14th Ain Farba International Festival of Arts and Culture Ain Farba, Mauritania - December 2024
Press Release 14th Ain Farba International Festival of Arts and Culture Ain Farba, Mauritania - December 2024
The Ain Farba International Festival of Arts and Culture is announcing its 14th edition, to be held from 27 to 29 December 2024 in Ain Farba, in the Hodh El Gharbi region. This emblematic cultural festival celebrates the artistic diversity and traditions of the Sahel and the Sahara.
Over the years, the festival has welcomed renowned artists such as Ami Koita, the Ali Farka Touré Band, Ouleya Mint Amartichit, Fayrouz Mint Seymali, Garmi Mint Abba, Hamzo Bryn, CEEPEE, Kader Tarhanine, and the Tartit group, as well as artists from the M'Berra refugee camps.
Ongoing collaboration with the Caravane Culturelle pour la Paix and the Festival au Désert
Once again this year, the festival is continuing its collaboration with the Caravane Culturelle pour la Paix and the Festival au Désert in Timbuktu, to promote peace and unity through culture.
14th edition: an exceptional programme in preparation
For this 2024 edition, a rich programme is being finalised, including concerts, craft exhibitions, culinary competitions, sporting activities such as football matches and target shooting competitions, as well as cultural workshops.
Support from the authorities and partners
Under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and local authorities, the festival has become a real driving force for cultural and social development.
Details of the programme will soon be available on our official channels.
it is with sadness that we inform you that the Festival in the Desert can not be held in Timbuktu this year.
Despite all the efforts that have been put in place by the Government of Mali, by MINUSMA and ourselves, to try to re-launch the festival in Timbuktu, it is clear that the security situation is not yet appropriate to allow to make our festival ensuring the safety of all persons.
We thank you for your understanding!
WOMEX 13 Professional Excellence Award
Dear friends of the Festival au Désert,
we are very proud to announce that the Festival au Désert won the WOMEX 13 Professional Excellence Award.
The award will be delivered on Sunday morning, 27 October 2013 at the WOMEX Award Ceremony.
“Until the music can return to its roots with freedom of expression and dignity, the Festival au Desert has become, a Festival in Exile.”
Soon on this website, the list of the concerts scheduled within the Festival in Exile.
2013 FREEMUSE AWARD WINNER
Dear friends of the Festival au Désert,
it's a great pleasure to inform you that the Freemuse Award has been given this year to the Festival au Désert "which in spite of extreme Islamists’ attempts to silence all music in Mali, defends freedom of musical expression and struggles to continue keeping music alive in the region".
The Freemuse Award is sponsored by the Björn Afzelius International Culture Foundation (BAIK). Björn Afzelius, who died in 1999, was a Swedish rock singer who became a passionate spokesman for suppressed people around the world combining his musical career with political activism.
It is the first time that the Freemuse Award is given to an organisation. The award is given to an individual or an organisation that “has worked for freedom of musical expression in a remarkable way”.
Dear friends of the Festival au Désert, 
