Rabat – As part of the 2026 edition of the Gnaoua Festival , the 13th Human Rights Forum will take place on June 26-27 under the theme “Youth of the World: Freedom, Identity, Future.”
The two-day gathering will bring together intellectuals, artists, policymakers, journalists, and civil society leaders to explore the challenges and aspirations shaping younger generations in a rapidly changing world.
Held in partnership with the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad, the forum has established itself as one of the festival’s defining platforms for dialogue, examining major contemporary issues through the lens of human rights, culture, and creativity.
This year’s edition places youth at the center of the conversation, highlighting their role as active drivers of social, cultural, and political transformation.
The program will open with a keynote address by Senegalese philosopher Souleymane Bachir Diagne, whose lecture will explore the major questions confronting young people worldwide amid geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, climate challenges, and evolving identities.
A headline discussion titled “Freedom Under Pressure: Being Young in a World of Tensions” will feature Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid alongside former French Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.
Drawing on their experiences as young political leaders, they will discuss public policies aimed at supporting youth aspirations in education, culture, civic participation, and freedom.
Three thematic roundtables will follow. The first, “Arts & Cultures: Creating to Exist,” will examine artistic expression as a tool for empowerment and social change.
A second discussion, “Identities in Motion: Growing Between Worlds,” will address belonging, cultural transmission, and identity in increasingly interconnected societies, with participants including novelist Leïla Slimani.
The final session, “New Forms of Engagement: When Youth Reinvent Action,” will focus on emerging models of civic participation and social entrepreneurship.
According to festival producer Neila Tazi, the forum extends the festival’s commitment to dialogue and cultural exchange beyond music, creating a space where young voices can engage with the pressing issues of the day.
Driss El Yazami emphasized that while young people face significant challenges, they also represent a vital source of creativity, imagination, and innovation for the future.
