By Siham Ali, " Fez Festival of World Sacred Music remains true to its roots " - Magharebia - USAMonday, June 1, 2009
The 15th edition of the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music offers a spectacular programme.
The World Sacred Music Festival, held in Morocco's spiritual centre of Fez, has 15 candles on its birthday cake. Over the years, the annual cultural rendezvous has gone from a small concert with just a few artists to an event attracting international performers and visitors.
Running this year from May 29th to June 6th, the festival draws guests from places as diverse as France and India, Algeria and Azerbaijan, Spain and Greece and more. Established artists and rising stars rub shoulders and share the same spiritual passion.
An ever-increasing number of people who love sacred music of all hues meet every year in the imperial city and send out a message that crosses religious and ideological boundaries, said Fatima Sadiqi, the president of the Spirit of Fez Foundation.
"This is a glimmer of light in these times when we need more than ever to understand one another and join together," she said.
The Festival remains faithful to its message: bringing peoples and religions together through sacred music. "This message touches the entire world, because sacred music and the thoughts it arouses belong to no particular age or religion, but speak to all, without distinction," Sadiqi noted.
The yearly festival sees itself as a centre of culture and music where the artistic and the sacred come together, with the major objective of promoting the image of Fez as a centre for peace and dialogue, both intra- and inter-culturally.
Madiha Souhail, who teaches Islamic studies, said this event represents a link between different cultures, and encourages peace and tolerance based on sacred music, which has always been present in Moroccan society.
According to organisers, the 15th Festival's artistic programme and the Rencontres de Fes sessions - a series of round-table discussions and conferences bringing together intellectuals from various countries - offer something new, while continuing to honour the Festival's brand image. Across its various sites, the Festival will continue to cast its spell over thousands of admirers.
This year, the Fez Festival has some particularly spectacular highlights on offer, especially the opening concert, where the great Lebanese composer and musician Marcel Khalifa paid homage to the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwiche.
For several days, the rhythm of life for those living in the spiritual capital will be dictated by the concerts, with their rich diversity of musical styles and Sufi atmosphere. Several areas are given over to the Festival; Bab Boujloud and the Aït Skato stage will host musical events and concerts. And Dar Tazi remains the venue for the Sufi Nights.
In addition to the music, there are other artistic events being organised, such as exhibitions of paintings, teaching workshops, and children's activities.
Fans of this artistic and spiritual event hope the Festival will maintain the image it has stamped on the international scene.
"The Festival gives the city an opportunity to revive the reputation it had in the old days, as a crossroads for peace and tolerance," said student Karim Tahiri.
The Festival of Sacred Music also offers film screenings, conferences, art exhibits and a city-wide fair.
Picture: Lebanese composer Marcel Khalifa opens the Sacred Music Festival in Fez. Photo: Getty Images.
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