HIBAPRESS
The activities of the fourth edition of the international festival "Spirit of Cultures" in the city of Essaouira, which extended from February 14 to 17, 2026, concluded yesterday, at the House of Memory, in the presence of a significant official presence that included institutional officials, diplomats, and various cultural and spiritual figures.
This cultural event is organized by the Association of Youth of Authentic Art for Hearing and Heritage in the Qadiriyya Zawiya in Essaouira, the Three Cultures Foundation of the Mediterranean, and the Machado Foundation in Seville, in partnership with the Essaouira Mogador Association, with the aim of promoting the values of coexistence and dialogue between religions and cultures, by highlighting the spiritual and cultural commonalities between the societies of the Mediterranean basin. In a speech on the occasion, the King's Advisor and Founding President of the Essaouira Mogador Association, André Azoulay, stressed that the festival is not limited to celebrating the aesthetic and cultural dimensions, but embodies the Moroccan model in consolidating pluralism and recognizing diversity under the royal leadership, stressing that Essaouira remains among the few spaces where Muslims, Christians, and Jews meet for dialogue and acquaintance in an international context characterized by tensions and divisions. For her part, Patricia Del Pozo, the advisor in charge of culture and sports in the government of Andalusia, highlighted the symbolic dimension of the festival, considering that it transcends geographical borders and reflects a common will to spread the values of dialogue and mutual respect. The Spanish Ambassador to Morocco, Enrique Ojeda, also confirmed that Moroccan-Spanish relations are experiencing a positive dynamic, and that the cultural and intangible links between the two sides of the Mediterranean constitute a sustainable basis for cooperation and dialogue. The closing nights witnessed various musical performances that reflected the musical and cultural links between peoples, through artistic segments, spiritual sessions, and joint hymns between the three religions, in addition to the presence of musical groups and ritual performances that highlighted the musical diversity in the Mediterranean basin, where music was a tool for interaction and communication between the participating cultures. In the same context, Sharaf Ahmmid, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Arab Maghreb, confirmed that Essaouira represents a model in cultural diversity, thanks to its inclusion on the World Heritage List and its joining the Network of Creative Cities since 2019, stressing that dialogue between cultures is not just peaceful coexistence, but a practical path based on listening, mutual recognition, and joint creativity. The festival director, Hicham Dinar, also explained that the spirit of this event goes beyond the artistic celebration to turn into a space for serious thinking and dialogue between cultures and religions, through the organization of meetings, round tables, and artistic performances that highlight the values of hospitality and the common human element. The festival's activities concluded with dialogue sessions and musical and spiritual activities that reflected the spirit of brotherhood and mutual respect between the various cultural and religious components participating, confirming that culture and art remain a bridge to bring peoples closer together away from current political tensions.
