By Hajar Jannad
Rabat - The 2015 edition of the popular festival Jazz au Chellah appeared to be in jeopardy as rumors swirled about the possible cancellation of the upcoming concert series.
A remarkable event in the Moroccan cultural landscape, Jazz au Chellah features distinguished and famous jazz artists from both Europe and Morocco. Launched in 1996 as Jazz aux Oudayas, with approximately 190 concerts held to date, the festival has taken place in the magical Moroccan castle Chellah since 2005.
According to a June 12 article on telquel, the jazz festival was threatened with cancellation this year due to restoration activities in Chellah under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture which potentially conflicted with the concert schedule.
Telquel reported that the minister had proposed a solution to prevent cancellation of the festival. If the repairs were not completed in time, he suggested, the festival could take place outside the castle, with the ministry absorbing the additional costs that this change might cause. With only three months remaining before the event, the minister was to meet urgently with representatives of the European Union.
A June 15 post on the Huffington Post Maghreb, however, firmly put the rumors of cancellation to rest, stating that Jazz au Chellah 2015 would take place in its emblematic location. The European delegation reportedly had rejected the option of relocating the festival for acoustical, technical, and security reasons.
Barring any further problems, the 20th edition of the festival will take place as scheduled on September 16th to 20th in the magnificent castle Chellah, under the slogan “European Jazz and Moroccan Music.” The festival will host ten bands from sixteen different European countries, along with five Moroccan bands. The ultimate goal of this cultural festival is to fuse Moroccan and the European music.
In addition, according to Jean-Pierre Bissot and Mjid Beqqas, technical directors for the festival, this event provides a platform for dialogue between the cultures found to the north and to the south of the Mediterranean, promoting cultural exchange and lessening the socio-cultural disparities between the two continents.
“Jazz au Chellah” is an initiative of the European Union of Mococco, in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Culture and the Wilaya of Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaiir and in collaboration with the embassies and cultural institutes of European Union members.
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