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At the 11th Bamako Encounters, the Photography Biennale in Mali. AFP / Habibou Kouyate

More than two and a half months before the kick-off of the Rencontres photographiques de Bamako. As we approach the 12th Biennale, scheduled for November 30 to January 31, 2020 in the Malian capital, Igo Diarra beats the recall. The new general delegate of the Biennale gave Thursday, September 12 a press conference in Paris, after passing through Ouagadougou or Conakry. He sees things in grand style to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this event, which has become the biggest pan-African photo event ever since.

85 photographers from Africa and the diaspora are invited to Bamako, twice more than in previous editions. Doubled also the exhibition sites: they will be 12, the National Museum at the Palace of Culture, through the Conservatory, or places like the girls' high school Aminata Ba and the Cinema El Ilal.

The new General Delegate is full of ideas to celebrate the 25th anniversary of these Photographic Meetings. Bring big names from previous editions, create a catalog in three languages, including Bambara. Director of the Medina Gallery and Balani's Editions, Igo Diarra also dreams of giving the event a multidisciplinary dimension, with, why not, a big concert at the Modibo-Keïta stadium.

It remains to find funds commensurate with these ambitions. Ideally, Igo Diarra would like to double the initial budget of 500,000 euros, half funded by the French Institute. " We are knocking on several doors precisely, diversifying the partners. This is the most beautiful tool Mali has, it is the biggest African event in terms of photos and videos. So it is important that collectors, African patrons position themselves and put the kitty on the table. "

As for the organization, it returns this year entirely to the Malian State, the French Institute is no longer co-organizer. Concrete consequence: the printing of photos is now done in Mali, and more in Paris. The teams from the Training Center for Photography and the African House of Photography are therefore hard at work to provide the 1500 or so pictures to exhibit.