The Gnaoua and World Music Festival has be enable to high light the traditions of Essaouira and bring a particularly vibrant ancestral music abroad. This musical event, unique in Morocco and in the world, was born for the first time in 1998. It is a must for Essaouira and Moroccan musical culture and takes place every year in June. A true laboratory, the festival invites everyone to meet artists with different musical souls.

On the program, a further proof of the universality of music and all its sounds: Cuban, Tuareg, Tamil, butalsojazz, flamenco or reggae… Of course, Tagnaouite will beat the heart of the event, always ready to take up the challenges and merge with all styles.

Also, the festival succeeded in making the bet to be free for most of the scenes, including the Jam Sessions with the head liners that take place on the open-air stages of the Essaouira medina. We remember in particular the passage of in credible jazz greats, whose reputation is no longer to be proven, such as Marcus Miller or Macéo Parker. In another register, the arrival of Cheb Khaled had electrified the squares of Essaouira, and the magnificent Hindi Zahra had lit up the main stage with her presence in 2016.

Created in 2001 under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohamed VI and organized by the association Maroc Cultures, Mawazine is the unmissable event for music lovers and enthusiasts with, in recent years, more than two and a half million spectators on average.

As a leading cultural event, the festival promotes the values of the Kingdom and carries a message of tolerance, openness, respect and dialogue. The festival brings together every year in Rabat and Salé the great names of Arab, African and international music and the best artists of the Moroccan scene.

With more than two million participants, Mawazine is one of the largest  annual festivals in the world. The celebrities on the festival’s program are  one of the main causes of this frenzy; in addition to small local artists, world-renowned  stars have already appeared on its outdoor stage. With the city of Rabat, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as a backdrop,  Mawazine reveals a much more modern side of Morocco.

Every year, musicians from all over the world take to the stages of the medina, exploring sounds that sometimes go back to the mists of time. A bouquet of spiritual music is offered. Films and exhibitions will be added to the program.

A celebration of spirituality, a dialogue of cultures and religions, in short a way of reconciling people… through music. The spirit of Fez, the spiritual cradle of Morocco, does indeed crystallize the inspiration behind the creation of this event. The festival’s ambition is “to put the arts and spiritualities at the service of human and societal development and to bring peoples and cultures closer together”.

Nice initiative! This festival enjoys an excellent reputation. Today it is  recognized as one of the most important events on the music scene in Fez and even in Morocco. Concerts take place under the great oak tree in the  Batha Gardens, and shows are staged in the bewitching Bab Makina  Palace. 

“@partiraumaroc”