origin for dried figs. The mountain communities of southern Tunisia have long-standing traditions for drying, slicing, and sorting figs, producing a food product of significant nutritional value. These figs are also used in medicines to treat various ailments. Consequently, El Gharbouze is regarded as both a symbol of deeply rooted local culture and a promising cornerstone for future development in the inland regions bordering the Sahara Desert.
In recent years, El Gharbouze has evolved from a distinctive agricultural product and a factor in economic development to become a powerful symbol of the region's identity and a source of deep pride for its people.