Fez — Moroccan cultural entrepreneur Brahim El Mazned has won the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture, adding a major international distinction to a career built around music, heritage, and cultural diplomacy.
El Mazned, recently appointed Deputy General Director and Artistic Director of the Royal Theater of Rabat, shares the 21st edition of the prize with the Dhow Countries Music Academy in Tanzania.
The award ceremony is scheduled for June 24 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, according to the announcement.
The UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture recognizes two laureates each year for exceptional contributions to the development, promotion, and global visibility of Arab art and culture.
UNESCO describes the prize as an annual distinction for individuals, groups, or institutions whose work has strengthened the dissemination and understanding of Arab culture worldwide.
A recognition of cultural work beyond borders
The award places El Mazned’s long-running cultural work within an international frame. His career has focused on building platforms for artists, strengthening professional networks, and promoting Morocco’s musical heritage across Africa, the Arab world, and beyond.
UNESCO’s own cultural diversity profile presents El Mazned as the director and founder of “Visa For Music,” described as a leading forum and market for music from Africa and the Middle East. The same profile also lists him as artistic director of “Festival Timitar” in Agadir, a major event associated with Amazigh culture and world music.
That background gives the prize a clear Moroccan dimension. El Mazned’s work has often connected local heritage with international circulation, helping Moroccan and regional artists reach professional spaces that can expand their audience and opportunities.
From Timitar to Rabat’s Royal Theater
The distinction comes only weeks after El Mazned took on a major new role at the Royal Theater of Rabat, one of Morocco’s most visible cultural venues. Morocco World News reported in April that he had been appointed Deputy General and Artistic Director as the Zaha Hadid-designed venue opened its first live performance.
That timing gives the award added weight. El Mazned is entering the Royal Theater with a global recognition attached to the same values that shaped his previous work: artistic transmission, cultural access, and international exchange.
The Royal Theater’s opening also positioned Rabat more strongly as a cultural capital. The venue, located in the Bouregreg Valley, has been presented as part of the broader “Rabat, City of Light” cultural vision and as one of the Kingdom’s flagship cultural projects.
The UNESCO-Sharjah Prize was created in 1998 and is funded by Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
UNESCO project information lists the prize as a $60,000 (nearly MAD 552,000) award shared between two laureates, honoring artistic, intellectual, or promotional work that contributes to Arab culture’s global reach.
