The Cultural Moussem of Asilah, an arts and cultural festival held every summer in Asilah, was founded by Mohammed Benaïssa (ex-Foreign Minister) and Mohammed Melehi (Arts) in 1978. Both originally from Asilah, they started the event to help the development of the town. A platform for cultural dialogue and exchange between different countries, participants come from the world of politics, diplomacy, culture and the arts. Each year a guest country is invited to showcase its culture through conferences, art exhibitions, folk dances and much more. Past guest nations include Mexico, Portugal, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

For event dates, location and more go to our Festivals & Concerts page.

Many of the events are now ‘invite only’, but some are projected onto a big screen in the medina plaza and most are available to view on YouTube.

The most accessible part of the festival is the murals re-painted every year by international artists on the whitewashed houses in the medina. 

The event usually takes place during the month of August, however, in years where ramadan falls in August the event will take place either before or after.

thetravelbook.com provides a more detailed explanation of the event and its history.

Nafas Arts Magazine has an interview with Mohammed Benaïssa, talking about the inspiration behind the festival.

Saudi Aramco has an article by one of the artists who has participated in the festival