Amazigh Festival a "Resounding Sucess"

The eleventh edition of the International Festival of Amazigh Culture, held in Fez with the theme "Alliance of Cultures and Religions for Peace", was a resounding success at the academic, artistic and organisational levels. It focused on the positive impact of the alliance of cultures and religions for peace and the consolidation of unity, social cohesion and peace in the world

The international forum brought together 14 nationalities and thirty speakers and writers such as Fawzia Zouari and Salwa Hamrouni (Tunisia), Jean-Marie Simon and Enza Palamara (France), Djibril Ly (Mauritania), Moha Souag Mohamed Nedali and Kabbal Maati (Morocco), Johan Goud and Jan Jaap de Ruiter (Netherlands), Mohamed Benrabeh, Belkcem Boumdini and Hadriya Nebia (Algeria), Murat Bilhan (Turkey), Keith Martin (USA) and others.

The forum highlighted the role of Amazigh culture as a culture of joy, sharing, hospitality and exchange, as well as the positive impact of intercultural and inter-faith dialogue on social peace, modernity, democracy, and sustainable development.

Amazigh millitant Moha Lyoussi with Festival Director Moha Ennaji

Participants discussed Amazigh civilisation and heritage in the North African culture, Amazigh, identity and writing, social representations of cultures and religions, the dialogue of cultures and the prevention and resolution conflicts and the role of alliance of cultures and religions in maintaining peace.

The forum highlighted the contribution of the Amazigh culture to the consolidation of peace, democracy, development and modernity. It pleaded to make cultural diversity a lever for economic, social and cultural integration.

For its 11th anniversary, the festival has offered no less than eighteen concerts and ended with Ahidous Oulmes,  Laura Conti and Nadia Laaroussi.

Nadia Laaroussi ending the festival on a high note

Some 120 artists and musicians representing different regions of Morocco, Italy and Spain have participated in this festival which also included exhibitions of books, exhibitions of paintings and art Amazigh carpets, in addition to panel discussions and workshops on painting and storytelling.

Participants in the international forum made the following recommendations:

1) Emphasis of the central role of the Amazigh language and culture as vectors of universal values of intercultural and interfaith dialogue.
2) Strengthening common values shared by the three monotheistic religions.
3) Developing inter-civilisational and intercultural understanding as essential rampart against the rise of religious extremism.
4) Strengthening respect for gender equality and the preservation of social integration.
5) Encouraging the values of peace and understanding, especially among school children through textbooks.
6) Fostering self-criticism and work on people's mentality as a method of conflict prevention and resolution.
7) Diminishing the impact of economic globalisation.

The View From Fez congratulates all those involved for a wonderful, creative and productive festival 

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