Douz hosts Najaa El Fen from 25 to 31 October 2026
Published on 10/24/2026 at 16:27 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSFestival programme and desert setting
- Najaa El Fen opens in Douz on 25 October 2026 under organiser Ridha Ben Mansour.
- Mohamed Marzouki Cultural Centre hosts the opening, while Ksar Ghilane receives the programme from 28 October 2026.
- The Tunisian National Tourist Office places Douz beside dunes, palm groves and the Chott El-Jerid.
Douz hosts Najaa El Fen from 25 to 31 October 2026, bringing a week of music, dance, visual arts and environmental activities to southern Tunisia. The festival opens at the Mohamed Marzouki Cultural Centre before moving towards Ksar Ghilane, linking the town's cultural programme with the desert landscape around it.
Najaa El Fen opens in Douz on 25 October
The fifth edition of Najaa El Fen is scheduled across Douz and Ksar Ghilane from 25 to 31 October 2026. The organiser's programme lists Douz as the festival base, while the national news agency ANSA identifies the event as a festival of artistic creation in the Sahara.
The opening on 25 October takes place at the Mohamed Marzouki Cultural Centre in Douz. The programme includes Ater al Janoub, a performance by Tunisian composer Mohamed Ali Kammoun focused on musical heritage from the south.
Concerts, activities for children and environmental initiatives are planned in Douz on 26 and 27 October. The programme also includes plastic-waste collection in oases with the associations Sahretna and Nakhla, alongside a performance by Bedouin singer Ridha Abdelatif.
The organiser's 2026 programme gives the festival dates and identifies Douz as its setting. ANSA's programme report places the opening at the cultural centre and describes the later move into the oasis.
Douz connects music with the Sahara landscape
From 28 October, Najaa El Fen moves to Ksar Ghilane, where the programme includes workshops in music, dance and visual arts. A desert route titled Music and Silence is also planned, making the landscape itself part of the festival's setting rather than a separate excursion.
The Ksar Ghilane programme includes musical meetings at Camp Paradis and the Sinouj performance by Tunisian artist Benjemy on 30 October. The festival concludes on 31 October with presentations of works and performances created during the workshops.
The Tunisian National Tourist Office describes the Douz region as a meeting point of sand dunes, palm groves and the salt landscape of Chott El-Jerid. It also records the continuing presence of the Mrazig nomadic herding community and Douz's role as a market associated with camel raisers and Saharan traditions.
That setting gives the October programme a direct connection to the place. The first performances use a cultural venue in town, while the later workshops and music activities move into the oasis and dunes that define the region.
The national tourist office's guide places the sandy desert close to Douz and describes Ksar Ghilane as a transition between sandy and stony desert.
Visiting Douz: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Najaa El Fen runs from 25 to 31 October 2026, opening at the Mohamed Marzouki Cultural Centre in Douz before continuing at Ksar Ghilane.
- The programme offers concerts, workshops, children's activities and environmental initiatives; the organiser's pages do not establish a general admission policy.
- Douz is accessible by road, and the Tunisian National Tourist Office lists Tozeur and Djerba as the nearest international airport references, at 125 km and 260 km respectively.
- The town sits beside sand dunes and palm groves, while the festival's later setting at Ksar Ghilane includes an oasis and desert terrain.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Douz on social platforms
These links open searches for Douz on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Douz
When does Najaa El Fen take place at Douz?
The festival runs from 25 to 31 October 2026, opening in Douz and continuing at Ksar Ghilane from 28 October 2026.
What is planned at the opening in Douz?
The Mohamed Marzouki Cultural Centre hosts the opening on 25 October 2026, including Ater al Janoub by Mohamed Ali Kammoun.
Where is Douz and how do you get there?
Douz is a desert town in southern Tunisia. The national tourist office lists road access and gives Tozeur and Djerba as international airport references.
