Arab World Festival of Montreal | 25 years of Colorful Dreams and Then… Méprises

Interview by Alain Brunet

Additional Information

Palestinian revelation Nai Barghouti, Montreal rapper Narcy in tandem with his Arab-American friend and colleague Omar Offendum, the Mediterranean-inclined Compagnie Rassegna, the ultimate living legend of Algerian chaâbi Abdelkader Chaou, singer Dorsaf Hamdani and the Deus Ex Machina choir, whirling dervishes Tawhida Tanya Evanson, Shraddha Blaney and Crow, jazz-Moroccan singer Malika Zarra, immersive opera Sainte-Marine, Palestinian troubadour Abo Gabi, hypnotic songs by Franco-Egyptian oudist Mohamed Abozekry, soloist singers Oumaima El Khalil, Lila Borsali and Raoudha Abdallah in the service of liberation songs, oud supravirtuoso Naseer Shamma, Algerian Kamel Benani and his malouf music, Tunisia’s rising star Nour Kamar, the list goes on.

The 25th Arab World Festival of Montreal takes place over more than a month, with the infernal conflict between Palestine, Lebanon and Israel seemingly far from over. Despite this, the AWFM is still held in Montreal, and persists in nurturing dialogue between cultures and opposing hatred and division. Joseph Nakhlé, the event’s founder and artistic director, explains to Alain Brunet the background to the AWFM and outlines its programming under the theme Méprises: 25 years of colorful dreams. That’s saying a lot…

INFOS AND TICKETS HERE

Latest 360 Content

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: The Art of The Piano with Serhiy Salov and Jean-Philippe Sylvestre

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: The Art of The Piano with Serhiy Salov and Jean-Philippe Sylvestre

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: Women’s Cellos

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: Women’s Cellos

Classica 2025 presented by Marc Boucher: The Köln Concert String Quartet

Classica 2025 presented by Marc Boucher: The Köln Concert String Quartet

SAT’s Substrat Sound Series: IRLʼs soundscapes

SAT’s Substrat Sound Series: IRLʼs soundscapes

The two voices of Bells Larsen, for the first and last time

The two voices of Bells Larsen, for the first and last time

Salle Bourgie 2025-26: we talk to the artistic director and general manager about the next season

Salle Bourgie 2025-26: we talk to the artistic director and general manager about the next season

Classica 2025 Presented By Marc Boucher: La Fille aux cheveux de lin

Classica 2025 Presented By Marc Boucher: La Fille aux cheveux de lin

Corie Rose Soumah & Hypercube at Le Vivier: So Much Material… Skill

Corie Rose Soumah & Hypercube at Le Vivier: So Much Material… Skill

Antoine Corriveau Returns From a Night Flight

Antoine Corriveau Returns From a Night Flight

SAT | Sci-Fi Turntablism: Soundtracking Other Worlds

SAT | Sci-Fi Turntablism: Soundtracking Other Worlds

Festival de Lanaudière | Renaud Loranger Explains The Program

Festival de Lanaudière | Renaud Loranger Explains The Program

Pro Musica | Marion Portelance and Emmanuel Charest, New Team on Fire

Pro Musica | Marion Portelance and Emmanuel Charest, New Team on Fire

Syli d’Or 2025 | Raíz Viva and Their Afro-Colombian Percussion

Syli d’Or 2025 | Raíz Viva and Their Afro-Colombian Percussion

The art of entertaining: according to Gang of Four

The art of entertaining: according to Gang of Four

Centre des Musiciens de Monde brings us the martial art of singing!

Centre des Musiciens de Monde brings us the martial art of singing!

Syli d’Or 2025 | Latin America in the final with MARZOS and MATEO

Syli d’Or 2025 | Latin America in the final with MARZOS and MATEO

Syli d’Or 2025 | Reunion Island in The Running with Kozé

Syli d’Or 2025 | Reunion Island in The Running with Kozé

Frank Zappa’s Roxy & Elsewhere + Apostrophe = Rox(Postroph)y played by Dweezil’s Band

Frank Zappa’s Roxy & Elsewhere + Apostrophe = Rox(Postroph)y played by Dweezil’s Band

JACO Intends to Succeed With Its Plan F

JACO Intends to Succeed With Its Plan F

The TWO, The Unlikely Blues Duo

The TWO, The Unlikely Blues Duo

Critique Love… Critical Minerals in Montreal’s Underground

Critique Love… Critical Minerals in Montreal’s Underground

From Zigaz to Charlie Juste

From Zigaz to Charlie Juste

Before Sitting Down Alone at The Piano, Ingrid St-Pierre Responds

Before Sitting Down Alone at The Piano, Ingrid St-Pierre Responds

Virginia MacDonald, clarinet rising soloist with ONJM

Virginia MacDonald, clarinet rising soloist with ONJM

Subscribe to our newsletter