Created in 2007 by Rachid Badouli, the Festival Rabat Africa is a flagship event of Fondation Orient-Occident, now in its 17th edition. Focused on African identity and cultures, the festival is held annually on June 20 for World Refugee Day and again in December for International Migrants Day. It serves as a vibrant neighborhood celebration promoting the métissage of Moroccan and sub-Saharan communities, aiming to combat racism, exclusion, and indifference. The festival showcases a wide range of artistic expressions—dance, music, culinary arts, fashion shows by the Migrants du Monde atelier, film screenings, and exhibitions—that raise awareness on migration issues. As Rachid Badouli explains, the festival is “a neighborhood festival above all” that brings diverse communities closer through shared cultural experiences, embodying his belief that “the only way to convey peace is through culture: the arts, music, and dance.”
The Festival Rabat Africa creates a dynamic space where cultural borders dissolve, fostering encounters between artists and communities from different backgrounds. Each year, a new theme inspires collaboration between Moroccan and international artists, enriching cultural dialogue and social cohesion. Yasmina Filali highlights the festival’s success in bridging cultures, noting how African music, with its affinity to Moroccan Gnawa traditions, allows for “a fraternal acceptance of the culture of the other.” The creation of an “African village” within the festival further strengthens this connection by showcasing crafts and facilitating exchanges between Moroccan and sub-Saharan women. Over more than 15 years, the event has nurtured social integration and the emergence of mixed identities, becoming a powerful symbol of unity and cultural fusion in Rabat.
