XXI Fiesta del Monfí de Cútar, Malaga

In this beautiful place in the Axarquía region of Malaga, we have had a meeting that unites Almonaster la Real and the Fundación Mezquita de Sevilla with Cútar. A past that dialogues and complements each other: Almonaster with its old mosque from the tenth century, and Cútar through the sandwiched booksdiscovered in 2003; a twelfth-century Qur’an and two manuscripts.

Glories of an Andalusian past that are part of our Andalusian cultural heritage . An exponent that emits an expansive wave towards Europe and that speaks of what forged the character and tradition in our towns and people. These places of ancient beauty were meant to share their legacies and hopes, and we have witnessed that.

Surrounded by mango plantations, grown on steep slopes, the events of the festival program took place: a dramatized visit, where the experiences of those who had to leave their lands in 1501 were recounted; the souk, concerts, guided tours of the interpretation center and talks with the locals.

The central act of the meeting had its most emotional moment in the hall of the old cinema. After the welcoming words of the mayor of Cútar, Francisco Ruiz, two conferences were given. The first, by our Vice President Khalid Nieto, dealt with “Ruralmosques: practices and functions”; and the second, by Manuel Ángel Barroso, on the “Mezquita de Almunastyr, heritage space”.

The meeting was closed by the Councilor for Culture of Almonaster, María José Martín, recalling the links with the Mosque Foundation of Seville and detailing the events of the XXV Conference on Islamic Culture.

Afterwards, everything was sealed with a pleasant fraternal meal that lasted more than two hours, until the farewell. And there, at the table, were the Culture technicians who resolve and channel the events and meetings: Yolanda Benabat, from Almonaster, and Rubén Muñoz, from Cútar.

A meeting that is a prelude to other visits and events.