Rabat – The Association “Le Grand Atlas” is set to hold the 51st edition of the national folk arts festival from July 1 to 5 in Marrakech.

The festival, in collaboration with Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, will be organized under the theme “Songs and Eternal Rhythms,” the organizers announced on Monday, March 14. 

The festival, which has been celebrating folk arts for more than 50 years across all regions of Morocco, positions itself as a sustainable cultural event to preserve Moroccan heritage, said Le Grand Atlas in a statement.

The event will be held at the Badia Palace, a centuries-old historical monument in the Red City.

The week-long festival aims to immerse spectators with an “in-depth renovation of a heritage with many artistic facets and social and spiritual dimensions,” the statement added.

Organizing the 51st edition of the National Festival of Folk Arts after the COVID-19 pandemic “is more than a promotion of the Red City and the national cultural heritage,” the statement noted.

“It is a real challenge of time by the authenticity of the ancestral arts that remain even more alive over the years,” it concluded.

In-person music and cultural festivals have been on standby in Morocco due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The North African country is gradually allowing larger gatherings in festivals, restaurants, and public spaces, making sure that social distancing and preventative measures are still respected to curb any further spread of the virus.

Last week, the largest festival of the World Flamenco Congress began its international tour featuring dance, music, and forums in Morocco.

Read Also: The World’s Largest Flamenco Festival Begins its Tour in Morocco