The five-week initiative serves as a core framework for public cultural diplomacy. Supported by international diplomatic networks and pan-African cultural institutes, the festival examines Gnawa as a profound transcultural practice. Curated by Alaa Zouiten, the programming tracks these ancestral sounds from their African roots into the wider Mediterranean and their presence in Latin American diaspora forms.

The human element of the festival begins with a celebratory public Gnawa parade snaking through the city, led by Moroccan Maalem Hicham Bilali and Black Koyo. The extensive performance line-up features global pioneers like Malian icon Vieux Farka Touré and Senegalese musical diplomat Baaba Maal, transforming the institution’s venue into a space for deep cross-border artistic dialogue.

Beyond concerts, the festival implements structured intellectual exchanges, including panel debates examining links between Gnawa and Yoruba spiritual traditions like Candomblé. These sessions allow international academics, artists, and diplomats to address the shared legacy of historic migration and community resilience.

By putting the lived perspectives of diaspora practitioners at the heart of the project, the HKW successfully moves beyond superficial entertainment. The initiative underscores how public cultural bodies use music to address identity and modern international relations.

• https://www.hkw.de/en/programme/sonic-pluriverse-festival-global-echoes-of-gnawa