Over the last twenty four years, the Fez Festival of Sacred Music has contributed to maintaining dialogue with the sacred through its most famous forum, and highlighting of arts and music.
As an incarnating symbol of interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and of reflection, the festival calls for the necessary exchange and conversation in a world that is going through economic, political and social change.
The Fez Festival of Sacred Music is is like its Medina, crossing its gates is a way of becoming immersed in millenary traditions , in values of tolerance and in spirituality.
Generations pass through centuries, but the soulof the city is perpetuated thanks to the ramifications that are maintained between different cultural traditions, which constitute a crucible of the history of Morocco, and also crafts traditions which originate from the social fabric which is its very essence.
This abilityr to enhance the value of its craft heritage, particularly the rich one in Fez, has given Morocco an unparallelled radiance all through the world.
Under the instigation and guidance of His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, Fez is going through a tremendous revival which has endowed it with the kind of life that prevailed a few centuries ago. Various monuments, fondouks, medersas and kissarias have been restored following a unique approach, in order to endow them with the type of animated atmosphere that prevailed originally. This is the reason why the 24th edition of the Festival will celebrate this renewal through the theme of ANCESRTRAL KNOWLEDGE that has been selected for it.
Thus, and from the 22nd to the 30th of June, the Fez Festival of Sacred Music shall, in its new edition, set up the link between an exceptional heritage of which the corner stone shall always be contemporary spirituality. It shall, thus, provide tremendously promising perspectives. This year, the music program Festival of the Festival shall gather some twenty countries.
From world solidarity with Goran Bregovic and his Letters to Satajevo and orchestrated musical weavings by Master Jordi Savall with his show Ibn Battuta, the traveller of Islam, to the South Soweto Gospel , Au ccoeur de l’Afrique Soufie (At the heart of Sufy Africa) with the Mtendeni Maulid Zanzibar ensemble, from the High Egypt ensemble and the Khadre Sufi songs of Senegal, the musical program of the Sefarad diaspora and Slat Al Fassyine, the present edition shall, thus , perpetuate the soul of the city with its maintained ramifications among the diverse traditions which constitute the very foundations of the History of Morocco.
The Forum, which will take place concurrently from 23rd to 25th June, will feature the participation of a number of scholars, writers and philosophers who will highlight tolerance and living together through the Arts and Music
Fez and its Fesival are delighted to welcome you..
Abderrafi Zouiten
President