Ahmed Wazrouti – HIBAPRESS
Under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God support him, the city of Ouarzazate is preparing to host the 14th edition of the National Festival of Ahwach Arts, from October 22 to 24, 2026, under the theme "Ahwach Arts and World Rhythms."
This event is organized by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication – Department of Culture – in partnership with the Province of Ouarzazate and the Ouarzazate Events Association, with support from the Provincial Council of Ouarzazate, the Communal Council of Ouarzazate, the Draa Tafilalet Regional Council, and the Moroccan National Tourism Office, with the participation of approximately one thousand male and female artists representing the various colors and expressions of Ahwach art.
The new edition aims to renew the rendezvous with one of the most prominent forms of artistic expression associated with Amazigh culture, as it is a fundamental pillar of Morocco's intangible cultural heritage, through a diverse program that combines artistic performances, intellectual seminars, training workshops, and masterclasses, in addition to other cultural and heritage activities.
The program aims to highlight the artistic and aesthetic richness of Ahwach arts, with its harmonious interplay of collective rhythm, dance, singing, poetry, traditional attire, and physical expression, in an artistic form that embodies aspects of the cultural and social memory of Moroccan society.
The fourteenth edition also aims to continue efforts to preserve and value this cultural heritage and ensure its continuity and transmission to future generations, by involving artists, researchers, and heritage enthusiasts, and opening spaces for dialogue, training, and exchange of experiences.
The choice of the theme "Ahwach Arts and World Rhythms" signifies the openness of this heritage art to global musical experiences and rhythms, and the ability of local heritage to interact with various forms of artistic expression coming from multiple cultures and horizons, without losing its specificity and identity.
The current edition will pay special attention to the issue of recognizing artistic contributions, by celebrating a number of personalities whose careers have been linked to Ahwach art in various regions of the Kingdom, in appreciation of their contributions to preserving this art, developing its practice, and ensuring its continuity across generations.
The festival is not limited to presenting artistic performances; it also constitutes a cultural and tourist event that contributes to promoting the city of Ouarzazate and its heritage, cultural, and tourist potentials. Symbolic venues are expected to host a number of its programs, most notably the historic Taourirt Kasbah, Al-Mouahidine Square, and the tourist area.
For three days, Ouarzazate will transform into a space for celebrating Ahwach art and a meeting point for artists, researchers, enthusiasts, and the public, thereby enhancing the city's cultural presence and the dynamism of the cultural scene in the Draa Tafilalet region.
Thus, the fourteenth edition of the National Festival of Ahwach Arts continues to solidify Ouarzazate's position as a prominent host of Moroccan cultural heritage, in an event that combines authenticity, creativity, and openness to the rhythms of the world.
