Placed under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival is preparing to celebrate its 21st edition. What a journey since its creation in 2001! The Festival’s commitment to making culture accessible to all, and its contribution to the development of a national live entertainment industry, are undoubtedly its most emblematic achievements. Every year, more than 2.5 million festival-goers — 90% of whom attend free of charge — enjoy nine days of high-calibre artistic programming, broadcast worldwide and followed by tens of millions of viewers. This unique platform not only gives the Moroccan scene global visibility, but also reflects the richness of the world’s cultures. Conveying the values of diversity, sharing and tolerance is, in this regard, a major achievement of the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival.

The internationalisation of the festival is another landmark success. Twenty years after its creation, the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival has welcomed the greatest artists from every continent — Bruno Mars, Hardwell, The Weeknd, Enrique Iglesias, French Montana, Charles Aznavour, Mariah Carey, Quincy Jones, Jamiroquai, Lionel Richie, Nancy Ajram, Sting, Wael Jassar, Majida El Roumi, Alicia Keys, Martin Solveig, Kadem Al Saher, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston, among many others. Their memorable performances have been the source of deeply moving moments. Through the richness of their repertoires, their origins and their heritage, each of them has, in their own way, served as an ambassador for this event — contributing to its growing visibility far beyond our borders and making Mawazine a widely known and recognised festival.

The Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival has succeeded in embodying all the cultural and artistic energy that drives the Kingdom. With nearly six hundred national and international journalists in attendance, each edition is a window that bears witness to the extraordinary vitality and creativity of the Moroccan scene, for which the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival is an unmissable platform. This media enthusiasm is further amplified by an increasingly significant social media presence — a testament to the festival’s ability to bring together the younger generation around a shared ideal: growing together, setting aside divisions and differences.

These achievements belong to all of us. Organisers, festival-goers, authorities, administrations, services, partners, sponsors, businesses, volunteers… To all of them, our heartfelt thanks for their efforts. Through their support and loyalty, they have all contributed to making the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival what it is today — and what it will continue to be tomorrow: a truly popular yet uncompromisingly demanding event, defined by the quality of its programming as well as the outstanding welcome extended to both audiences and artists.

It is therefore with great pride that I look forward to seeing you from June 19 to 27, 2026 for a twenty-first edition celebrating diversity and festivity. Let the music begin!

Abdeslem Ahizoune President of the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival President of the Maroc Cultures Association