Haifa Wehbe, world stars bring message of peace to Morocco
2009-10-21
Agadir recently hosted the Concert for Tolerance, which promotes peaceful co-existence. Local and international stars drew 200,000 spectators and reached a television audience of 30 million.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Agadir – 21/10/09
 [Joseph Barrak/AFP/Getty Images] Haifa Wehbe was among the many performers at this year's Concert for Tolerance. |
Crowds of Moroccans and tourists from abroad thronged the beach in Agadir on Saturday (October 17th) for the fourth annual Concert for Tolerance, where local and international stars took the stage to promote a message of peace and dialogue between cultures.
The concert serves as "a cultural bridge between the two shores of the Mediterranean and brings them together, setting all differences aside, in a spirit of peace and brotherhood," according to a statement issued by the Tolerance Association, which staged the event along with Free Elections Productions and the council of the Souss-Massa-Draa region.
The organisers estimate that 200,000 people attended the concert, and television channels 2M (Morocco) and M6 (France) broadcast the event to over 30 million viewers.
"From Agadir, we sent the whole world a message of peace, brotherhood and tolerance," said Aziz Akhannouch, from the Tolerance Association.
Crowds were delighted by a variety of Maghreb and Western singers, including Bob Sinclair, Leona Lewis, Marc Lavoine and Natalie Imbruglia. Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe charmed hundreds of fans who came from outlying villages to see their favourite star close-up.
Wehbe said she feels that music "has a calming influence on people, and is an excellent medium for spreading noble values throughout society." The star added that she was proud to be part of the constellation of stars that lit up the stage in Agadir.
Another warm welcome was given to Cheb Faudel, who sang in unison with the audience. The Algerian performer has many young Moroccan fans.
French singer Amel Bent welcomed the concert's focus on human values. "I have always advocated tolerance," she said. "We may be different, but we're equal, and we need to get that message across."
Florent Pagny, Marc Lavoine, Renan Luce and Tokyo Hotel also graced the stage for an appreciative audience on the beach.
Organisers noted that most of the audience was young, between the ages of 15 and 25.
"When we found out the names of all the stars who would be performing at the concert, we instantly decided we wanted to go, even though it's an expensive trip for young people like us. But the concert was worth it," said Hamal, a law student at the University of Marrakesh. The concert-goer said he and two friends had been planning the trip for weeks, and they had spent an unforgettable evening on the beach in Agadir.
Hatim, another student who travelled to Agadir for the concert, agreed that the concert spread the message of tolerance. "Besides promoting important values, the concert has also raised Agadir's profile, particularly as a tourist destination," he said.
The Concert for Tolerance, conceptualised in 2006, has attracted top-level talent for the past four years, to both encourage co-existence and promote the Souss-Massa-Draa region.
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amdyaz Posted 30 days ago
Yes, their ages ranged between 15 and 25. This is the outcome of the destruction and corruption that America perpetrates against this category of society through the Internet and tourists. Salam.
Philippus Posted 29 days ago
Reading your article makes you ask: Where you there, at this concert re-broadcast to 30 million people? How did you get your information a few weeks in advance and what is the source of you numbers? Did you see Florent Pagny? He was stuck in France at Orly. You have good eyes and good ears. You two student reporters found it acceptable that Morocco’s “little people” were jammed in everywhere, 200m from the marina to the stage to the beach, blocked off by the VIP section, by technical tower that blocked the view of the show and by policemen and soldiers every 4m. According to the organisers, there were 200 thousand. This number had to have been surpassed. So, why haven't we read anything since last Friday, and that article was just a gloss over of this concert. Many left before it even began. I even read an article that was half copied from other years with a list of artists that had not been updated. Your article is accepting – even too accepting – of the reality of what happened. I came, I saw and I will come back. “Tolerance” has become a term to salvage something, just like “peace” and “ecology”. What does this offer the people and, more especially, the people of Morocco? -Goodbye
oujdishinoui Posted 29 days ago
salam. I wonder if those who attend this so-called concert were there to listen to wahbi's songs or to ogle at her body.I think there r other ways to spread the culture of peace and tolerance.
walid Posted 28 days ago
My name is Walid Merikhi. I live in Jijel. I don't like Lebanese artists, especially Haifa Wehbe. I love my country, but not its government.
عبد الرحيم Posted 23 days ago
Indeed, the message was sent to over 200,000 young adolescents who attended the concert with millions others like them. Indeed, money was spent for a message the content of which is tolerance. How many values and morals are degraded as a result of such concerts. As far as I know, in these concerts there are many intimate meetings and contact which are not associated with our values and morals. Indeed, the city of Agadir succeeded in sending the message to the world saying it is the city of misery and waste wherein officials practice all forms of luxury and idleness. To this day, we haven’t seen in the city of Agadir what really fascinates the visitor. Its streets, with their garbage, its sidewalks, when you look at them and you feel that no architect or no one expert worked on planning the city; a lot was spent for the city but nothing is apparent. Moroccan officials are good at concerts. Who will pay the bill for this idle concert? Of course, the Agadir resident, the Moroccan citizen, of course. When he wakes up receiving another letter to pay an electricity bill which he has not consumed, water of which he has not consumed even half, and the inflated tax. We see a lot of things in this country under the rule of the shadow government. There is no alternative to concerts which send messages of hideousness, messages of injustices practiced by authorities on our ideas and trends. Who benefits from them? It is them, not us, because we don’t want to see their concerts and festivals, which are stereotyped. Neither Haifa Wehbe nor anyone else will be capable of transmitting the message we want. She actually needs someone to send her a message because she is a corrupt artist, with all the meaning of corruption. She is a temptation artist par excellence. If they think of inviting artists, they should invite real artist…less costly and less expensive.
Essam Posted 15 days ago
I am MOROCCAN, and denounce these acts of bringing the least examplary poeple of the arab world let alone a muslim one. I do not like Lebanese poeple because they assimilate to the west too much. Especially these kind of figures that have nothing to offer to Morocco except ruining the minds of million of young moroccan girls and adolecents. This is ridiculous. and by the way Morocco need to enact a law that requires a visa for entry to Morocco.
مهند Posted 6 days ago
I love Haifa Wehbe because she is nice like the moon and kind. God willing Haifa will come to my country, I will see her, kiss her and she will kiss me. I love you Haifa, Mohanad loves you/ A kiss most beautiful woman in the world. Bye.
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