Year 2007 is a significant year in Fez city. Why? This fascinating city in Morocco is celebrating its 25th year of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also, ISESCO named Fez as 2007’s Capital of Islamic Culture. This year also marks the 13th anniversary of the much-awaited Fez World Sacred Music Festival. Sacred music artists and devotees once again gathered at Morocco’s holy city to strengthen spiritual traditions and abolish cultural boundaries through the power of music.

The World Bank-sponsored Fez event, which ran from June 1 to 10, did not only accommodate music lovers and festival goers. It also became a place of rendezvous for social activists, policymakers, and religious leaders who came to combine faith and reason to generate holistic ideas for the challenges brought by time. Thus, the theme “Essence of Time, Spirit of Place” aims for the preservation of Islam’s rich heritage amidst the apparent threats of globalization and modernity.

Retaining your identity and being proud of it – that is what I learned from attending this special Fez event. Actually, I was heading back to my Fez hotel room when this thought struck me. I guess this shows that even if we do not belong in the same religion and, therefore, do not hold the same principles and beliefs in life, there is a way to act as one and be united – and that’s through our common passion towards music.

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