8th edition of MOCA, Festival of African Cultural and Creative Industries Under the theme: “For a sustainable Made in Africa”

The 8th edition of MOCA – Movement Of Creative Africas, the Festival of African and Afro-descendant Cultural and Creative Industries (ICC) is taking place from 18 to 21 May 2023 in Rabat as part of the celebration of Rabat, African Capital of Culture, organized under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

This edition is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the City of Rabat, and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa); in partnership with the Federation of Cultural and Creative Industries of the CGEM, the Hiba and Al Mada Foundations, and with the support of the National Museums Foundation.

Initiated by the Center for African Cultures, the MOCA is a platform for exchanges and meetings for African CCI professionals with the objective of sharing their challenges and developing common strategies to find effective and sustainable solutions.

Despite representing a growing share of creative output, Africa accounts for only about 1% of the US$1.1 trillion global creative and cultural industries market, according to UNCTD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) 2022 data. The challenge is to seize the massive potential of Africa in the fields of heritage, culture and creative sectors to transform it into sources of sustainable wealth and decent jobs for youth, and promoters of the identity and attractiveness of the territories.

The 8th edition of MOCA will debate the challenges facing African CCIs, such as the weakness of national cultural policies, lack of infrastructure and investment, poor access to financing and international markets, lack of technical skills, and issues related to intellectual property and competition from foreign cultural products.

As stated by Mr. Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa, “the African Capitals of Culture must help the emergence of cultural places in Africa from which the creativity of the African continent and its diaspora can shine, which finds its inspiration in the values of solidarity and the sharing rooted in the habits and customs of African communities”.

MOCA 2023 will bring together participants from 46 countries in Africa, America, and Europe for several meetings on the African Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI):

  • The Summit, which will be held on May 19 and 20 at the Villa des Arts, will bring together artists, entrepreneurs, and public and private decision-makers around 11 thematic round tables. The conference will address topics such as the impact of CCIs in Africa and in the world, the definition and implementation of sustainable cultural policies, the role of sport, culture, and entertainment in the promotion of CCIs, the opportunities offered by the use of new technologies, the state of the creative market in Africa, and its relationship with the global market of culture and creative industries, among others.
  • The Villa des Arts will also host Business Meetings on May 19 and 20, allowing CCI professionals to network and create new business opportunities. There will also be MasterClass sessions to discover the professions of the Performing Arts with Othman El Kheloufi and Stand Up with comedians Tareek, Rachid Rafik, and Waly Dia.
  • A Think Tank will be organized on May 18 at the Hiba Foundation, in partnership with CEMAC and the Moroccan Copyright Office, to discuss the challenges of intellectual property and copyright in Africa and to define strategies to develop and safeguard Africa’s heritage and creativity in the face of challenges posed by the platform economy.
  • On the artistic side, MOCA is offering a Creative Lab on Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21, at the Hiba Foundation, which will bring together Moroccan and international artists for a collaborative creation session. Two evenings are also on the program: the MOCA LIVE at the Hiba Foundation on May 19, inviting the Moroccan rap star Ouenza to perform on stage, and the MOCA SHOW at the Mohammed V Theater on May 20, bringing together artists such as Hatim Ammor, 1Da Banton, Tareek, Rachid Rafik, Waly Dia, Samia Orosemane, and Malam Adamo. African gastronomy will also be highlighted during a gala dinner realized with four hands by two great ambassadors of African cuisine: Chef MOHA and Chef ABEGAN.

MOCA 2023 promises to be an exceptional edition to promote cultural and creative industries as a driving force in building the Africa of tomorrow.

Participants are invited to register for the various events through the following links:

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About :

Rabat African Capital of Culture

The celebration of “Rabat, African Capital of Culture” was instituted by mayors, leaders, and elected officials of local governments in Africa to promote culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development in African communities. The city of Rabat was chosen as the first African Capital of Culture for the years 2022 and 2023 due to its cultural infrastructures and activities such as the Mohammed VI Museum, the Mohammed V Theater, and the National Library. The celebration aims to showcase Africa’s cultural heritage and creativity, promote the adoption of cultural policies within African local and regional governments, and contribute to the emergence of a network of cultural centers in Africa.

The programming of the celebration has a Moroccan component proposed and implemented by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, and a Pan-African component proposed and implemented by UCLG Africa. Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, the celebration was delayed and shortened in time, taking place from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023, with five African cities joining the celebration by hosting a “Morocco and Rabat Week” in their respective cities. The celebration aims to develop mutually beneficial relationships between local and regional authorities and professionals in the fields of culture, arts, and creative industries and to make Africa an important part of the global market of arts, culture, and creative industries.

MOCA – Movement Of Creative Africas

MOCA, the platform of African Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) and the Diaspora, initiated since 2016 by the Center for African Cutlures – CCA, promotes creativity and cultural entrepreneurship by bringing together artists, entrepreneurs and decision makers of this ecosystem. Several areas constitute its home ports: Music, Cinema, Media, Books, Fashion, Visual Arts, Crafts, Theater, Dance, Design, Gaming, Digital, Lifestyle.

UCLG Africa (United Cities and Local Governments of Africa)

The umbrella organization for African local governments, was founded in 2005 in the City of Tshwane, South Africa as a result of the unification of three continental groups of local governments, namely the African Union of Local Authorities (AULA); the Union des Villes Africaines (UVA); and the Africa Chapter of the União das Ciudades e Capitães Lusófonas Africanas, (UCCL AFRICA). The founding congress of the organization was held in May 2005 in the city of Tshwane, South Africa. UCLG Africa brings together 51 national associations of local and regional governments from all regions of Africa, as well as 2000 cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. UCLG Africa represents over 350 million African citizens. A founding member of the world organization UCLG, it is its regional section for Africa. Its headquarters are based in Rabat, capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, where it enjoys diplomatic status as a Pan-African International Organization. It also has regional offices