Assilah is the cultural Davos

In memoriam

The Assilah Festival, in the north of Morocco, is one of the best annual stages for cultural exchange as a vehicle for transmitting relations between citizens from different regions of the world. 

This edition has overcome the restrictions imposed by covid and offers African, Asian, European and American participants the possibility of exchanging experiences in painting, sculpture, literature, music and other cultural manifestations, which are mixed with conferences and debates by experts on some of the most relevant issues of current international affairs, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the terrorist threat in the Sahel and the proliferation of groups taking advantage of the crisis in the region, the exploitation of migrants by mafias, climate change and the need for greater cooperation to achieve greater equality and justice in economic and commercial exchanges. 

What is lacking is greater participation on the Spanish side, which could represent in Assilah the embodiment of indispensable relations between the two neighbouring countries that need to be cultivated and cared for in all areas. 

The alma mater of this Festival, which was born 45 years ago, is Mohamed Benaissa, former Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and mayor of a Moroccan coastal city that transmits beauty, tranquillity, inspiration and offers excellent gastronomy as attractive elements for tourism of all kinds. 

In his office at the Cultural Centre, we spoke with a very prominent figure in Moroccan politics and society.

Mr. Benaissa, after the covid, the Assilah Festival is back at cruising speed with force.

 The Moussem as we know it here is developing well because, today, there is a need for people to find ways to understand each other.  

Russia's invasion of Ukraine affecting you

People are afraid of war, they are afraid of ignorance, they are afraid of misery, and any forum that can advance the idea of peace, understanding and collaboration is very welcome. For us, this is always our goal.

Why did you create this Moussem?

My friend Mohamed Melehi, now deceased, and I had several ideas when we started: in 1977, how can we establish a platform outside the capital, outside the lights, in a simple, modest, but also clean little village, so that there can be a dialogue between the intelligences of the East and the West, the South and the North, because until the late 1970s and even the 1980s, everything was done in the North. Everybody went to Cannes in France or Spoleto in Italy, always in the North, there was nothing in the South.  And we said, why don't we do it here? The classic answer was: we don't have the means, we don't have hotels.

How did you overcome these difficulties?

 I saw then that this answer was a bit easy; I told them: these people from the north should come to see us as we live, not to see us as we want to live, we don't have to wait until the day when we have buildings, air conditioning, we don't need to have all that, these people have to know us as we are, not as we want to be. And of course then Assilah didn't have the infrastructure it has now.  There was no proper light, drinking water...etc. To answer your question, it is still a good way, there are people who come, and people who ask to come now, the truth is that we receive many letters every year from the Middle East, from Africa, from South America, but nothing from Spain.

Why do you think Spain doesn't attend a cultural festival like this?

I really don't know. Because we have done everything, and I personally have invited many Spaniards from different social and political categories, professors, they come and that's it, goodbye.  I am going to tell you my personal impression: Spain, for many reasons and there is no time to list them, turns its back on Morocco. It was very thirsty for Europe and did not pay adequate attention to Morocco. That's why I don't see much interest in Morocco's culture, arts or architecture.

But Spain and Morocco share history, geography, interests?

With the south of Spain, we share an enormous past, we share blood, those whose surname is "de Torres" are Spanish Muslims like Torres, who is Catholic, etc. But I frankly can't find a reasonable explanation, and there must be reasons. 

You make every effort

Yes, we have invited Spanish artists and intellectuals and many have come here. We have held meetings of forty guests, forty Spanish intellectuals with Moroccans here in Assilah, which last four days, and then they leave.

Perhaps the media should be more involved?

The Spanish media correspondents are in Rabat. I see that in general what particularly attracts Spaniards, and I am speaking in general, is everything that is exotic, people don't want to see the reality. I have hosted many Spaniards in my house, even between town councils there are meetings, but there is no collaboration. And I don't know why. 

Do you collaborate better with other countries?

These collaborations exist with other countries, here for example in Assilah, we have received a lot of help from the Gulf countries and a little from the Andalusian government.

But I always, even when my friend Moratinos was Minister of Foreign Affairs and others too, told them, here we have an enormous library that cost fifteen years ago, ten million dollars, I don't know if you've seen it or not?

Yes, I have seen it.

We need a professional librarian, nobody helps us. We are a cultural association, we have no money and we can't pay 2,000 or 3,000 euros a month to a professor to run this library.  But this matter, I thought, could be solved within the framework of technical cooperation. Spain can pay the salary of three or four people who could take care of this matter. They tell us "yes, yes..." but then nothing. I tell you this as an example. I think we have to make a great effort to clean up the Spanish-Moroccan body, dust it off and see reality and things as they are.

But, right now there are good relations of all kinds?

We are good people, Spaniards and Moroccans, I think frankly. We are people who love peace, who love to live, but we must also, culturally speaking, have an influence on the leaders because they are the ones who make the policies....

Is society often ahead of political actions?

I agree with you, I think relations between Morocco and Spain are very good. From time to time there are some clouds that pass, but deep down they are good. Moreover, they have to be good, because it is of great value for Spain to have good relations with Morocco and vice versa. 

And as a member of the European Union?

Europe for Morocco begins in Spain, and Africa and the Middle East for Spain begins in Morocco, this is the reality and it may feel like an illusion, but it is the reality. Nowadays you have to go through alleys, even if they are old, but they lead to the exit.  

