Talking Timbuktu: At Malis Legendary Festival of the Desert, Peace Doesnt Just Talk, It Sings, Drums and Dances, Too
Summary
In 1996, the Festival in the Desert as we know it was inaugurated to allow the Tuareg communities to share their cultures with the multitude of other ethnic groups in Mali and to rejoice over the newly found peace.This ancient tradition certainly serves as a model of the dialogue-based, multilateral approach to peace building and cultural respect world leaders aspire to, yet too often fail to reach, in our modern times.With legends like Salif Keita, Robert Plant, and Habib Koité waiting to get on stage, encores are out of the question in the non-stop line up that provides something for every musical palette.If you’d like to cross a trip to legendary Timbuktu off your bucket list and relish the music and cultural abundance of Mali, this must-see festival is a golden chance.This ancient tradition certainly serves as a model of the dialogue-based, multilateral approach to peace building and cultural respect world leaders aspire to, yet too often fail to reach, in our modern times.Upon arrival in Essakane, just two hours from Timbuktu, you will find the immense sand dunes of the Sahara Desert bustling with life and energy.