Tangier is preparing to host the second edition of the Mediterranean Encounters. From September 24 to 27, 2026, the event will center on the theme “Giving Voice to the Women of the Mediterranean.” Organized by the Founoun Al Boughaz Foundation - Arts of the Strait under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture and the Tangier City Council, the major literary and artistic event aims to celebrate women’s creativity while highlighting the status of the Strait city, which joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in literature in 2025.
Under the artistic and literary direction of Nadia Paquereau and Kebir Mustapha Ammi, four days of discussions, readings and performances will take place at historic sites across the Kasbah, including Borj En-Naam, Riad Sultan Theater, Saba’s House and El Minzah Hotel.
The festivities will open on Thursday, September 24, with a tribute to lyricist Mohammed Tanjaoui, presented by Kaïsse Ben Yahia and Abdellatif Ben Yahya. It will be followed by a roundtable on exile and migration in the Mediterranean, bringing together Laurent Galandon, Sedef Ecer, Rachid Benzine and Jean-Marc Moura, moderated by Christophe Godinot.
The afternoon will focus on the personal stories and perspectives of women creators, with writers Imane Naciri, Leïla Bahsaïn and Souad Jamaï, along with academic Claudia Maria Tresso. The spotlight will then turn to a younger generation of writers represented by Souleiman Berrada and Zahrae Houari. The day will close at Riad Sultan Theater with an evening of multilingual poetry readings staged by Zoubeir Ben Bouchta, featuring prominent voices including Mourad Kadiri, Touria Ikbal, Khadija Ikan, Hassan Mekouar, Idriss Maliani and Oum El Fadl Malainine.
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The Friday, September 25 program will open with poetic dialogues featuring Abdelkhalek Jayed and Bousfiha Noureddine, before giving architect Hanae Bekkari carte blanche to explore the urban history of the medina, the memory of international Tangier and the experiences of women from rural areas.
The event will also feature a major partnership with Le Matin newspaper, whose Book Club will host a discussion with Fedwa Misk, Khalid Benslimane, Mokhtar Chaoui and Assia Ben Otmane. The evening will continue at El Minzah Hotel with a conversation with actress Atika Benzidane, followed by the recital “Songs for Africa and the Continents That Are Not Afraid,” presented by Kebir Mustapha Ammi and Marie-Christine Vandoorne.
Saturday, September 26, will offer a packed program exploring contemporary issues and cultural memory. A roundtable on writing in times of crisis will bring together Jean-Marc Moura, Yamen Manai and Waciny Laredj. It will be followed by an in-depth conversation with Asma Lamrabet about her book The Forgotten Ethics of the Quran, and then a discussion with Carole Latifa Ameer on the feminist rereading of Islamic sources.
After discussions with writers Juliette Granier, Sedef Ecer, Leïla Bahsaïn and Souad Jamaï, as well as a discussion on publishing led by Sansy Kaba Diakité and Hicham Houdaifa, linguists Fouad Laroui and Jocelyne Dakhlia will explore the transformations of Mediterranean languages. One of the highlights of the festival will be Mahmoud Darwich Poetry Day, organized in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou. The event will feature a tribute to the great Palestinian poet by Waciny Laredj, Yamen Manai, actress Malika Zirari, set designer Zakariae Heddouchi and musician Jean-Pierre Marcellesi, followed by appearances by Azedine Sedrati and Spanish author José Miguel Carrillo de Albornoz.
The Mediterranean Encounters will close on Sunday, September 27, at Saba’s House with a poetic brunch and a musical reading during which pianist Juliette Garnier will perform works by Debussy and Chopin celebrating water and the Mediterranean connection. Throughout the event, visitors will also be able to view the photographic exhibition “Memories of the Ephemeral” by visual artist Ernest Pignon-Ernest, dedicated to Mahmoud Darwich, at Borj En-Naam, as well as the documentary film Mahmoud Darwich, Memory of Palestine.
With the support of its long-standing partners, including Librairie des Colonnes, the festival is reaffirming Tangier’s ambition to bring literature closer to the heart of the city and create a space for fellowship and dialogue on both shores of the Mediterranean.
