The 11th National Festival of Female Creation (FCNCF) is set to take place from October 8 to 12 at the Villa Boulkine in Hussein Dey, Algiers. This year's edition, themed "Forgotten Trades and Customs," aims to highlight traditional Algerian practices and cultural heritage that are on the verge of disappearing. The festival is organized under the patronage of Minister of Culture and Arts, Malika Bendouda, and will be overseen by Sid Ali Ben Merabet, the festival's commissioner.
The festival will feature various artisans and artists from across Algeria, showcasing their skills and ancestral knowledge in fields such as textiles, pottery, photography, painting, and music. The event includes a series of masterclasses on different aspects of creation and heritage, including forgotten dances, Algerian interior design, and digital marketing. Notable artists, including Houria Aïchi, Beihdja Rahal, and Leïla Boursali, are expected to participate in the festival.
A special exhibition will be dedicated to traditional Algerian attire from the 17th and 19th centuries, featuring pieces from private collections across the country. This will be the first time these exceptional pieces are presented to the public. The festival will also include a cinematic segment, with the screening of two films, "Ta3azit" and "Ticrad," which relate to the festival's theme.
The festival's organizers aim to create a platform for female artists and artisans to showcase their work, techniques, and ancestral knowledge. The event is designed to promote and preserve Algeria's cultural heritage, with a focus on empowering women and passing on traditional skills to future generations. The festival will also feature a new platform, "Be Djazairi," which will serve as a database for Algerian artisans producing authentic and authorized works.
The academic and scientific aspects of the festival will be highlighted through conferences on topics such as the protection of heritage by UNESCO, women and Sufism, forgotten female music, and Algerian cuisine. These conferences aim to raise awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage and promoting women's contributions to Algerian culture.
As part of the festival's social initiatives, several visits will be organized to a retirement home and a school for visually impaired children, with the distribution of symbolic gifts. The festival aims to extend its cultural vocation beyond exhibition and representation spaces, making culture a means of transmission and inclusion.
The 11th National Festival of Female Creation is an opportunity to celebrate Algeria's rich cultural heritage and to promote the creative work of women in various fields. The event is expected to attract a large audience and to contribute to the preservation and transmission of Algeria's cultural legacy.
Key points
- The festival highlights traditional Algerian practices and cultural heritage that are on the verge of disappearing.
- The event includes a series of masterclasses on different aspects of creation and heritage.
- A new platform, "Be Djazairi," will be launched to serve as a database for Algerian artisans producing authentic and authorized works.
