2nd National Festival of Sahraoui-Hassani Theatre, promoting Sahraoui-Hassani culture
The Atelier Wafa de théâtre d’Agadir organized from 14 to 18 May 2014 in Agadir the 2nd National Festival of Sahraoui-Hassani Theater. This four-day cultural event was held with the support of the CNDH, the National Phosphates Corporate (OCP), the Agency of the South, the Center for Sahraoui Studies, the Ministry of Culture, the Agadir Press Institute, and Souss Massa Daraa Association for Culture.
Audiences from Agadir and the other Moroccan cities were invited to enjoy the art of live sahraoui-Hassani performers from Agadir, Laayoune, Guelmim and Essmara. Roundtables, training workshops, poetry and music concerts were scheduled for the event as well.
Chairing the opening session of the festival, CNDH Secretary General, Mr. Mohamed Essabbar, reaffirmed the commitment of the Council and its three regional commissions in the Southern Provinces (Laayoune-Essmara, Dakhla-Oussred, and Guelmim-Tantan) to promoting and protecting human rights, in general, and cultural rights in particular, in the region.
In addition to its support to this festival, the CNDH launched several projects to promote the Hassani culture, which is one of the linguistic and cultural expressions recognized in the Moroccan Constitution. Indeed, the Council and the Center for Sahraoui Studies, which was, itself, established with the support of the Council, released in April 2013 an anthology promoting the music of four Sahraoui-Hassani bands. The CNDH, and several national partners, launched a project to build a museum in the city of Dakhla and launch a master course on Saharan studies. It also supports and participates in the activities of the Moussem of Tan Tan, an annual cultural celebration inscribed in 2008 on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.