Faouzi the Gladiator of Culture – By Abbas Msefer

The Criminal Chamber responsible for financial crimes near the Fez Court of Appeal sentenced three former leaders of the Esprit de Fès Foundation, which oversees the festival of world sacred music, to a one-year prison term. If Abderrafie Zouiten, president of the Foundation was condemned for embezzlement of public funds, Faouzi Skali and Abdelkader El Ouazzani only saw against them the motive of squandering these same funds. This condemnation did not leave many of his friends indifferent, including Abbas Msefer who tells in this text Faouzi Skali as he knows him.

How can we remain unresponsive to what is happening to this person who has given so much to his city Fez, to his country Morocco and to humanity? I’m talking about a man who understood very early on that the world needed gentleness and understanding to heal. I’m talking to you about a wise man who committed himself body and soul to make people find their senses by listening to music and talking kindly, kindly about our disagreements but above all about our common points which are our fraternity.

How many Moroccans were quick to promote the beauty of Moroccan culture? How many Moroccans have put words into action by reviving the particularity of Muslim culture in all its tolerance, luminosity, peace and truth.

I attended the birth of the Festival of Sacred Music in this little house drowned under books of literature, religion, films. The tireless Faouzi shared with us his ideas for a festival that would show the beauty of this thousand-year-old life in Fez by restarting this Bab el Makina, this weapons museum, these hotels, etc…The tireless Faouzi had already head to invite Nusrat Ali Khan, The whirling dervishes, Ben Harper, Barbara Hendricks, Goran Bregovic and let them taste the Spirit of Fez. He already had in mind to create debates on how to heal our dramas, how to ensure that the image of our religion is no longer decried, denigrated, thrown as food.

Read also: SENTENCED FOR WASTE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, FAOUZI SKALI DEFENDS IT

The indefatigable Faouzi, motivated by the love of his city, spent his nights thinking about how to make this unique festival known to a Moroccan and foreign public and thus unwittingly became the first modern cultural manager of the Morocco by considering the promotion of this festival but also its distribution. This promotion was also done by reaching out to opinion leaders abroad. In short, Faouzi did everything to ensure that the Festival was not an event without a future but a Festival of continuity, and on top of that, a festival which is not only a festival for foreigners but a festival for the inhabitants of Fez.

How many innovative ideas have come to enrich this festival, the sound and light show, the festival in the city, etc. And what an atmosphere worthy of Andalusia reigned under these thousand-year-old trees of the weapons museum where Fado singers gave way to Indian musicians.
Far from the folklore of the time which made us poor orphans of colonialism, thanks to Faouzi our culture found its true identity, proud of its past and open to other cultures.

Faouzi is also the man unlike many others who has always remained faithful to his principles, his convictions. Never attracted, nor won by appearances nor by shameless careerism. It has always remained in the culture. Firmly believing that this is where the change will take place. Proof of this is that after the festival of sacred music, the festival of Sufi culture. Always culture and nothing but culture.

Faouzi is also this father, open, tolerant who talks about all subjects with his children, who involves them in his projects and who takes their opinions into account. Faouzi is also the man who welcomed me into his home with open arms, who made me discover the seven springs of Fez by Edmond Secret. Faouzi is also the spiritual man who illuminates our consciences. Faouzi is a voice that comforts during difficult times. Faouzi is the man who alone brings together all the beauty of humanity: nobility of thought and character, affectionate gestures, a permanent smile and faith in the future. Faouzi is also the one who just convinced “simple” compasses like Jean Claude Carrière, Katherine Marshall, Edgar Morin, Jack Lang to come to Fez.
I hope that all this will only be a bad memory so that Faouzi can continue his fight for the defense and protection of Love and human understanding.

Courage to you Faouzi and the whole family. Abbas Msefer

Faouzi the Gladiator of Culture – By Abbas Msefer