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From June 25 to 27, 2026, the Gnaoua and World Music Festival will celebrate the art of transmission. Essaouira will host performances where the maâlems, the «guardians of a living tradition», meet «great voices from around the world», with «port cities» as the central theme.
«From Lebanon to Cameroon, Brazil to the United States, India to Ethiopia, and Palestine to Morocco, the invited artists come from regions deeply shaped by maritime exchanges», the organizers said in a press release. The lineup features 47SOUL, Yasmine Hamdan, Hoba Hoba Spirit, and Oudaden, among others.
Following the traditional parade of maâlems through the city, the opening concert at Moulay Hassan Square will bring together Mehdi Nassouli, the Rwandan troupe i Buhoro, Moroccan artist Sara Moullablad, Indian singer Ganavya, and French musician Sylvain Barou.
The festival will also highlight cross-cultural encounters, including a performance by maâlem Mohamed Montari and Badume’s Band alongside Selamnesh Zemene, «in a meeting between Morocco and Ethiopia». Mehdi Qamoum will join the Harlem Spirit of Gospel by Anthony Morgan, while bassist Richard Bona will perform with Asma Lmnawar. Maâlem Hamid El Kasri is also set to reunite with Carlinhos Brown.
A major highlight of this edition is a tribute to the late maâlem Mustapha Baqbou, a leading figure in the Gnaoua tradition who passed away in 2025. Maâlem Abdeslam Alikkane, Hamza Baqbou, maâlem Abdelkebir Merchane, and maâlem Mohamed Kouyou will pay tribute to his legacy.
Youth at the heart of the Human Rights Forum
Transmission will extend beyond music through debate and dialogue. This year, the two-day Human Rights Forum is themed «Youth of the World: Freedom, Identity, Future», bringing together thinkers, politicians, artists, and writers.
Participants include Mohamed Mehdi Bensaïd, Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, as well as Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Rachid Benzine, Leïla Slimani, Raphaël Liogier, and Asmae El Moudir.
Transmission is also reflected in the third edition of the «Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival» program, offering a six-day immersive experience for professional and semi-professional musicians. The closing concert will serve as a moment of reflection.
In the same spirit, the festival is partnering with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University through the Chair of Transitions, supported by the Institute for Advanced Studies at UM6P, bridging academic research and artistic expression.
