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The 4th edition of Zamane Festival is set to take place from 14 – 16 November 2025 in M’hamid El Ghizlane
Zamane Festival shines a light on the diverse cultural heritages of the southen Draa Valley, and in 2024, more than 200 musicians from the region came out to perform across three festival sites. In 2025, we will be highlighting Ganga heritage, traditional Gnawan customs unique to southeastern Morocco
Thanks to our partners Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), the Swiss Development Cooperation, and Playing For Change Foundation, we will be bringing out more than 150 Ganga musicians and youth to Zamane 2025!
See Zamane’s evolution since the first edition in 2022 in becoming the biggest event in southeastern Morocco
Les Caravanes Zamane
Featuring Grammy nominee Bombino and over local 200 musicians
Tbel & Guedra
Over 100 local musicians performing, along with a PFC international ensemble
Explore Ancient Sounds
The first edition of Zamane shining a light on cultural and environmental heritages
€385 / 3850 MAD per person
INCLUDES:
Welcome in the village of M’hamid on Thursday November 13 and transfer to your accommodation location (hotel)
4 nights in the hotel (2 people/room)
Dinner on November 13 (excluding drinks)
Full board on November 14, 15 and 16 (excluding drinks)
Participation in all activities of the 4th Zamane Festival
Shuttles between the different villages of the oasis
STAYS EXCLUDE:
Drinks throughout your stay at the festival (possibility of purchasing water, soft drinks, and fruit juices on site)
Tips and personal expenses
Other Considerations:
Interested in attending and booking packages? Contact us to book or customize a package at: zamane@playingforchange.org
The 2nd edition of Zamane Festival saw more than 115 artists from three continents perform, including from Playing For Change Foundation programs in Mali and Rwanda. Playing For Change musicians Roberto Luti and Luke Winslow King also visited for special performances with local and international musicans
Watch this recap video to discover what took place at the second edition of Zamane Festival from 01 – 03 December 2023!
Watch this performance captured during the 2023 edition of Zamane Festival of traditional Moroccan duo Khadija Ment Souih and Sidi Ahmed fusing traditional Hassani music with blues music from Roberto Luti of Playing For Change
Visit the 2025 edition of Zamane to see more captivating performances just like this!
During Zamane Festival, you will see these traditional music styles in the contexts of their natural environments and surroundings of the stunning M’hamid Oasis, visiting: Ksar Oulad Driss | Ksar M’hamid | Ksar Zouiat L’hna | Ksar Bounou
Hotels booked through our packages are located in Centre M’hamid El Ghizlane. Hourly shuttles will bring festival-goers to the event sites each day
The Zamane Festival is a celebration of the ancient and diverse music styles found throughout the Southern Draa Valley in southeastern Morocco, featuring local traditional musicians and inviting guests from Mali, Ghana, and the United States. Watch this recap video to discover the events that took place at the first edition of Zamane Festival from September 23 – 25, 2022
Joudour Sahara is very excited this year to host musicians from PFCF music schools in Mali and Ghana, as well as American ensemble Fragility Etudes, who will be performing a collaborative set with local traditional musicians
See the video to discover the artists
Zamane Festival’s mission is to highlight both the immense cultural and environment wealth in the Southern Draa Valley, while also bringing issues like environmental degradation and a loss of ancestral knowledges to the forefront. Joudour Sahara and our partner Sahara Roots Foundation believe that cultural preservation and environmental conservation are intimately intertwined, and in this region must be viewed as one in the same. Come to Zamane Festival and see how you can support these efforts
Additional support provided by the Canadian Embassy to Morocco and Mauritania through the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives
Friday 23.9
11:00 Press Conference & inauguration of photo exhibit celebrating the history of M’hamid El Ghizlane at the Joudour Sahara Cultural Cafe in Centre M’hamid El Ghizlane
17:00 Opening Ceremony at the Joudour Sahara Center for Music and Ecology site| Presentation of partners, institutions, and artists | Traditional performances
20:00 Poetic evening at the Joudour Sahara site and debates on the theme “Role of Poetry in Nomadic Culture” in the presence of Moroccan, Algerian, and Mauritanian poets
22:00 Star-gazing and acoustic performances around campfire
Saturday 24.9
11:00 Oasis walk between Ksar M’hamid and Ksar Oulad M’haya | Debates on desertification, climate change, and exchanges with local populations
13:00 Lunch with local community at the Joudour Sahara site
17:00 Traditional performances : Ahidous in Ksar Oulad Driss | Akalal in Ksar Oulad Youssef | Rokba in Ksar M’hamid | Ganga at Joudour Sahara site
19:00 Playing For Change Africa at Joudour Sahara Site : Group Kirina (Mali) | Bizung Dancers and Drummers (Ghana) | Joudour Sahara Group
20:00 The Stage in Center of M’hamid El Ghizlane : Traditional Groups Chamra and Ahidous | Guelmim-Oued Noun Groups Hassani and Guedra | Noujoum Sahara | Said Taragalte
23:00 Star-gazing and acoustic performances around campfire
Sunday 25.9
11:00 Conference on Culture and the Environment
13:00 Lunch (competition of best traditional couscous made by local women) at the Joudour Sahara site
17:00 Tree Planting at Joudour Sahara site accompanied by traditional songs
18:00 Traditional performances by Groups Chamra and Ahidous in the neighboring dunes of the Joudour Sahara site
19:00 Evening residencies at the Joudour Sahara site : Guelmim-Oued Noun Group Hassani | Playing For Change Africa | Group Fragility Etudes (USA) with local artists
21:00 The Stage in Center of M’hamid El Ghizlane | Traditional Groups Rokba, Akalal, and Ganga | Joudour Sahara Group
