Maghreb governments should indeed ensure culture and entertainment, but they should also preserve public funds. As a Moroccan citizen, I believe that a government that fails to preserve public funds and offer culture and entertainment, is a failed government.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We, the Arab and Islamic nation, are mourning the current happenings in the Arab and Muslim world, including murder, displacement and slaughter by the hypocrite leaders of discord, the murderers who disobey Allah and disregard human rights, the henchmen of the unjust Sultan, and the dogs barking in the hellfire. The advocates of Mawazine are Zionists who pretend to be Muslims; they don’t respect ties of relationship or those of covenant, and they don’t respect the feelings of Moroccan Muslims nor reflect their values and the teachings of their noble religion. Mawazine feels like being in Tel Aviv or Hollywood, and we wonder if culture is all about dancing. Stop provoking the feelings of Muslims, and stop violating the sanctity of the martyrs of Tunisia and Egypt, and those who are still dying in Libya, Syria and Yemen. Didn’t all these revolutions revive your feelings of affiliation to the Arab and Islamic nation? Moroccans don’t want festivals; they want a decent life, employment, health, education and justice. They want to see corrupt people tried and punished as fit. Stop squandering public money. Moroccans nowadays are increasingly aware of the happenings around them, and will never accept that you control their fate. They chose the right path, that of struggle and resistance. I am telling you, the street will settle the matter between us, and protesting is our way to stop all the corrupt people who are spreading corruption in this country. Your era is over, and so is your balance, it’s time now for accountability. You should either submit to the will of the people, or you’ll be overthrown the Egyptian and Tunisian way, so don’t force us to go down that road. Anyone who attends these damned festivals will be considered by history as a traitor of this nation. History will witness everything, and soon the ones who did injustice will know by whatever overturning they will be overturned.

We should take care of citizens first, i.e. the poor. Once average citizens reach a decent financial level, then we can talk about entertainment and culture, because starving people don’t seek entertainment or reading. You can’t get blood out of stones. We all know that our national policies will never meet the aspirations of the peoples، nor will they grant them their trampled rights, because officials would consider doing so to be a weakness; they don’t have a holistic view of society as a unity. They just consider people as a tool that they need at a certain point in time before getting back to taking care of their personal interests. You’ll leave history as you entered it, and no one will ever mention you, because you didn’t achieve anything memorable. These are the words of a 4 year-old child.

The Mawazine festival offers fun and entertainment, keeps Moroccans up-to-date on the latest art news, and enables Moroccan artists to interact with their foreign counterparts. People who are calling for the festival’s cancellation want to impose a specific cultural pattern on us. The number of people following the festival reflects the popular desire to keep it, develop it, and even expand it to other cities besides the capital. Those who demand the festival’s cancellation are a bunch of obscurantist journalist wannabes. Cultural investment shouldn’t be measured by the amount spent, but rather by the extent of popular response to the event. I believe that the number of people attending the festival is the best indicator of its importance. There might be a need to reconsider the festival’s date because it’s close to the exam period, and to shorten its programs. However, it’s unacceptable to cancel the festival altogether, because that’s an abuse of the right of Moroccans to learn about other cultures.

Mawazine

Yes, I agree with you on the cancellation of Mawazine30471

What’s the use of Mawazine? The money spent on artists is most needed by the Moroccan people. Some people can’t even afford dinner. Why not increase wages in the private sector? They really need money, and the offered increase is not enough, because employees work harder in the private sector compared to the public one.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Regarding reform, everyone must carry on peaceful demonstrations until the Commander of the faithful, the country’s King and protector of religion, finds young qualified people who can fully assume responsibility in all fields, and that’s not challenging for you. As for corrupt individuals, the Arab proverb says, cut down the meat to heal; if the meat remains, the country will be worse than before, and this is inarguable. Dear Commander of the faithful, regarding the Amazigh language, the prophet’s (pbuh) words weren’t in this language, so don’t let silly people discuss this matter with you. Amazigh is simply another dialect, nothing more, nothing less. This proves good intentions, otherwise we’ll get into war with Allah and His Prophet. Let me tell you, Commander of the faithful, once again, that Allah sees you even if you don’t see Him, so fear Him in everything you do, and remember Him so that He helps you with the affairs of your country and nation, and you will do well Allah willing. Also, don’t forget the beloved Prophet whose name you carry, so that you meet him all pious and clean. Peace be upon you.