What is the image of Spain in Morocco?

I think that here in Morocco the image of Spain is very good and positive. The number of Moroccans who go on holiday is one million, that's a huge figure, one million Moroccan tourists who go to Spain. 
We have another million Moroccans who are Spanish today, this is an enormous capital and there is no better capital than human capital to have relations, and enjoy knowledge, friendship and love. But when it comes to cultural events like the one in Assilah or others, there is little interest in Spain. 

However, Mr Benaissa, culture is where politicians, businessmen, professionals and others travel.  If we focus more on promoting culture and exchange, perhaps we would have a better world.

I agree with that. But here we have our Spanish correspondents who are in Rabat and I have rarely seen them, I have rarely seen a paper on anything cultural from Morocco. I'm not just talking about Assilah. For example, there is an important Moroccan film festival in Tangiers, it's true that we are not Hollywood, we are what we are, but you never read about it in the Spanish press, you never see it on Spanish television, you never see it. And it's a step, do you understand?  France 24, it's there. 

 

But do you know who is controlling television in Spain?

I don't know. In Spain there are many television channels, not only the official one, there are many private channels. Even my friend from Ibiza, Matutes, he was a minister, we are very good friends, he has a television channel, but I never asked him for anything on principle. I don't want it to seem like I'm concentrating on what's happening in Assilah, I'm talking in general, culture is a way to understand each other better, so that collaboration is based on values, respect and admiration. It's not money that is put in to gain things, we don't gain anything. 

A lot has been done here in Morocco, not only in Assilah, but also in Rabat, they invite Spaniards, but it's like throwing water on the sand, and I really don't understand why. 

At Atalayar, I can assure you that we are working to build these bridges, because knowledge leads to understanding and coexistence, and this is our line of action. Which roundtables have most interested you? 

On the food crisis in Africa, the war in Ukraine, these are very important round tables. I think they would be very important for Spanish university students because they see the world. First, as Moratinos always said: I discovered Africa in Assilah, when I was a minister.  Moratinos used to say "Assilah is the cultural Davos". Moratinos is doing a great job of understanding and rapprochement. We have more than 400 participants coming from all over the world.

We have seen former ministers from Mali, Niger and other countries.

Yes! Also from Cape Verde, these are very important issues. Forty very important personalities have participated. One of the participants was even appointed by his country, Chad, as Minister of Foreign Affairs when he arrived here. We invited him as the United Nations Secretary General's representative in West Africa and we knew nothing about it. We welcomed him at the airport and there we found out that he was appointed as Foreign Minister. In fact, he returned home the next day.

Africans show a lot of initiative

Africans are more proactive in getting to know the other world. Others come from the Middle East and Latin America.

The level is very high 

Yes, but there is no one from Spain.

There are Spanish politicians who often come to Morocco.

It's true that Zapatero came a couple of times. But I don't want to talk only about politicians, I don't mean only them, in fact I have never received a letter from a university professor or someone interested in what we do because they simply don't know. And why don't they know? Because the Spanish press doesn't publish anything about it, and why don't they publish anything about it? Well, I think it's because they're not interested. They don't see it as something interesting. Full stop.

We are interested in it.

I'm sorry to speak to you in such a direct way, but we have to underline things, and I insist that Morocco has an enormous desire to be on good terms with Spain, to collaborate, to cooperate, more than intergovernmental cooperation, between peoples. This exists. And we regret that many media that could have influence in this direction are not reacting.

Perhaps the problem in Spain is that Morocco has become an element in the political struggle of the two major parties. 

The Sahara struggle, right? Look, please, this existed before the Sahara. But people don't know about it. The Spaniards don't know that one day in 1975 there was a Spanish governor in the Sahara, there was a ceremony and he lowered the Spanish flag calmly, with music the Spanish anthem was sung and the Moroccan flag was raised, they had a lunch, hugs and that's it, it was over! It is as if today, France were to ask for another independence issue from Algeria, or England from India. What has happened has happened. All systems of colonialism have been based on this, and nobody asked them to come and help them. 

Respect for human rights is raised

On the issue of human rights, many countries in the West are talking about it, so let them do it in their own country. I am not saying that there are no abuses, but Spain and the West have to free themselves from the stereotype. I have no right to tell anyone how they have to live in Tarifa, and neither do you here. Anyway, I don't want to speak as an accuser, I am not accusing anyone, but you asked how we are doing here, and I have answered you. We want there to be an active Spanish participation, that the people who came here from Africa and Asia get to know another aspect of Spain, the cultural aspect ... and it is good for Spain and for us, but nobody comes, nobody is interested.

We will work to change that.

Inshallah. I'm sorry that we have this interview concentrated on .....

Well, let this interview serve to shake some ...to shake off the dust.

Look, the Sahara issue is going to be resolved sooner or later. It is a Moroccan-Algerian issue, the problem is that they don't go into details. The day the Moroccans and Algerians sit down around a table, they will resolve it. But the future belongs to all of us, particularly to Spaniards and Moroccans, the road belongs to us.

Because the interests of all kinds, geostrategic, security, economic and commercial cooperation, scientific research, health, culture and tourism, are complementary. They are the same. This is what we must cultivate and avoid other interests.

Absolutely, we can do a lot together and in other parts of the world.