The 3rd edition of the National Festival of Al-Haït Art

was held from 26 to 28 May in Sidi Slimane, at the initiative of the Ministry of Culture.

The curtain fell last Thursday on the National Festival of Al-Haït Art. This cultural and artistic event testifies to the richness of the ancestral legacy of a region that is beginning to experience multidimensional dynamism and development.

Organised in partnership with the Sidi Slimane prefecture, the council of the Gharb-Chrarda-Bni Hssen region, the municipal council and the provincial council of the city, this festival aims to contribute to the preservation of local cultural heritage, its promotion among new generations and the celebration of its pioneers and symbols.

El Adaoui, Wali of the Gharb-Chrarda-Bni Hssen region, highlighted the diversity and cultural richness of the region by indicating that the art of Al-Haït was a noble and authentic form of artistic expression. Held under the theme "The art of Al-Haït: intangible cultural heritage at the service of development", this third edition was marked by the organisation of three musical evenings celebrating heritage, with the participation of traditional and popular troupes, representing the art of Al-Haït from different regions of the Kingdom. The tribute paid to the great masters of Al-Haït art, Kacem Razzak and Larbi Toto, was a moment of great emotion. The audience welcomed this gesture of great symbolism, which constitutes recognition of the role played by the pioneers in strengthening local, regional and national cultural identity.

The academic dimension was also present during this cultural event. Moderated by Mohamed Kharraz, director of the festival, a colloquium on the phenomenon of Al-Haït and its socio-cultural dimensions highlighted the multiple facets of this art and its anchoring in the local and regional collective memory. Professors specialising in the field of traditional artistic heritage, notably Hassan El Bahraoui, Idriss

Al Karch and Amar Hamdach, enriched the debate with the quality of their communications. Their presentations constitute an added value that can only contribute to the promotion of an art considered in Sidi Slimane as a way of life.