Paris (AFP)

"In Africa, people no longer dream at home, they dream towards the North and we have to stop." This plea by Moroccan artist Mahi Binebine is at the heart of a new pan-African event, "African Capitals of Culture", to strengthen the dialogue between artists and economic opportunities in the cultural sector on the continent.

Judging that culture has often been "left behind" by decision-makers on a continent that is nevertheless the cradle of humanity and with a particularly rich cultural heritage, the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa organization (UCLG Africa) has spurred the birth of this event - like the European Capitals of Culture - convinced of the need to place this sector at the center of the development policies of cities in Africa.

Every three years, an African city - French, English or Portuguese - will host for a year a series of cultural events, funded by international institutional partners and patrons. Marrakech, tourist capital of Morocco, applied for this first edition (from the end of January to the end of December 2020). Kigali is expected to host the second in 2023.

For Mahi Binebine, 60, a renowned Moroccan painter, sculptor and writer, an African artist should not have to go far, in Europe or the United States for example, to get started or make a living from his art. As a spectator should not have to change continent to contemplate the work of African artists.

"I discovered my African neighbors in Paris: Ousmane Sow on the Pont des Arts, Malick Sidibé at the Cartier Foundation, Youssou N'Dour at the Bataclan!", Tells AFP with emotion Mr. Binebine, who had then obtained a scholarship from France for a year and remembers being troubled by this reality.

"African Capitals of Culture" promotes a "cultural reappropriation of Africans by and for themselves". She wants people to have easier access to this cultural offer on the continent, for her artists to be "networked" and to demonstrate their ability to drive a local economy.

"We need to meet among Africans, to do African events and to give another image of us", says Mr. Binebine, with enthusiasm and contagious smile, honorary president of the Marrakech 2020 committee. AFP l met during the decentralized launch of this event organized in Paris by the communication group Dentsu Aegis Network, which supports the event.

- "Cultural depth" -

"In Africa, people no longer dream at home, they dream all the time towards the North and we have to stop (...) The international is also the South", he says, citing the success of the Dakar African Art Biennial, which is in its 14th edition.

With the filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, Mahi Binebine created cultural centers for young people in slums of his country, an initiative unique in Morocco to fight against radicalization and obscurantism. After Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir, a new center was inaugurated this weekend in Fez.

He wants to say to young Africans who are trying to emigrate clandestinely to Europe, often cornered by the lack of economic opportunities or the security troubles in their country: "we are going to build something, you will be able to dream at home".

On the program of Marrakech Capital of Culture: an "African garden" presenting sculptures near the very crowded Jamaa El Fna square, the traveling exhibition including paintings "Lend me your dream", at the initiative of investors Moroccans and presenting around thirty major artists from the continent, a literary fair, concerts, fashion shows "with African colors, yellow, garish red!", describes Mr. Binebine.

Coming to Paris for the launch, the president of the Organizing Committee of African Capitals of Culture and general secretary of the UCLG, the Cameroonian Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi, recognizes that "too often, culture has been left behind" by the authorities on the continent and that "most" of the sector's professionals do not make a living from it.

"There are efforts to be made so that Africa's contribution to universal culture is commensurate with its cultural depth," he said. According to him, cities have "a big role to play" in making the "junction between the cultural substrate carried by traditional authorities and the modernity that cultural industries call".

Mahi Binebine adds: "When I meet decision-makers at home, they often tell me + what are you bothering us with culture? We have to feed people +. They did not integrate idea that culture can generate an economy; a city like Bilbao (Spain, editor's note) which was dying, you put a Guggenheim museum and the city is reborn! ".

© 2020 AFP