Essaouira Celebrates the Gnawa and World Music Festival 2025: 350 Artists and Unique Artistic and Spiritual Experiences
Essaouira is preparing to host the “Gnawa and World Music Festival” this year, scheduled from June 19 to 21, transforming the city into an international hub for musical fusion and cultural dialogue.
The festival, which spans three days, serves as a platform bringing together masters of the Gnawa art, guardians of authentic spiritual heritage, with stars of global music. It offers a unique artistic and spiritual experience aimed at enhancing cultural exchange and creating innovative sound experiences that blend spiritual traditions with the vibrancy of contemporary youth.
The festival will kick off with a joyous parade through the streets of Essaouira, featuring traditional rhythms and colors before the opening concert on the Moulay Hassan stage, with contributions from Maalem Hamid El Kasri, a living symbol of Gnawa rituals, and the Senegalese band Bakalama, alongside prominent artists Abir Al Abed and Kya Loom, in performances that merge Moroccan spirituality with traditional rhythms and contemporary music.
The festival presents a diverse array of shows that bring together veteran masters and a new generation of artists, where Maalem Hossam Kenya collaborates with American drummer Marcus Gilmore, while Mourad El Marjan engages in a Sufi dialogue with Dhafer Youssef, a pioneer of Sufi jazz.
Female participation is notably strong, featuring artists like Hamzaoui and the Timbuktu Girls, as well as Malian singer Rokia Traoré, who deliver songs reflecting resistance and female solidarity, combining social commitment with musical traditions.
The festival will also launch a new creative project led by Maalem Mohamed Boujmia, involving a group of musicians from Morocco, Mali, and France, creating a sound experience that blends balafon, kora, and wind instruments in a composition that reflects the spirit of collective cooperation.
Stars of the African diaspora will attend, including SIMA Funk from the Afro-Cuban scene, reggae legend Tiken Jah Fakoly, and Nigerian sensation CKay, in performances that attract a multigenerational audience.
This edition will feature over 350 artists, including 40 Gnawa masters, presenting 54 concerts in various venues ranging from open-air spaces to heritage sites, providing a rich and comprehensive musical experience.
The festival will also host the twelfth edition of the Human Rights Forum, focusing this year on the theme “Human Movements and Cultural Dynamics,” featuring a select group of thinkers and creators in discussions exploring the relationships between migration, creativity, and identity.
Additionally, the “Berklee at the Gnawa and World Music Festival” program returns for its second edition, offering advanced training opportunities for young musicians from 23 countries, alongside activities from the “Cultural Intersections and Globalization Chair” that will organize roundtables on spirituality and music.
Cultural activities will vary, including “Tree of Words” meetings, the exhibition “Between Play and Memory” at Bab Marrakech Tower, street concerts, and open workshops, enriching the visitor experience and enhancing the festival atmosphere beyond the main performances.
