Nabil Baraka: "Our task is to continue to strengthen Spanish-Moroccan relations"

The International Mata Festival is a centuries-old tradition in the Larache region. It is a great Moroccan cultural heritage and Atalayar was able to talk to Nabil Baraka, president of this equestrian festival, at the prestigious Hotel Le Mirage in Tangier. 

The Mata International Festival is a centuries-old tradition in the Larache area. What are its origins? 

First of all, I would like to thank Atalayar, which has been with us for many years and has supported the Mata Equestrian Festival from the very beginning. This festival brings together several qualities: culture, spirituality and the promotion of the Larache region. It is an equestrian festival that comes from an ancestral tradition, dating back to the 12th century, and conveys a message of peace, a Sufi spiritual message. 

It comes from the great mystic saint, Moulay Abdeslam Ben Mchich Alami, who lived at the top of Mount Mata, at 1,400 metres, and is the founder of an 11th century Sufi order called the Shadiliya. Sufism is based on love, tolerance and spirituality. Every Sufi seeks his inner peace, removes the hatred in his heart and has to make a spiritual preparation before entering into prayer. Sufism is first and foremost about humanity, beauty, nature and love.

What is the festival about? 

Mata comes from the tradition of this great saint and we have preserved this wonderful equestrian spectacle, these horse competitions: the riders ride the horses bareback and the different tribes have to fight for a bride, who is actually a doll dressed as a bride. The riders compete against each other in an ancient tradition, where tribal honour, courage, tactics and strategy are all part of the spectacle that we have preserved in this area.

After many years, Mata is now the heritage of Licesco, which is the first recognition of Muslim countries. The second stage, where we are now, is to register it with UNESCO, which is part of the World Heritage list. It is a beautiful sport, we are in the countryside, we are promoting agriculture, organic products, to support cooperatives, so that they can sell nationally and internationally.  

And there are also the tribes of the south, who come to participate in the Mata Festival: the Saadis, the Chorfa are the descendants of the prophet, who are the great tribes of the south, they are descendants of Moulay Abdeslam, who is their spiritual father, but also their father in the sense of the line of descent. They come every year for the great pilgrimage in his honour. 

The Mata Festival also serves to promote the Larache region. What does this region have to offer visitors? 

The Larache region is a region with great potential, it is at an important moment. The State is investing in structuring the agricultural industry: there is a lot of countryside, the region is number one in strawberry production; we have the port of Larache, which is an important fishing port; and, in terms of tourism, there are wonderful beaches.  

I think Larache is a place to invest today, in tourism promotion, in agriculture, in industry... Our role is to make Larache an economically active city again. And for that we count on our neighbours. Spain is, today, the leading investor, the leading investor in Morocco, in terms of industry, tourism, roads... it is playing an important role. I think Spain is getting to know Morocco better, and Morocco is open to investment from Spain, because Moroccans and Spaniards have a lot in common: we are united by our culture, our values, our bonds of friendship, our Mediterranean character. Spanish people, in general, are always very well received when they come to Morocco.

The Spanish ambassador and the personalities who come from Spain to the Mata Festival have always been very well received. Do you think that the Festival plays a role in the cohesion, collaboration and promotion of good relations between Spain and Morocco? 

Absolutely, for us it has always been an honour to receive Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner, who has been a great ambassador, whom we are very fond of and who has done a lot for Spanish-Moroccan relations. And yes, we, of course, promote Spanish-Moroccan relations, because we believe that culturally we are united, and that Spain, because of its education, its values, its way of seeing the world, when it comes to Morocco, finds itself in its own country. We hope that the new ambassador [Enrique Ojeda] will also do us the honour of coming to Mata, to get to know the culture and traditions of our region. That helps a lot, because the investor, before investing, has to feel happy and comfortable, in addition to getting a good return on his investment.  

We will continue to promote Spanish-Moroccan relations: we have inherited this task from our family, from my father, God rest his soul, from my grandfather... We must continue to strengthen this tradition.

The Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region offers very good investment opportunities in many sectors, but it also offers a good quality of life and spirituality. You, as the Sufi representative of the region, were recently in Geneva: is a message of coexistence, peace, solidarity and tolerance more necessary than ever in this troubled world we are living in now? 

Absolutely. We are at a difficult time in this century, with many conflicts in the world and humanity is going through a crisis. As you say, I was in Geneva, at the United Nations, on the International Day of Conscience, to give an important message: that the Western world understands the essence of Sufism and that they understand the role that Morocco has always played in spirituality. From the presidency and under the guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco is proposing a moderate, open Islam, an Islam of peace, tolerance and understanding. His Majesty plays the role of commander of the faithful, seeking to ensure the spiritual security of all faiths, of all religions and, in general, of all human beings in Morocco. 

In Morocco, we are proud to have inherited this Sufi school that comes from Moulay Abdeslam, in the 12th century, and which is present all over the world: Indonesia, Egypt, Africa... Morocco is the great essence of Sufism in the Muslim world.

And of coexistence and tolerance between religions: a Spaniard who comes to Morocco can go to a church for mass, or a Jew can go to the synagogue... 

Of course: that is the beauty of our country and the spiritual education we have received, of respect for all religions and for human beings in general. That is why Morocco must continue to promote its spirituality to our young people, including those in Europe who are sometimes lost in their reading. 

What would you tell a potential Spanish investor to come and do business in Larache? 

I would tell them that Morocco is a country in full growth. In 2030 we have a World Cup, a wonderful World Cup with Spain and Portugal. These three countries represent the values that unite them.  

A Spanish investor coming to Morocco will find an opportunity, legal security, security of return on his investment, public security... Morocco is one of the safest countries: you can walk down the street or through the kasbah with peace of mind. Then I would highlight the quality of life: you will find restaurants, good gastronomy, sun, light, and a warm Moroccan people, who like to receive, to learn and who are at Spain's doorstep. It is a great opportunity for Spanish investors, who can bet on a country where they will earn money and be able to live well.

What can you tell us about these new generations of Moroccans who are being trained, who are eager to achieve a better life, to be better trained to provide a service to anyone who comes to Morocco? 

Of course; I would invite young Moroccans, those who are abroad today, those who have worked, those who have experience, to return, because Morocco needs their experience. This will allow them to be entrepreneurs and to participate in the growth of their country. Moroccan emigrants are coming back, but I think they need to come back more and they need to bet on their country. 

One last message about the Mata Festival... 

Absolutely: you are all invited to Mata, we are waiting for you to come back to live and share with all of us the traditions, the ancestral heritage, the opportunities and the modernity. Morocco is a country in full growth, a "hub" in Africa, it is not only for Europeans who come to invest and, in particular, for Spaniards. This will give Spain the possibility of being Morocco's strategic partner in Africa. Morocco and Spain together have a great future in Africa.