Hundreds of artists join festival in Algerian region hit by civil war

Record ID: 1142793

  • Title: Hundreds of artists join festival in Algerian region hit by civil war
  • Date: 26th July 2018
  • Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ALGERIAN PAINTER AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF RACONTE-ARTS FESTIVAL, DENIS MARTINEZ, TALKING TO MAN (SOUNDBITE) (French) ALGERIAN PAINTER AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF RACONTE-ARTS FESTIVAL, DENIS MARTINEZ, SAYING: "We call this a festival because we can't call it differently. But it is a moment of conviviality, meeting and creativity between fe
  • Embargoed: 9th August 2018 14:33
  • Keywords: festivals art migrants Tiferdoud Amnesty Berber
  • Location: TIFERDOUD, ALGERIA
  • City: TIFERDOUD, ALGERIA
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0058QDVCYF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Thousands of artists and art lovers gathered for a festival in Tiferdoud village, Algeria - a hamlet about 1,700 metres above sea level as part of efforts to revive the region hit by violence in the civil war in the 90s.
    The annual music and art festival in the Tizi Ouzou province east of Algiers, was launched in 2014 with the aim of boosting activity in the area after war killed an estimated 200,000 people throughout the country.
    The area is mainly inhabited by Amazigh, or Berber, and was among the regions worst affected by the violence and atrocities in the civil war, when Islamists took up arms after the ruling elite overturned an election they were poised to win.
    Migration was a prominent theme at the festival.
    Amnesty International Algeria co-ordinator, Amel Akli put up a series if photographs of migrants around the world.
    "The aim is to show people that the refugee crisis is not something new, it is also a crisis that exists in many parts of the planet and also to sensitise people and make them understand that anyone of us can become a refugee one day."
    Unlike past editions, this year's festival saw some foreign artists and writers come -- more would have liked to join but struggled to obtain visas for the secretive country.
    "I am used to participating in festivals but this one is completely different because everything is improvised," said Cecile, a French artist.
    "We are discovering the country, people and another type of festival at the same time."
    The event attracted thousands of visitors from the Kabylie and other regions including women in traditional dress.
    "The meeting between artists and citizens is aimed at sharing moments of conviviality, joy and exchange to discover the arts in general on a big day," said Amar Sadali, a member of the Tiferdoud's village committee.
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