It was on 18 May 2002 that the performance of the Diablada set the tone for the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival. Thanks to its colourful roaming show, the Bolivian troupe raised the curtain on a new event and gave festival-goers the hope of accessing an unprecedented plurality. From that day, the Festival and its organisers committed to offering the Moroccan public cultural entertainment of international scope, of quality, and to everyone's taste.

More than twenty years later, the Maroc Cultures Association still strives to honour this promise by organising what has, over the years, become the second-largest festival in the world. Organising the event could not have been done without a number of foundations and values upheld by Maroc Cultures and listed below:

THE SPECTATOR AT THE CENTRE OF OUR CONCERNS – DIVERSITY, TOLERANCE AND SHARING

A PLURAL FESTIVAL:

The main mission of the Mawazine — Rhythms of the World Festival, as stated when the Maroc Cultures Association was created, is to “guarantee the audiences of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër Region cultural and artistic entertainment of an eminently professional level, worthy of the Kingdom's Capital.” To this end, the Festival makes a point of respecting everyone's tastes, desires and inclinations. Rich and eclectic, its programming brings together great names of the Moroccan and pan-Arab scene, internationally renowned stars and recognised performers of the planet's main musical traditions. Alongside the concerts, the event is also the setting for original musical creations and extraordinary street shows. Furthermore, the Festival works constantly towards the meeting of cultures by inviting quality artists from all over the world — no fewer than 97 countries have been represented since its creation. Through varied styles and personalities from all backgrounds, young talents or established stars, the Mawazine — Rhythms of the World Festival reflects today's creativity in all its forms.

AN ACCESSIBLE FESTIVAL:

Particular attention is paid to the Moroccan population's access to the concerts and events organised by the Association. With free access to 90% of concerts, the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival supports access to culture for all Moroccans. This commitment is reinforced by the presence of 6 stages spread across a vast area, in Rabat and Salé, in order to reach as many people as possible.

The Festival's various sites are also designed to optimise accessibility for different audiences and allow them to experience Mawazine in its entirety. The Maroc Cultures Association thus makes a point of allowing all types of audiences to fully enjoy the shows. With this in mind, raised platforms with access ramps for people with reduced mobility are placed within the main sites. A complete arrangement is also made available to them (reception, security, adaptation of equipment, etc.).

A FESTIVAL THAT MEETS STANDARDS:

Through its festive and high-quality cultural character, the Festival attracts a large, open and receptive audience. The objective of the Festival's security and health teams is to offer the best conditions of comfort and safety to all festival-goers. To allow the public to follow the concerts as comfortably and safely as possible, the Festival takes place in accordance with the international standards in force. The stages, installations, circulation corridors, emergency exits and all infrastructure open to the public benefit from optimal safety conditions, as well as the daily presence of law enforcement, civil protection and health services.

RABAT, CAPITAL OF THE CULTURAL JOURNEY

A BRIDGE BETWEEN TRADITION AND MODERNITY:

The keystone of the Festival is undeniably the city of Rabat which, for more than a decade, has been the stage for a multitude of shows staged in different ways within distinct settings. Far from being merely a spectator, Rabat contributes greatly to the Festival's success by making available its streets, historic monuments and symbolic places of Moroccan culture. By hosting this unique event, the city — listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site — transforms every year into a true open-air stage, thus helping to promote the authenticity of the Capital's history while working towards the creation of a modern and open Morocco.

A FESTIVAL AT THE SERVICE OF ITS COLLABORATORS:

Mawazine's impact is not limited to the entertainment industry. In total, 5,000 direct and indirect jobs benefit from the Festival. Since 2011, Mawazine has thus generated 22% growth in Rabat's tourism revenue.

Three sectors benefit from the Mawazine effect through significant growth in their revenues. With clear growth in their turnover, retail, catering and the transport sector see their revenues grow by an average of 30% during the festival. For these local businesses, the festival is an important source of activity.

During the Festival, hotels experience average revenue growth of +22%. During the festival, hotel occupancy is 100% for 4/5-star hotels and 63% for other hotels. That is two to four times more than in a normal period.

A FESTIVAL WITH DIVERSE SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

PROMOTING YOUNG TALENT AND MOROCCAN ARTISTS

Taking part in Morocco's influence also means showcasing its artists. Mawazine is an important platform for hundreds of artists who have few opportunities to express their talent and who, thanks to such a prestigious Festival, shine all over the world. Mawazine is indeed the only Festival in the country to devote nearly half of its programming to the best representatives of Moroccan music, by offering a 100% Moroccan stage on Salé Beach.

Accomplished stars such as RedOne or Nass El Ghiwane, but also talents of the new Moroccan scene such as Zouheir Bahaoui or Cravata, perform on the Festival's stages and offer a rare experience to spectators. This presence is built through unique creations highlighting a musical fusion between Moroccan and foreign artists. Indeed, many international artists have collaborated on emblematic creations that have remained engraved in memory:

SUPPORTING SOCIAL CAUSES AND SPREADING THE KINGDOM'S VALUES

In a discreet but concrete way, the Maroc Cultures Association supports several socio-cultural causes. Since 2013, an incentive policy in favour of people with disabilities has been put in place. This policy takes the form of providing dozens of free tickets to associations working for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the socio-educational environment.

Mawazine also has the vocation of carrying the Moroccan cultural model abroad, while working to spread the values the Kingdom upholds: tolerance, exchange and diversity. This is why the festival has always offered programming that embraces all the cultures of the world. It is also for this reason that, in 2011, the festival organised the concert “The Voices of Peace,” launched in response to the Marrakech attack. This concert gathered nearly 45,000 people on the Red City's racing circuit, who came to listen for 7 hours to music stars (Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Mory Kanté, etc.) and Moroccan artists (Nass El Ghiwane, Hajja Hamdaouiya, Saida Charaf, etc.). On this occasion, a cheque for 3,500,000 dirhams was donated by Maroc Cultures to the families of the Moroccan and foreign victims.

A SELF-SUFFICIENT FESTIVAL, INDEPENDENT OF PUBLIC MONEY

Since 2012, the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival has been one of the only Moroccan events to receive no public contribution, thanks to the development of a reliable and profitable economic model for the Festival. Variable revenues (ticketing, cards, advertising spaces, etc.) now represent 68% of Mawazine's total budget, which has thereby considerably reduced its dependence on private sponsors. This result is the fruit of a long evolution that, over 11 years, has enabled Mawazine to be almost entirely self-sufficient.

Today, more than ever, Mawazine is a free civic event whose economic independence is ensured by the success of each of its editions, the loyalty of its spectators and the lasting support of its partners.