Rabat – The Moroccan coastal city of Essaouira is gearing up to host the 24th edition of the Gnaoua Festival, a mesmerizing annual celebration of music and culture.

This annual event, which brings together music enthusiasts from across the world, is set to captivate audiences with its unique blend of traditional Gnaoua music and diverse artistic styles between June 22 and 24.

The organizers of the event promised a wide range of music performances, including Gnaoua, Reggae (which originated from Jamaica), and the Tambours (Drums) of Burundi, all of which are featured in UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

The iconic event will also feature the Qawwali music of Pakistan, adding to the diversity and rhythms of the festival.

The 2023 Gnaoua Festival has “curated an eclectic and insightful program that reflects these rich histories, these deeply authentic forms of cultural expression, and the communities that have safeguarded, valued and shared their heritage,” said the organizers in a press release.

Since its inaugural edition in 1998, the festival has become a popular and internationally recognized cultural event that showcases the vibrant music scene and rich heritage of Essaouira. 

The statement stressed that the event remains faithful to its “founding philosophy,” explaining that “it has always been a musical laboratory and a meeting place of unlimited possibilities.”

Read also: In Essaouira’s Gnaoua Festival, Music Transcends History

In addition, it highlighted the festival as a “space where intergenerational dialogue continues unabated, where those who hold the most secular traditions pass the torch to a new generation, who will, in turn, carry their living heritage forward with talent and conviction, always celebrating the audacity, the fire, and the creativity.”

Gnaoua music fuses captivating rhythms, soulful chants, and mystical traditions, creating a unique genre with strong spiritual roots.

The music genre originated from West Africa and is deeply laced with the historical experiences of sub-Saharan African slaves brought to Morocco in the 11th century.

In December 2019, UNESCO added the vibrant and captivating music genre of Gnaoua to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (ICH).