A CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH MOROCCAN SERVICE PROVIDERS

Mawazine is a major economic driver that makes a significant contribution to Moroccan businesses. Since its inception, the festival has developed a whole ecosystem of festival-related professions by fostering close collaboration with local service providers and hiring experienced professionals across every field.

The list of trades involved is extensive: stage managers, engineers, sound and lighting technicians, scenic installation technicians, technical directors, communications officers, administrative and management staff, security personnel, caterers, printers, and more.

Today, Mawazine works with over 125 partner companies, negotiating three-year contracts with key service providers. As a result, local businesses have been able to invest in equipment and train their teams to meet the demands of the world’s biggest international productions.

A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON TOURISM

Mawazine’s impact extends well beyond the entertainment industry. Retail, crafts, transport, catering, hospitality — in total, 3,000 direct and indirect jobs benefit from the festival. Every year, Mawazine generates a 22% growth in Rabat’s tourism revenue.

THREE BENEFICIARY SECTORS

Three sectors benefit from the Mawazine effect through significant revenue growth. Retail, catering and transport see their revenues grow by an average of 30% during the festival period. For local businesses, the festival is a major source of activity.

HOTELS AT FULL CAPACITY

During the festival, hotels experience an average revenue increase of +22%. Hotel occupancy breaks down as follows:

• 100% for 4- and 5-star establishments
• 63% for other hotel categories

This represents two to four times the normal occupancy rate.

THE IMPACT ON MOROCCO’S IMAGE

The appeal of international stars

Shakira, Quincy Jones, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, French Montana, Wiz Khalifa, Martin Garrix, Bruno Mars… The list of celebrities who have performed at Mawazine is a long one. The diversity of renowned artists reflects the festival’s international appeal, providing an extraordinary platform for Morocco’s global image.

Moreover, the presence of such headline acts generates significant interest from the international press, further amplified by the artists themselves, who run communications campaigns that enhance the image of both the event and the host country. By sharing their Mawazine experience, major music figures regularly mention Morocco on their social media, websites and fan pages — acting as true ambassadors and offering an invaluable reach for the Kingdom’s international reputation.

Promoting Moroccan artists

Showcasing Morocco also means spotlighting its artists. Mawazine is a vital platform for hundreds of artists who have few opportunities to express their talent, and who, thanks to such a prestigious festival, gain worldwide recognition. With more than half of its programme dedicated to Moroccan singers and musicians, Mawazine is the only festival in the country to give such prominent space to the finest representatives of Moroccan music — established stars such as RedOne, Latifa Raefat and Nass El Ghiwane, as well as emerging talents from the new Moroccan scene achieving unprecedented recognition, including Zouheir Bahaoui, Aminux, Cravata and Muslim.

Collaborative creations bringing together Moroccan artists and global stars

Many international artists have taken part in landmark collaborative creations in recent years. In 2009, Italian composer Ennio Morricone collaborated with a Moroccan choir. In 2011, guitar legend Carlos Santana made history by inviting Gnawa master Mâalem Bakbou to join him on the OLM stage. That same year, to mark Mawazine’s 10th anniversary, American producer Quincy Jones co-produced an Arabic rendition of his hit “Tomorrow” with Moroccan producer RedOne — a song dedicated to childhood, hope and peace, accompanied by a music video bringing together Arab and American artists in the spirit of the landmark charity song “We Are the World.” All proceeds were donated to Moroccan and Arab child protection associations.

This is in addition to the many collaborations between the Royal Symphonic Orchestra and iconic artists such as Roger Hodgson, Sting, Nigel Kennedy, George Benson and Kadim Al Sahir, as well as the original productions staged at the historic Chellah site:

• “Le Chant des Fleuves” — 2014
• “Une Musique dans Chaque Port” — 2015
• “Chants Mystiques du Monde” — 2016
• “D’île en île” — 2017
• “De Tar, Sitar, à Guitare” — 2018

Spreading the Kingdom’s values

Mawazine also serves as a vehicle for Morocco’s cultural model on the world stage, promoting the values the Kingdom stands for: tolerance, openness, sharing, exchange and diversity. This is why the festival has always offered a programme that embraces all the world’s cultures.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

Twenty years after its creation in 2001, Mawazine – Rhythms of the World has earned a status of its own: a Moroccan festival whose attendance and audience rival the world’s greatest cultural events. Each year, over 600 national journalists, 160 international journalists and nearly 220 media outlets — including 31 television channels — receive press accreditation.

This achievement, unique for an African event, is owed to Mawazine’s eclectic and exceptionally high-quality programming, which allows audiences to discover on stage both international stars and leading figures from Moroccan, Arab and African music.

With over 1,300 artists and approximately 120 shows across 6 venues, the festival welcomes world-renowned performers including Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Luis Fonsi, Rihanna, Lenny Kravitz, Scorpions, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Shakira, Whitney Houston, Avicii, Charles Aznavour, Deep Purple and Enrique Iglesias, alongside Kadim Al Sahir, Khaled, Nancy Ajram, Warda Al Jazayria, Amr Diab, Majida El Roumi, Souad Massi, Tamer Hosny, Sherine, Cheb Mami and Najwa Karam.

This resolutely international dimension is matched by critical and public acclaim, making Mawazine – Rhythms of the World a festival deeply cherished by music lovers of all generations. Particular attention is paid to the diversity of artists and genres, with the programme blending celebrated names and lesser-known but equally talented performers. Each year, Mawazine audiences have the opportunity to discover great interpreters of traditional music, including Selamnesh & Badume’s Azmari Band, L’Ensemble Shanbehzadeh, Ali Azam & Niyaz, Sepideh Raissadat, Sabry Mosbah, Lole Montoya, Alexey Arkhipovskiy, Kayhan Kalhor & Erdal Erzincan, Goran Bregovic, Taraf de Haïdouks and Patrizia Laquidara.

Proud of its African identity, the festival is also a powerful platform for the sounds of the continent. From Cameroon to South Africa, including the Caribbean and the Antilles where African influence runs deep, the festival welcomes legendary figures such as Manu Dibango, Jimmy Cliff, Cesaria Evora and Hugh Masekela, as well as acclaimed artists including Angélique Kidjo, Cheikh Lo, Mory Kanté, Salif Keita, Sidiki Diabaté, Youssou N’Dour, and newer acts such as Freshly Ground and Magic System.

With so much talent gathered in one place, the Mawazine – Rhythms of the World Festival is, much like the country that hosts it, an extraordinary crossroads of encounters. Many boundary-crossing collaborations have come to life through pairings such as Moroccan lutenist Saâd Chraïbi and American jazz guitarist Al Di Meola, Don Big and Omar Sosa, Lui Fang and Driss El Maaloumi, Fortunat Frölich and the Moroccan Choir, and Sting with the Royal Symphonic Orchestra. This fusion of genres and personalities is also reflected in a programme that honours the great names of jazz — the ultimate crossover music — including George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Harry Connick Jr. and, more recently, Ibrahim Maalouf.

Finally, more than any other festival in Morocco, Mawazine – Rhythms of the World gives Moroccan music unparalleled international visibility, showcasing the Kingdom’s finest talents across all generations: Nass El Ghiwane, Abdelouahab Doukkali, Jil Jilala, Zouheir Bahaoui, Youssef Guelzim, Masta Flow, Muslim, Ribab Fusion, Cravata and Tiiw Tiiw.