Mystical poetry takes center stage at the Fez Sufi Culture Festival

The city of Fez will host the 18th edition of the Fez Sufi Culture Festival from 17 to 24 October, with this year’s program built around mystical poetry and designed as a bridge between Morocco and the wider world.

Fez Sufi Culture Festival: what to know

Organised by the Fez Sufi Culture Festival Association, this edition is held under the theme “Mystical poetry, elixir of healing”. Under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, it aims to explore how Sufi spiritual heritage can still speak to today’s world.

The organisers want to show how mystical poetry can help people cope with crises, feed reflection on what makes us human, and offer breathing space in tense times.

For Moroccans living abroad planning an autumn trip, the Fez Sufi Culture Festival is an opportunity to combine a visit home with culture and spiritual exploration in one experience.

A full program of talks, workshops and concerts

Over one week, the festival will feature debates and artistic events focused on mystical poetry, its many forms and its legacy across different traditions.

The announced program includes:

• round tables bringing together researchers, writers, poets, artists and thinkers from various backgrounds;
• workshops, film screenings and exhibitions dedicated to Sufi culture;
• concerts and musical encounters around major works of spiritual heritage;
• an opening concert led by the “Shems’y School of Arts and Crafts”.

The first sessions will cover themes such as “Mystical poetry: an ode to the invisible” and “The word that heals”. Other talks will focus on beauty through art, poetry and spiritual experience, as well as on the sensitive dimension of religious experience.

A cultural gateway for Moroccans living abroad

For Moroccans based in Europe, North America or the Gulf, this event in Fez can easily fit into a holiday or a short trip to Morocco in autumn. Travelling outside the summer peak often means more affordable tickets and a calmer city.

Families raising children abroad and looking for cultural references will find a living space here to transmit part of Morocco’s spiritual heritage, beyond clichés and simplified narratives.

Most activities of the this case take place in historic venues in and around the old medina, allowing visitors to combine heritage discovery with participation in the events.

Planning the trip and staying connected

Before travelling, visitors are advised to check the detailed schedule, venues and admission conditions. Moroccans abroad can then plan their stay in advance, targeting the days and themes that interest them most.

For those unable to travel, part of the festival’s content is often shared online or on the social media accounts of cultural institutions, helping maintain a connection with the spiritual and artistic scene in Fez.

By placing mystical poetry at the heart of its 18th edition, the festival confirms Fez’s role as a capital of a spiritual, dialoguing Islam, at a time when many in the Moroccan diaspora are looking to rebuild deeper ties with their country of origin.

For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.

For official updates, readers can check the relevant official source.