Cand Thursday, June 27, the 25e edition of the Gnaoua World Music Festival opened in Essaouira in a burst of colors and sounds, coming from both Brazil and Ivory Coast, faithful to the spirit of the festival which aims to unite peoples through the intersections of their cultures.
After the traditional inaugural parade which crisscrossed the medina at the end of the afternoon, the kick-off of this 25e edition was given by Neïla Tazi, founder and president of the festival, through a speech which retraces the path traced by the festival since its creation in 1999, but not only: “We extend our total solidarity to Palestine and the Palestinian people”, declared Neïla Tazi to the applause of an audience in which there were many kouffiehs.
Echoes and percussions
“As Her Majesty has reminded many times, investing in culture means investing in people. The Ministry of Culture will always continue to support the Gnaoua festival, because culture is people. And humans are peace“, declared Mehdi Bensaïd, Minister of Culture, before giving way to the opening concert of this 25the editing.
The program features a fusion of three UNESCO heritage cultures: Zaouli, which brings together Ivorian dances and music, flamenco, and — inevitably — the Gnaouas. Maâlems Hassan Boussou and Moulay Tayeb Dehbi, the Dumanlé company (Côte d’Ivoire), the Spanish duo formed by Nino de Los Reyes and Sergio Martinez, and the Brazilian group Ilé Aiyé all came together on stage for a powerful performance, reflecting their musical compatibility. Until June 29, the Gnaoua festival will host a total of 53 concerts with nearly 400 artists from 14 different countries.
VIP lounge
In addition to its artistic prowess, the particularity of Gnaoua in the cultural landscape is also to transform itself, in the space of three days, into a crossroads in which the cultural diplomacy of the Kingdom is affirmed.
The result of an initiative started in 2009 by the festival, the inclusion of Gnaoua art and culture in 2019 on the UNESCO World Heritage List is one illustration of this. The guests of the Gnaoua festival are also eminently political: ambassadors, politicians and big bosses are systematically present. Starting with André Azoulay, advisor to King Mohammed VI and founder of the Essaouira-Mogador association, closely linked to the birth of the festival.
This year, the Human Rights Forum, which takes place on June 28 and 29, welcomes José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, former Spanish prime minister. According to our information, the leader of La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, was also to be one of the distinguished guests of this 25e edition. The political storm that France is currently going through, with the dissolution of the National Assembly and the holding of legislative elections on June 30 and July 7, have prevented the arrival of the leader of the Insoumis.
