Gnaoua and World Music Festival – 26th edition in Essaouira

From June 19 to 21, 2025, Essaouira will vibrate to the rhythm of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival, an emblematic event celebrating the richness of Moroccan musical heritage and sounds from around the world. For its 26th edition, the festival promises an exceptional program, bringing together Gnaoua masters (maâlems) and international artists for unprecedented musical fusions.

Since its inception in 1998, the festival has become a key cultural hub, showcasing Gnawa music, a form of ancestral African heritage, and fostering exchanges between tradition and modernity. Essaouira's stages will host open-air concerts, intimate performances, and parallel events such as the Human Rights Forum and the Palaver Tree space, spaces for reflection and dialogue around societal and cultural themes.

Expected artists include iconic figures such as Maâlem Hamid El Kasri, Maâlem Abdelkebir Merchane, as well as international artists such as Buika and The Brecker Brothers Band Reunion.

The festival is also marked by the collaboration with the Berklee College of Music, offering workshops and performances highlighting the fusion of musical styles and the transmission of knowledge.