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As far as I can tell The Festival in the Desert, due to take place in February, has been postponed. I much hope that plans can resume in the coming months, in the wake of recent developments and after some breathing space.

I feel fortunate to have seen some of the Festival's spell-binding performers at WOMAD - Tinariwen, Etran Finatawa, Toumast, Oumou Sangaré...and not forgetting Toumani Diabaté. It would be a priviledge one day to see them in their own part of the world. How sad that they cannot play there at the moment.

"The Festival in the Desert has been exiled from its home in Mali as extremists violently oppose music and artistic expression, burning musical intruments and totally destroying the festival's property..." http://vimeo.com/54507742

From last year's festival: "as we search for the soul through the cultures of the world, we find it in places like this." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSTWRC6QD4Q

Catching up just now with Nitin Sawnhey Spins the Globe on Radio 2, this week he collaborates with Malian Ngoni player Bassekou Kouyate. Brill. Clip:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0165hjt

(Nitin's show has also made me realise I need to get an album by Massive Attack! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b64AtjYr6is)

Hi Diane,

Related to your first post is this recent story of an all girl rock band from the disputed territory of Kashmir being hit by a fatwa.

the original story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP66h_2mDxQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQLazbSiAXs

the Grand Mufti character who issued the fatwa - his worldview is unbelievable in this day and age.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTj090S8Un0

the fallout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASSmMmOi8XI

Quite apart from the politics and social issues the girls make a beautiful sound from the brief seconds of music that I heard.

p.s.

One of the band members talks to media after quitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_mO_upNAYs