Nouakchott – The first-ever reggae concert organized in Mauritania was held on 13 April in the capital city, Nouakchott where 13 musicians and artists from Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau and Senegal performed in front of over 800 Mauritanian and migrant youth.

The event was organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Mauritania, in close collaboration with the Institut Français de Mauritanie (IFM), the Association El Vajer and the Echos du Sahel. It took place at the IFM as part of IOM’s “Vivre Ensemble” (living together) awareness-raising campaign that promotes cultural diversity and social cohesion.

The project allowed young musicians to develop their music skills over several weeks. During the concert, four videos were projected, showing young women, community leaders, intellectuals, youth and IOM Mauritania staff who shared their vision on “living together”.

“What we have seen tonight demonstrates greatly what successful inclusion can look like”, says Laura Lungarotti, IOM Chief of Mission in Mauritania.

“First time ever we see migrant and Mauritanian artists playing reggae music in front of such a diverse audience,” said Abda MC, one of the artists gathered for the occasion.

The campaign was conducted in the region of Guidimagha at the border with Senegal and Mali, a city host to migrants and diverse ethnic groups in Mauritania.

“Vivre Ensemble” is a raising-awareness campaign designed as part of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration in Mauritania. Based on the multiple dimensions of Mauritania, as country of origin, and country of transit and destination for migrants and different cultures and ethnic groups, the campaign promotes inclusion, diversity, tolerance and the richness that migration can bring to a society.

For more information, please contact Ciré LY, at IOM Mauritania, Tel: +222 34 18 43 78, Email: caly@iom.int or visit https://rodakar.iom.int/