The budding artist Chaîmae Reddane wins the 1st prize of the Sijilmassa Festival of the Art of Malhoun. The 2nd prize awarded to the singer (Al Mounchida) Sara Baadi. The 3rd prize went ex-aequo to Nizar Rahimi and Sakina Ahlhanine.

The budding artist Chaîmae Reddane, representative of the city of Azemmour, won on Saturday in the under-16 category the 1st prize of the 21st Festival of the Art of Malhoun, organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture and the province of Errachidia.

The jury of this 21st edition composed of masters Mohamed El Wali, Noureddine Chemas, and Abdelkarim Saddiki, awarded the 2nd prize to the singer (Al Mounchida) Sara Baadi. The 3rd prize went ex-aequo to Nizar Rahimi and Sakina Ahlhanine.

This artistic meeting aims primarily at prospecting budding artists as well as young talents who have distinguished themselves in the art of Malhoun, affirmed, in a statement to the MAP, the president of the Association of Friends of the Sijilmassa Festival of the Art of Malhoun, Mohamed Benchad Alaloui.

After highlighting the art of Malhoun as a cultural heritage forming part of original oral traditions, Benchad emphasised the role played by these young mounchidines and artists, notably in the learning and preservation of this poetic and musical art as well as its transmission to the rising generation.

According to the organisers, the "Malhoun" poet generally does not make use of writing to compose, nor to record his productions and his creativity, is indeed considered as an inspiration and a revelation. The great "Malhoun" poets have contributed, over time, to the influence and development of this art and this, with the support of a body of artisans and art trades.

Many fans of the art of Malhoun admired, during the last concert of this artistic meeting, songs interpreted with brilliance by musical troupes known at the national level, like the orchestras of Sijilmassa, Rabat Salé-Kénitra, and Taroudant, which presented selections of their most beautiful songs.