Mali : Songhay culture rises from the ashes with the Songhay Communities of Culture Festival
Mali aims to revive the Songhay culture from its ashes after years of lethargy due to terrorism. This is the ambition of the Association of Songhay Culture Communities in Motion – Ir Ganda, led by the former Prime Minister of Mali, Ousmane Issoufi Maïga.
To achieve this, the association is organizing the first edition of the Songhay Culture Communities Festival on February 15, 16, and 17, 2024, on the banks of the Niger River at the Palais de la Culture.
The event, under the high patronage of the Malian President, Colonel Assimi Goïta, aims to be a cultural melting pot—a true cultural gathering that promotes living together, peace, dialogue, national reconciliation, and social cohesion through Songhay culinary arts, performances by traditional and modern musical groups with a focus on Takamba folklore, and more.
Beyond the cultural aspect, the Songhay Culture Communities Festival serves as an international platform for exchanges and reflection on ethnographic, anthropological, linguistic, and sociological aspects, particularly concerning diverse populations in the Sahel region.
« Ir Ganda has a vision. A vision that goes beyond what people may think. Before the creation of AES, Ir Ganda believed that the culture of these three peoples (Mali, Burkina, and Niger) should come together for peace », stated the organizer.
The theme of the first edition of the Songhay Culture Communities Festival is « Communion and Resilience for Mali ».
