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IV ans de fidélité

Weekly highlights

The Fez Festival of World Sacred Music

The 26th edition kicked off last Thursday

Alain Weber, former artistic director of the FFMSM, takes care of the last touches of the show
“Architecture and Sacred”. He invited some forty artists to the opening of this festival under
the presidency of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa (Ph. YSA)

T HE twenty-sixth edition migrations, conquests, philosophical
and artistic revolutions, and the evo-
for the Fez Festival of Sa-
cred Music of the World
(FFMSM) is now under way! The lution of dogmas”. Morocco is one
of the oldest kingdoms in the world
spiritual capital’s flagship cultural which perfectly embodies this logic.
event kicked off on Thursday, June Its history is marked by the construc-
9, 2022 at Bab El Makina, under the tion of magnificent places of worship
chairmanship of Her Royal High- and knowledge such as the Hassan II
ness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, and in Mosque, the Quaraouiyine Univer-
the presence of several distinguished sity, the great Mosque of Taza, the The Festival of World Sacred Music 2018
guests, including ministers, ambas- mosque of Tinmel, and other monu-
sadors and other friends and spon- ments. These exceptional places have Casablanca with the great Hassan ked East and West for centuries, that
sors of the festival. “This edition is made it possible to shape this spirit II Mosque”, confides Zouitene. The the festival team has put together the
the occasion for a journey through of tolerance and openness which is Bab El Makina stage will thus wel- program for this 26th edition, made
the World and through Time. We will characteristic of our country. The Fez come actor Anas El Baz as well as up of architecture, spirituality, and
explore how people of all faiths have festival testifies to the continuity of some forty artists from Fez, from music, with the constant concern to
expressed their quest for the sacred this spirit of tolerance. The program other regions of Morocco, and from offer to festival-goers a musical fes-
through architecture. The explora- for this edition will see the presence elsewhere. Through narration, mu- tival worthy of the “Zaouia of Fez ”
tion of some of the most emblema- of artistic troupes from more than 15 sic, choreography and songs, their (holy place)”, says Bruno Messina,
tic religious buildings in the world countries, including the Sultanate of show, against a backdrop of excep- artistic director of the FFMSM Fes-
will transport us into this long and Oman, Kazakhstan, India, France, tional mapping, will outline the geo- tival. The program he has concoc-
rich dialogue between men and the Italy, Senegal, to name a few.. The metry of buildings, calligraphy, and ted will also pay special tribute to
divine”, says Abderrafie Zouitene, artists include stars such as Ibrahim arabesques of ornamentation. The the musical traditions of Fez and

president of the Spirit of Fez Foun- Maalouf and the Haidouti Orkestar, ambition of this creation is to revisit Meknes during an evening dedica-
dation, a foundation which is the ini- the Roohani Sisters, and so many with music the “architecture and the ted to Bab El Makina. Finally, the
tiator of the FFMSM Festival. others that the public will experience sacred” nature of the historic city. Fez Forum on June 11 will welcome
According to Abderrafie Zouitene, with great emotion, especially after “It is therefore based on this idea, by several national and international
“in History, synagogues, churches, two years of absence. “The crea- following the possibilities offered by speakers who will open up new
mosques, and temples are not simply tion of the opening night will take sacred -and unique- music encoun- prospects around the theme of the
the materialization of beliefs; they you on a journey from Fez to Jeru- tered from Morocco to Asia, passing festival, namely “Architecture and
are also the physical testimony of salem via Tibet, the Taj Mahal, the through Africa and bathing in the the Sacred”. o
great historical movements, such as Notre-Dame cathedral, to end in Mediterranean which has since lin- Youness SAAD ALAMI
Friday 10 June 2022