The choice of Tangier as the venue was lauded by UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, Ernesto Ottone Ramírez, who emphasized the city’s special historical ties with jazz, particularly its fusion with local music traditions such as Gnawa.
Held under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI and with the support of Morocco’s Ministry of Culture, the International Jazz Day celebrations in Tangier are set to showcase the city’s vibrant cultural scene and its rich jazz heritage.
Director of Arts at the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Hicham Abkari, underscored the positive impact of hosting such a global event in Tangier, noting the city’s burgeoning cultural development and world-class infrastructure.
Legendary jazz artist Herbie Hancock expressed his delight at Tangier being chosen as the host city, highlighting its significance as an iconic center of jazz and fusion music culture. This marks the first time International Jazz Day is celebrated in Africa, a testament to Tangier’s growing influence on the global stage.
The festivities, organized by UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz in partnership with the Tangier municipality, will continue until April 30th, featuring a series of educational activities, concerts, and conferences exploring the intertwined legacies of jazz and Gnawa music.
The grand global concert, a centerpiece of the event, will take place at the Palais des Arts et de la Culture, a symbol of Tangier’s modern architectural renaissance, and will be broadcast worldwide on various online platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and the official websites of UNESCO and the United Nations.
International Jazz Day, reaching over 2 billion people annually across all continents, serves as a testament to the universal appeal and transformative power of jazz music, fostering cultural exchange and understanding on a global scale. Tangier’s selection as the global host city for 2024 reaffirms its position as a vibrant hub of creativity and cultural diversity on the African continent.