Algeria and Morocco are one, united country.

I forgive you, Mohamed 6.

Why spend so much?

Mawazine squanders public funds.

That’s kind.

Mawazine is a waste of the people’s money.

I don’t approve this unregulated governmental management, because we are not supposed to bear the responsibility entrusted to the State.

Make love, not war.

Very nice.

Arabs still come last.

In my modest opinion, the State should not cover more than 20% of festivals’ budgets, and the rest should be funded by the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders, especially in large cities like our capital.

I would like to take part in the debate about the Mawazine festival with this poem (Zajal):
The city is standing
On two feet
There is money
Whose source doesn’t matter
It also doesn’t matter what religion says
Nor the coming exams
Entertainment is coming right away
It’s Mawazine’s time
Some girls who were
Gathering at the front door said
Why are we drowning in boredom
And sinking in worries
From our feet
Up to our ears
We have no jobs or husbands
And we have no luck either
Allah offered us
An opportunity to have a fun and nice time
With Mawazine
We’ll be the first to go to the square
And we’ll find us a place among the spectators
Even if they are a little naughty
To download the full poem, check the link: http://mouradgourouhi.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post.html

I set up a basketball team.

Will Shakira participate in Mawazine?

This festival is a huge waste of public funds whereas the Moroccan people is suffering from abject poverty.

The Algerian. Dear brothers, Morocco doesn’t need festivals, especially this type. Fear Allah! Shakira is not worth even the shoes of a Moroccan farmer. What I don’t and will never understand, is why do we seek dignity from those who are below us? I really love you, Moroccans. Long live Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara, Libya, Syria… I’m with you Palestine, whether you’re an oppressor or an oppressed.

Abdellah Akzi, from Fez, Morocco. I think that if the festival wastes public money, then it should be canceled; but if it’s funded with the money of the Minister of culture and those who support him, then no need to cancel it. Allah knows what will happen???

We have to spend money on useful things and on our State, instead of bringing indecency to our country and paying for it.

I am surprised at the boasting of the hypocrites who benefit from the festival that satisfies a limited category of people, and gives a false image of the backward Morocco on all levels, especially culture. What position do Moroccan artists get in this festival? And where do they stand next to Shakira? Why isn’t all that money spent on supporting and developing Moroccan art? That would be better than squandering billions of dollars in a few days. Don’t such festivals destroy the Moroccan cultural heritage by promoting these events at the expense of the popular heritage? As for the festival’s record attendance, it’s justified by the absence of art in Morocco, due to the repression and marginalization of Moroccan artists on the one hand, and promoting western art that totally overlooks the problems of Moroccans, on the other hand. Also, why is the festival organized in the capital and not in another city? What about the right of citizens in other cities and remote towns to enjoy the Mawazine festival??

If Socrates was alive, he’d prefer to die than give up on the Mawazine festival.

Dear Algerian, we love you. We are called Moroccans, and not any other nickname. We are an old Arab people, and a source of pride for all Arabs, as our land had witnessed the glories of Arabs. The nickname you give us is meant to derogate us. Some racist French and Spanish people call us like that too, but they are excused because they are not Muslim, and they carry a religious and historic hatred towards us. As for you, you’re our Arab and Muslim brothers, but you’re also excused because France occupied you for 100 years. Your blood might have changed, but we love you. We still insist that Algeria is a brotherly country that loves us, and respects our territorial integrity from Tangier to Lagouira.

Wasting people’s money

The MAWAZINE Festival of this year has been established and integrated thanks to Moroccan people, while number of Moroccans are strongly opposed to it.