Morocco is set to make cultural history in the United States,becoming the first Arab and African nation to be featured as a guest of honour at New York’s SummerStage Festival. The event,titled “Morocco: From Dakhla to Casablanca,” opens this Wednesday 15 July at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
The event is organized by Morocco’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad and Maroc Festivals. Organizers promise an evening that turns Central Park into a showcase of the country’s diverse sonic landscape,taking audiences on a journey across Morocco’s distinct regional and stylistic traditions. The program blends Gnaoua ritual music,Hassani poetry-songs from the southern provinces,contemporary rock and electronic compositions,illustrating the capacity of Moroccan culture to bridge heritage and modernity.
SummerStage,one of the United States’ most storied outdoor cultural festivals,draws large and diverse audiences to New York’s Central Park each summer. Morocco’s selection as the first Arab and African country to receive such recognition positions the Kingdom as a cultural ambassador for both regions within one of the world’s most visible public performance spaces.
The milestone reflects Morocco’s sustained investment in soft power and international cultural projection,a strategy that gained significant momentum during the 2026 FIFA World Cup,where millions of spectators around the world encountered Moroccan music,traditions and popular culture through the country’s hosting role and its national team’s strong showing in the tournament.
For one evening in Central Park,the sounds of Gnaoua masters and electronic producers from Casablanca will share the same stage,offering New York audiences a direct encounter with a cultural mosaic shaped by African,Arab,Amazigh and Saharan influences. Morocco’s organizers describe the event as more than a musical performance — an act of cultural diplomacy at the heart of a global city.
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