Organized by the Taragalte Association for Culture and Sustainable Development, the 13th edition is making a comeback under the theme “Africa in the spotlight – World melodies under the stars of the Moroccan Sahara”.
The Taragalte Festival returns this year from November 1 to 3, 2024, to M’Hamid El Ghizlane, province of Zagora, with a promising program. Celebrating the cultural richness of Morocco and Africa, this 13th edition will be under the theme “Africa in the spotlight – World melodies under the stars of the Moroccan Sahara”. Organized by the Taragalte Association for Culture and Sustainable Development, this festival has worked, since its creation, as its organizers point out, “to build bridges between peoples through music, the arts and cultural exchanges, in the framework of South-South cultural cooperation.
This year, the cultural and artistic program of this event, which will be held in the heart of the desert in the oasis of M’Hamid El Ghizlane, will include concerts by renowned artists, workshops, meetings around traditional dance, exhibitions of local crafts, as well as round tables to discuss themes included in the festival programming, such as “Culture and diversity: Sources of universal value”, “Climate resilience and preservation of biodiversity” , or even “The development of creative and artistic industries in Africa”. According to the organizers, this edition will strengthen intercultural dialogue by creating bridges between sub-Saharan Africa and the Moroccan Sahara, while promising a unique immersive experience in African musical and artistic traditions and promoting peace, tolerance and sustainable development . “This event, which will take place in the heart of the desert of the M’Hamid El Ghizlane oasis, will pay a vibrant tribute to Africa.
It will welcome artists such as the Moroccan singer Oum, godmother of the festival, the groups Lemchaheb and Tartit, as well as the singer Mamy Kanoute and the singer Samba Touré, alongside other major figures of the African and international music scene. the same source. And to continue: “The programming will also include a live performance by the artist Marina Sosnina (France), sand artist, who will offer a unique performance to the melodies of the Little Prince, adding an exceptional creative touch to the festival,” noting that local artists such as Génération Taragalte, Tarwa N’Tiniri, and Drâa Tribes will also have an important place in this edition, with space reserved for young emerging artists and groups. Thus, the expected artistic performances reflect the rich and diverse musical heritage of Africa, while promoting cohesion and cultural exchange, in perfect harmony with South-South cooperation and sustainable development.
In addition, this edition will offer a unique opportunity to discover the documentary film “Indivision” by Moroccan director Leila Kilani, presented as a flagship event of the festival. “This film will highlight the values of peace and unity, while paying tribute to the women of the oases and their contribution to the challenges of daily life,” reports the same source. It must be said that the Taragalte Festival benefits from the support of national and international partners who share its vision of promoting culture, sustainability and cooperation, notably the provincial council of Zagora, the Drâa-Tafilalet region, as well as international institutions such as the French Institute of Morocco and other organizations working for peace and sustainable development in Africa. Note also that this edition will host the 12th stage of the “Cultural Caravan for Peace – Moroccan Stage”, a project born from collaboration between various festivals in Africa, notably in Morocco, Niger and Mali. “This initiative aims to promote peace and tolerance through music and the arts, while celebrating the heritage of ancient Saharan and sub-Saharan trade routes,” specify the organizers.
This year there will be the presence of personalities from various backgrounds such as Houssine El Rhilani, from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (Guest of Honor), Frédéric Dagui, French historian and publisher, nephew of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry , Ismaël Meygaou, speaker, Sid Tournebise, general historian, Delta Blues Museum and BB King (United States), Ahlam Schroeder, engineer and founder of Revhealing (Switzerland/Morocco), Mohamed El Ghattas, secretary general of the Moroccan Coalition for climate justice, native of M’Hamid El Ghizlane, Babacar Ndoye, president of the Arterial network (Senegal), Manny Ansar, director of the Timbuktu Desert Festival (Mali), Moussa Berti, coordinator of the Cultural Caravan for Peace (Mali) or Lymane Kane, alias Monza, director of the Assalamalaykoum Festival (Mauritania).
In addition to the main activities, environmental workshops will be offered to raise awareness among festival-goers and oasis children about sustainable natural resource management practices. Meanwhile, ecological desert excursions will offer participants the opportunity to explore the Saharan ecosystem. While expressing solidarity with the populations of the provinces of Zagora and Tata, affected by the recent floods, this festival will emphasize resilience and solidarity to support the region and its inhabitants.
