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- October 13, 202617°
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Konya Sema ensemble joins Mevlid al-Nabi events in Tunisia
A 21-member Turkish Sufi Music and Sema Ensemble from Türkiye held two programs in Kairouan and the capital Tunis as part of Mevlid al-Nabi Week. The events featured Sufi music, the Mevlevi Ayin-i Sharif and a Sema ceremony, highlighting the cultural ties between Türkiye and Tunisia.
A 21-member Turkish Sufi Music and Sema Ensemble from Türkiye traveled to Tunisia at the invitation of the Tunisian Ministry of Culture as part of Mevlid al-Nabi Week. The ensemble held two programs in Kairouan and the capital Tunis.
The programs featured performances of Turkish Sufi music. The Mevlevi Ayin-i Sharif was then performed, followed by a Sema ceremony.
Kairouan at the heart of Mevlid al-Nabi celebrations
Ahmet Misbah Demircan, Türkiye’s ambassador to Tunisia, said various events had been held in Tunisia over approximately 15 days for Mevlid al-Nabi. Demircan said Kairouan was the center of the celebrations and that the programs had spread to many provinces across the country.
Demircan said the invitation of a Mevlevi group from Konya to Tunisia had also taken place as part of the celebrations, and thanked the Tunisian Ministry of Culture. He noted that the close engagement shown by Uğur İbrahim Altay, mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality, was important for cultural exchanges.
Demircan said the programs in Kairouan and the capital Tunis made it possible to establish direct contact with the public, adding that events held especially in historic city centers were important for reaching local communities.
Cultural communication through music and Sufism
Demircan said approximately 100,000 people lived in the areas where the programs were held and that such events could reach a broad segment of society. He said the cultural ties between Türkiye and Tunisia contributed to communication between the two societies through music and Sufism.
It is highly valuable that cultural diplomacy has created this opportunity for communication between societies through music and Sufism.
Demircan thanked the Tunisian Ministry of Culture, officials, the organizing committee, the Konya team and Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Altay for contributing to the organization of the programs.
Performances comprised two parts
Ali Feyzi Uysal, a vocalist and singer with the Konya Metropolitan Municipality Turkish Sufi Music and Sema Ensemble, said they had shared the spiritual atmosphere and fellowship of Mevlid al-Nabi with Tunisian audiences during the two programs in Kairouan and the capital Tunis.
Uysal said the people of Tunisia had welcomed the ensemble sincerely and warmly, and that they were pleased by the strong interest from audiences in both cities.
The first part of the two-part performances featured works from the tekke and Sufi music traditions. It included works conveying blessings and peace upon the Prophet Muhammad, as well as love and praise for him.
The Mevlevi Ayin-i Sharif was performed in the second part of the shows. This section featured poems and lyrics expressing love, affection and devotion to the Prophet Muhammad, and the program concluded with a Sema ceremony.
Building bridges of communication between the two countries
Emel Talibi, director of the Ibn Khaldun Cultural Center, who was involved in organizing the programs in Tunisia, said the cultural and spiritual ties between Türkiye and Tunisia formed the foundation of the gathering.
Talibi said they had hosted the Sema ensemble from Türkiye as part of international cooperation and aimed to build bridges of communication between the two countries, particularly through the Mevlid al-Nabi celebrations.
Talibi said many elements in the traditions and customs that emerge during Mevlid al-Nabi celebrations in Türkiye and Tunisia were similar, adding that these commonalities enabled the two peoples to become better acquainted with each other.
Talibi described the performance in Kairouan as an event with a strong spiritual and Sufi character and said Tunisian audiences showed great interest in the program.
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