Mali’s Festival on the River Niger Announces 2010 Music Program

The 6th edition of the Festival sur le Niger (Festival on the Niger) multidisciplinary festival will be held February 2 – 7 of 2010 in Ségou, Mali.  This year the opening ceremony will take place at the Municipal Stadium on February 3rd, with the reconstitution of the various periods of the Malian music through a unique concept in order to celebrate 50th anniversary of Mali’s independence.

The popular Concert on the River includes Salif Keita, Habib Koité, Nahawa Doumbia, Baaba Maal (Senegal), Tinariwen, Kasse Mady Diabate, Atongo Zimba (Ghana), Baba Salah, Super Biton de Ségou, Sékouba Bambino (Guinea), Assan Kida and Mamou Sidibé.

There will also be thematic musical evenings. The Manding evening will feature Habib Koité, Kasse Mady Diabate, Bako Dagnon, Sékouba Bambino, and Nahawa Doumbia. Other performers include Cheick-Tidiane Seck with Cheick T Seck & company; and Ragga, Reggae, Rap evening with Amkoullel, King Massassi, Dady Dasty, and Koko Dembélé.

Other activities include:

A scientific Forum: “Culture and Governance”. Sub-theme 1: “Is the Malian culture a source of inspiration for an adapted Governance and progress for Mali?”. Sub-theme 2: What type of political, economic and social governance for Africa?”. Challenges, Risks, and t Perspectives. These are the main questions of the forum which will take place February 4th, 2010 in the meeting room of the City Hall.

Traditional groups unveil the great cultural richness of ancestral rites with unique occasions to discover these shows that tend to be forgotten and to which the festival gives a new expression.

There will also be dances and puppets, traditional hunters’ show, and pirogue races. This year the Region of Kayes is the guest region of the festival.

An international gathering of artists from Mali and elsewhere in the “Korè” Gallery at the Quai of Arts, on the theme of “Water”, and a photography exhibits at the “Animy Sculpture” Center on Rivers in the view.

The International Fair of Segou will showcase the creativity of craftsmen and farmers of the region and the sub-region.

More informatoon at festivalsegou.org/new/en.html