"Giving Soul to Globalisation. Our Era and Challenge: Culture and Identity - Mandela's spiritual legacy - Lessons for our Era"
The Festival’s first forum opened to the high-pitched bird sounds of Bolivia’s Luzmila Carpio as the Musee Bartha became an aviary. Her songs transported the crowd to the sky above as the local bird life responded to her calls. The short performance ended with the singer using her shawl like wings to soar with the birds she obviously loves. This enchanting performance of respect between Luzmila Carpio and the wildlife she imitates set the scene for the first of the Festival’s forums.
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| Luzmila Carpio channelling the local birdlife |
The title for this year’s forums is Our Era of Transition and Challenge: Culture and Identity. Today’s discussion focused on the lessons and legacies of Mandela and speakers included France’s former Culture and Education Minister Jack Lang who has written a book about Mandela.
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| France’s former Culture and Education Minister Jack Lang with Faouzi Skali |
Mr Lang highlighted Mandela’s non-violent attitude towards South Africa’s previous apartheid regimes moving his country forward through reconciliation.
He told the audience “Culture for Mandela was an instrument of freedom and liberation. He used this to conquer disunity”
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| Bariza Khiari |
This theme was also reflected in Bariza Khiari’s address. The Vice President of the French Senate told the forum Mandela forgave his jailers giving him spiritual ease. She said this is the Sufi way and that is the heart of Islam.
“To forgive is not to forget. To forgive is to refuse that evil dominates us. Forgiveness is an act of freedom and allows us to get out of the spiral of violence.”
Out of this discussion came a message for those nation's in the region that are experiencing dramatic change. The key to freedom is forgiveness not violence.
Sunday’s Forum will focus on Social harmony in plural, multicultural societies and what we have learned.
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| Instant translation is available |
Text: Stephanie Kennedy
Photographs: Sandy McCutcheon
Tomorrow at the Fes Festival (Sunday June 15)
Fez Forum at 9 at Batha Museum: Giving Soul to Globalisation. Culture and Identity
Batha Museum 4pm: Luzmila Carpio - Bolivia
Bab Al Makina 9pm: Youssou Ndour & Johnny Clegg
Festival in the City 4pm: Jnan Sbil Garden: Songs of the Aisawa Sufi Brotherhood
Festival in the City 10.30pm: Musa Dieng Kala / Jil Jilala
Sufi Night at Dar Tazi 11pm: Brotherhood of the Darkaouia Zaouia (lodge), Essaouira
Tomorrow's Weather: Max 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 Fahrenheit)
Fez Medina Map
The View from Fez is an official media partner of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music
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