After singing the covid-19, Lounis Aït Menguellet wants to raise awareness about its effects on artists and cultural professionals in Algeria. Visibly touched by the criticisms, he took this opportunity to answer and empty his bag.
The famous singer announced Wednesday evening the postponement of his tour in Kabylia. He was to give four concerts in the towns of Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou between August 30 and August 20. But he had to give up due to the health crisis linked to covid-19.
Since the beginning of July, Algeria has been facing a worrying outbreak of the pandemic, with a meteoric rise in the number of new cases of covid-19.
In less than 15 days, Algeria has crossed successively the bars 400 daily cases (1 st July) and that of the 900 cases (12 July). Algiers hospitals in particular are saturated and marriage and circumcision ceremonies, as well as gatherings of all kinds, have been banned by the government.
“It is with sadness that we have to postpone the dates announced for July and August, because of the health situation that the country is once again going through and the government measures announced very recently. It was, therefore, wiser to postpone these dates, for the safety of all of us, ” the singer wrote on his Facebook page.
If he recoils from the advance of the covid-19 pandemic, Lounis Ait Menguellet does not give up so far. He promises his fans to come back to it. “We will announce the postponed dates soon, we will not give up, Art, Culture, Music will win for better or for worse!”
Ait Menguellet takes advantage of the announcement of his four concerts in Kabylia to highlight the precarious situation of artists and cultural professionals in general, hard hit by the health crisis.
Artists affected by the health crisis
“It is through a culture that we can get closer. It is the link that unites us and reduces the distance that separates us. Culture brings us comfort in this time of concern. It is essential that the rules be respected but it is also essential that professionals can work to meet the needs of their families,” he underlines.
He explains that “an event allows technical teams, security agents, musicians, artists, photographers, cameramen, engineers, shopkeepers, various teams to WORK.”
Ait Menguellet takes care to write work in capital letters to underline its importance in this period of serious health, economic and social crisis.
Ait Menguellet continues his plea by explaining that it is “difficult for these trades to be able to make ends meet since the start of this health crisis, it is therefore essential that we not only ask artists and culture to give but also to receive!”
Ait Menguellet goes on to call squarely for measures to “support artists and access to culture, in the short and long term.”
Visibly touched by the criticisms and attacks that followed the announcement of his four concerts in Kabylia, Aït Menguellet replied bitterly: “The artist has become a target on which some let off steam as soon as the opportunity arises. He is even criticized for earning a living!”
“Time is for reflection, are we here to try to move forward [still under control] but giving meaning to our culture or let’s all stop living, let’s all stop working and leave our families in misery … it is time to move forward and support culture,” he says to conclude.
