Speech by Wilfrid Estève on Friday, May 16, at the inauguration of the first “Face à la mer Hors les murs” (Off-site Facing the sea) event in the courtyard of the Carcassonne Museum of Fine Arts.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends of photography and of Morocco,
It is with palpable emotion and immense joy that I stand before you here, in the heart of Carcassonne, to inaugurate this new photography festival.
The Face à la mer Photo Meetings were born seven years ago in Morocco – a land of light and contrasts.
Today, they find an echo here in Carcassonne – a land of hospitality and hope.
We live in times when walls sometimes seem to rise faster than bridges. Yet, it is in the meeting and dialogue of cultures that our shared richness lies.
This festival is an invitation to embark on both an inner and an outer journey. Through the works of the featured artists and creators, we invite the public to explore universal themes – such as human dignity, the fragile beauty of nature, and the struggles for justice and freedom.
Photo of the exhibition Leila Alaoui – Les Marocains during the first edition of the Off-site Facing the sea festival in the courtyard of the Museum of Fine Arts in Carcassonne. Photograph by Maureen Auriol.
We have chosen to present perspectives that reflect the complexity of the world.
Perspectives devoid of artifice or embellishment, yet always imbued with profound humanity.
Perspectives that engage us and prompt us to reflect.
Perspectives that remind us that behind every face and every story lies a part of ourselves.
Being here in France to share these Moroccan perspectives is a powerful humanist statement. It also demonstrates how photography forges connections and fosters intercultural dialogue.
Mina Mostefa and I hope that this festival will be more than just a series of photography exhibitions. We envision it as a space for meeting, sharing, and debate—a place where ideas flow freely and everyone feels personally engaged.
Speech by Wilfrid Estève, co-founder of Facing the sea Photo Meetings, paying tribute to Yan Morvan during the opening of his Bobby Sands exhibition – attended by the Mayor of Carcassonne, Mr. Gérard Larrat, and the official in charge of culture, Ms. Annie Doutres – at the Dominican Chapel in Carcassonne during the Facing the sea festival. Photo by Maureen Auriol.
M. le maire de Carcassonne, Gérard Larrat et Mina Mostefa, directrice de Face à la mer, durant le vernissage de @facealamer.tanger au musée des Beaux-Arts de la @villecarcassonne
Photographie de Yassine Sellame.
We thank a bold mayor and his supportive team – including Anne, Pascal, and Philippe – for helping us build this bridge between Carcassonne and Tangier.
We extend our deepest thanks to all the Moroccan and French authors and artists – Amine, Céline, Yassine, Charaf, Youness, Rime, Justine, and Aurèle – as well as the families of Yzza and Leila… Choukran bezaf.
We thank the Institut Français du Maroc and the bookstore and gallery “Les Insolites” de Tanger – long-standing partners of Facing the sea – as well as our private partners in Carcassonne: Pascal Palacin, Jérôme Joseph, and Sophie Galinier.
I would like to thank those working alongside us in both Tangier and Carcassonne: Benoit, Dastane, Lorenzo, Raph, Lou, and Jean-Nöel.
Thank you to Maureen, Marie, Dimitri, Elisabeth, and Lionel from L’Oeil Urbain; Abla, Kenza, and Christine; and finally, Stéphanie, who opened the doors of Tangier to us.
We thank you, the audience, for your presence and your engagement.
Together, let us make this edition a celebration of togetherness and openness to the world.
My final words go to the person without whom none of this would have been possible.
Thank you, Mina.
