Morocco music fest seeks harmonious ’soul’ of globalisation
As world musicians including those from India turned up in this ancient town in Morocco for a festival of religious music, political figures and thinkers sat under an oak tree at the weekend debating ways of bringing spiritual harmony to the globalised world.
The 12th edition of the festival, which opened on Friday, brings together spiritual and religious music from India, Syria, Iran, Mali, Latin America, Japan, Tibet, Azerbaijan and the Mediterranean under the theme of “Harmonies”.
“Globalisation has no meaning unless it has a soul, a universal collective vision that could give it a direction, that could act to transform the world,” said Mohamed Kabbaj, president of the Fez festival of world sacred music said at a meeting in the tree-shaded garden of Fez’s 19th century Batha Palace.
The Fez Foundation that organises the festival says in its mission statement that one if its aims is promote the historical holy city — noted for its Qaraouine University — as a centre of intercultural contact.
Fez claims a history of harmony between different cultures. Jews, Christians and Muslims lived side by side in the city after its founding in 789.
Since 2000, the festival has included a discussion forum called Fez encounters, bringing together politicians, academics, religious leaders and social activists. This year’s forum aims to discuss matters such as poverty, spirituality and economics, and Islam and Globalisation.
Some 60 delegates from Morocco, France, Tunisia, the United States and Germany, plus Israelis and Palestinians were expected to take part in the forum discussions.
