(Reuters) Hundreds of revellers descended on one of Tunis’s main streets to watch musicians take to the stage as part of World Music Day, also known as Fête de la musique.
The event on Sunday (June 21) marks the first day of Summer and the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.
The wide Habib Bourguiba Avenue avenue was cleared of traffic allowing people to soak up the atmosphere and dance the night away.
Among the performers was French singer Fethi Thabet.
“It was excellent, great! the public is receptive. We see that there are many young people. They are on hold, they wait for such events. There must be more concerts like this. It’s fresh air for everybody,” Thabet said.
This year’s concert coincided with the Islamic month of Ramadan, when observant Muslims around the world fast from dawn until sunset.
Tunisia’s Minister of Culture Latifa Lakhdar, said Ramadan is about religion, but the month also has an important social aspect of bringing people together.
”Everything in Ramadan has a special flavour, because for Tunisians, Ramadan of course has a religious meaning. But it also has a social and festive meaning,” she said.
Djmawi Africa, a reggae band from Algeria, also entertained the crowds with their hits, with Tunisian band Mizrap closing the show.
Fans said they wanted more concerts like this in the North African state.
“We need more things like this, it makes us very happy. Look at us, we’re happy, we’re all here listening to good music and having fun,” said Ahmed, one of the festival goers.
World Music Day was first established in 1982. It is marked in hundreds of cities around the world celebrating different types of music and performers.
