Asilah, July 12: The 32nd Asilah Festival opened in Morocco on Saturday 10th July, with the UAE being unveiled as the Official Guest of Honour for the festival, which runs from July 10th to July 27th.
The ceremony – held in the Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Library – was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the representative of the Head of State, Abdul Rahman Al Owais, the UAE Minister for Culture, Youth and Community Development , Dr. Sami Al Masri, Deputy Director General of ADACH; dignitaries, artists and cultural personalities from Morocco, the UAE and around the world..
In a letter from His Majesty Mohammed VI, the Moroccan King welcomed the UAE as the Festival’s Guest of Honour and emphasised the importance of tackling the environmental problems that world faced. He also said that culture “is at least as important in life as material factors, especially in this era of the knowledge and communication-based society.”
The Mayor of Asilah and festival founder Mohamed Benaissa, said:
“I am particularly proud with the participation of the United Arab Emirates. It is great to get to know them on many levels – culturally, scientifically and developmentally.
“Their participation gives this 32nd Asilah Festival special significance. The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Masdar have all made huge efforts to prepare the events that you will see over the coming weeks.
“Our invitation to the UAE was based on our existing fraternal relationship and desire to enhance that. It also represents the gratitude of the citizens of the town of Asilah towards the UAE. Our country is an extension of yours.”
These sentiments were echoed by Mohammed Mazrouei, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, (ADACH): “The organizers of the Asilah festival chose the United Arab Emirates as guest of honour this year because of the prominent position that the country enjoys in the Arab region and throughout the world in promoting the development process by the most effective means, which is through culture, heritage and the arts. The Asilah Festival is a unique global event, in that it motivates the population and involves it in creating a living space that is supported by culture, rooted in heritage and cultivating artistic growth. ADACH has an extensive programme at Assiah and a significant presence from several exhibitions, to the screenings of Emirati films, poetry, art and discussion programmes on Cultural diplomacy”.
This series of events have been being organised by ADACH under the title of: “Renewable Energy – A Leap Towards Human Development”, there will be more than forty-five countries from around the world participating in this year’s festival. It is one of the most important art festivals in the Middle East and North Africa and seeks to promote cultural exchange and create a society of open dialogue between different countries. Its ethos is to celebrate the values of peace and tolerance.
Asilah is a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco, about fifty km from Tangier. Its ramparts remain fully intact. It is now a popular seaside resort and home to the renowned thirty-two year-old international arts festival. Dating back to 1500 B.C., the Phoenicians used Asilah as a trade base.
—Agencies