Eleven dead in stampede at star-studded Mawazine Festival in Morocco
Posted on May 25th, 2009 in World Music.
Eleven died at this year’s Mawazine Festival in the Moroccan capital Rabat when a collapsing fence caused a stampede at a concert by Moroccan pop star Abdelaziz Stati at the Hay Nahda football stadium.
Backed by royalty and able to bankroll the biggest acts in the Arab and Western pop industries, the Mawazine Festival is a vast event attracting up to 70,000 people [see Songlines’ festival profile in issue #59].
This year’s event hosted the likes of Algerian stars Khaled and Warda al Jazairia and famous Western names Kylie Minogue, Ennio Morricone and Alicia Keys.
The festival aims at enhancing the image of the conservative administrative capital Rabat and promoting a modern image of the nation. It is seen as a counterweight to the growing influence of Islamic opposition groups and has been condemned by certain politicians as a waste of public funds and an incitement to immoral behaviour.