Yazidi: The International Carnival “Belmaun” aims to make Agadir the global capital of Amazigh culture
On Wednesday, July 12, the organizers of the International Carnival “Belmaun” in Agadir revealed the details of the first session of the carnival, which will be held in Agadir on July 21/22/23.
In a press conference held in the Kasbah of Agadir Oufella, the organizers revealed the goals and program of the carnival, which is organized at the initiative of the Collective Council of Agadir, with the support of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication and the Council of the Souss-Massa Region, and organized by the Souss-Massa Center for Cultural Development.
Abd al-Rahman al-Yazidi, a member of the jury and responsible for media, said that this event comes within the framework of making Agadir the world capital of Amazigh culture. He added, "This activity has a special nature because it is the son of his environment and is not alien to the region or was imported."
He explained that the idea of establishing the carnival is to be a locomotive for this popular practice to raise its level at the popular level, as well as to open a window towards universality and show youth creativity, and to be an additional front for the Souss-Massa region on several levels.
This event is known for the participation of the Moroccan folklore groups, as well as the teams of "Belmaun" characters with their masks and masquerades, representing the associations of Agadir Al-Kabir; In addition to the creative figures, “what translates into everyone’s involvement in interesting paintings, during which there is a competition for carnival groups to win prizes for the best performances.”
The establishment of this carnival is inspired by “the keenness of those in charge of local affairs in the city and the region to preserve and strengthen the Amazigh cultural heritage of our country, as it is a common identity for all Moroccans, which finds fertile ground in the field of Souss and Agadir, the city of rebirth and the capital of Amazigh culture.”
The administration of “Bellmoon.. The International Carnival of Agadir” expresses the direction of the Agadir Community Council and its partners, “to make this annual date an opportunity to encourage scientific research on the subject of carnival and leisure activities; And this is done by organizing an international symposium that works on the commonality between the practice of Bellamon in Morocco and the rest of similar experiences and practices in the countries of the Mediterranean basin and Africa, with the participation of Moroccan researchers and international specialists in international carnivals.
“This trend is also reinforced by organizing workshops for the handcrafting of masks and the preparation of animal skins from goats and rams, in order to educate young people to pay attention to this intangible heritage, and to encourage handicrafts related to the carnival; It is also reinforced by providing hints of the memory of this practice rooted in history by organizing an exhibition of sculptures and documentary photographs of the Bilmaun celebrations,” the same source cites.
On the other hand, and as an evocation of the African dimension, the organizing committee worked to highlight the importance of the African depth of Morocco by involving sub-Saharan Africans in the carnival as a popular cultural practice that extends to the countries north and west of the Sahara. Foreign tourists participate in this forum.
Source : websites