Ettadhamen

Ettadhamen (Arabic: التضامن, romanized: at-Taḍāmun) is a municipality and commune in the Ariana Governorate, part of the Greater Tunis metropolitan area. It was formed in 2016 when the municipality of Ettadhamen-Mnihla was split, with Mnihla becoming a separate entity. The name "Ettadhamen" means "solidarity." The municipality was established in the 1950s to accommodate populations from internal migration. Initially an informal settlement, it was later incorporated into the urban planning of the Tunisian capital's metropolitan area. Ettadhamen was formed by waves of internal migration during the early 1950s, largely composed of poor small farmers and unemployed individuals who moved to Tunisia's capital area. Hundreds of families left impoverished villages in the northwestern governorates (Siliana, Beja, Jendouba, and Le Kef) in search of better opportunities in the suburbs of Tunis. The youth of the neighborhood played a significant role in the 2011 revolution that led to the overthrow of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, driven by a desire to improve their challenging living conditions. However, these aspirations did not result in immediate change. While traces of those who contributed to the uprising can still be seen on the walls of buildings and surrounding alleys, the region continues to lack significant infrastructure development.