
Held on the initiative of the Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO and co-sponsored by the Principality of Monaco and the Arab Republic of Egypt, this performance, coordinated by Greek composer Evanthia Reboutsika, was presented as an ode to the Mediterranean, which links three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia.
Bringing together artists from both shores of the “Mare Nostrum” to bring the message of peace as only music can, with melodies and songs that unite peoples across linguistic and all sorts of borders, the performance was punctuated by Melhoun music, This “age-old Moroccan art” will be inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023, as the Kingdom’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to the UN organization, Samir Addahre, was keen to point out.
Speaking before the start of the packed concert at UNESCO House, Addahre paid tribute to the Greek orchestra conducted by the illustrious composer Evanthia Reboutsika, who “thanks to her ingenuity and skill, was able to integrate and adapt her performance to the musical style of this ancient and distinctive traditional Moroccan art,” by associating “a great icon”: Majda El Yahyaoui, accompanied by members of the Association of Ambassadors of Moroccan Andalusian Music in France.
“Drawing its roots from the rich musical heritage of Greece, Morocco and Egypt, this symphony, which is intended to be a melting pot of cultures and civilizations, provides an opportunity to forge links between Mediterranean traditions and peoples through music, a universal language of rapprochement and mutual understanding,” Addahre said before a prestigious audience, including diplomats accredited to UNESCO.
For the Moroccan diplomat, this performance also represents “the testimony of a real will to bring together the two shores of the Mediterranean around the values of UNESCO, those of peace and tolerance, carried by a rich and ancient history of cultural and human exchange.”
In a hushed atmosphere, the Mediterranean Symphony, masterfully led by violinist Evanthia Reboutsika, captivated the audience from the very first notes that echoed through the main hall of UNESCO House.
From the audience, the musicians made a masterly entrance to the rhythms of the drums, before moving on to romantic ballads and sunny rhythms evoking the different countries of the Mediterranean, sequences harmoniously interspersed with soprano performances, ending with a highly applauded Greek-Moroccan musical exchange featuring Majda El Yahyaoui “very proud” to represent Morocco’s musical heritage in this concert conveying messages of peace, tolerance and living together.