Larache Opens "Wlad Medina" Festival Focusing on Youth and Cultural Industries

The city of Larache, Morocco, has launched the fourth edition of its "Wlad Medina" festival, an event dedicated to celebrating youth and exploring the burgeoning artistic and cultural industries. The festival commenced with an opening seminar at the Lexus Bab Al Bahr Cultural Center, focusing on the theme "Youth and Artistic-Cultural Industries." The seminar was moderated by filmmaker and screenwriter Zeinab Wakrim, whose short film "Ayor" was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023.

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The new generation associated with electronic games and content creation, and the strong youth presence in this field.

Discussions during the seminar emphasized the significant economic potential of creative industries. Lamia Amraoui, a researcher in educational sciences and youth issues, pointed to the growing influence of the new generation in areas like electronic gaming and content creation. She stressed the importance of training as a fundamental pillar for developing artistic and cultural sectors, advocating for programs that equip young people with the necessary skills.

Filmmaker Charif Tribak underscored the necessity of establishing a genuine market for artistic and cultural industries, moving beyond artificial constructs. He noted that official figures on Morocco's cultural spending often exclude related sectors like crafts, tourism, and digital industries. Tribaq called for an integrated strategy to bolster investment and strengthen the domestic market, ensuring sustainable growth and visibility for Moroccan arts.

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What is lacking today is an integrated strategy that supports investment and strengthens the internal market.

Concerns were also raised regarding the career prospects of graduates from art and cultural institutions. Aisha Bashtawi, a graduate of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Art and Cultural Animation, highlighted the limited number of graduates and the scarcity of post-graduation support and direct employment opportunities. She pointed out that artistic work is often seasonal, lacking job security, and urged for expanded training programs and smoother integration of graduates into the job market.

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The number of graduates from art and cultural training institutes remains very small, due to the lack of support after graduation and the scarcity of direct job opportunities.