MARRAKECH – The National Festival of Popular Arts (FNAP) is bridging cultures, with China the guest of honour of its 53rd edition in the Moroccan ochre city of Marrakech.
The FNAP kicked off Thursday with a classic opening parade organized from Harti Park to the Royal Theater.
China was represented in the parade with the lion dance troupe which performed before the crowd, along with dozens of Moroccan troupes coming from all parts of the North African kingdom.
“Both Morocco and China have a rich cultural history. It is a great privilege that China has been invited to this edition as guest of honour,” Chinese ambassador Li Changlin told Middle East Online.
Changlin stressed the importance of peoples understanding each other through the cultural exchange and that the meeting of Chinese-Moroccan cultures will certainly create sparkles.
“China will be able to highlight its cultural assets in this festival to strengthen this cultural cooperation and achieve a better understanding of the two peoples,” he said.
“We are supporters of the cultural diversity of civilizations and we believe that no culture is superior to others. We must proceed to mutual enrichment to move forward,” he added.
Mary Zhao, Deputy Secretary General of the Sino-North Africa education and innovation association said that “it’s a great honour for us to be invited to the festival which I feel is bridging cultures as I noticed that the methods and styles are quite similar in popular arts.”
“We can learn from your popular art methods while in the same time we can integrate some of our art shows,” said Zhao, adding that her association’s main mission was to provide more cooperation between China and North African countries through educational and cultural activities and programmes.
A Moroccan-Chinese night was held at the breathtaking Bahia Palace which saw a beautiful performance of China’s Silk Road troupe playing with traditional instruments along with a folklore dance.
Moroccan popular arts troupes, including Ahouach Al Haouz, Gnawa and Daqqa Marrakchia, took part in the cultural evening.
The FNAP, which is held under the them “Eternal Rhythms and Symbols”, is organized by the Grand Atlas association, under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI and in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication from July 4 to 8.
