A special regional development committee (CRD) was held this Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at the Diourbel governorate to materialize the process of preparing the inscription of the Grand Magal of Touba in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The meeting, chaired by Bakary Sarr, Secretary of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Historical Heritage, took place in the presence of Serigne Cheikh Abdou Lahad Mbacké Gaïndé Fatma, president of the culture and communication commission of the organizing committee of the Grand Magal of Touba, as well as numerous administrative, religious and community authorities.

"Today, we came to preside over the special CRD organized to materialize the process of preparing the inscription of the Grand Magal of Touba in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. On behalf of Mr. Amadou Ba, Minister of Culture, Handicrafts and Tourism, we also came to represent the Head of State, the Prime Minister and the entire government for this regional development committee," said Bakary Sarr.

The Secretary of State emphasized the importance of this approach: "This CRD is a step in the process of preparing this important matter for the State of Senegal, for the Mouride community, for Senegal, for West Africa. We are well aware of the importance of the Magal, the issues at stake, but also the international standing and audience that the Magal has, first in Senegal, but also in the sub-region and throughout the world."

He recalled the different stages taken: "The first stages were precisely the registration. There were already surveys to collect information, data on the process of preparing for the challenges of the Magal. Then, one of the key stages was last year, the registration of the Magal on the national list."

Bakary Sarr emphasized the inclusive nature of the approach: "What needs to be said in general is the inclusive nature of the preparation of the dossier. The communities are at the heart of this approach since all the data, information and also the process of materializing and formatting the dossier was done with the communities. And this is precisely part of UNESCO's guidelines regarding the classification and integration of an object or phenomenon into the UNESCO list."

A process that will conclude in 2027

The Secretary of State clarified the timeline: "The process will end in 2027. Until then, there is still work to be done and naturally, the bodies that make up and coordinate the matter are working and continue to work."

He assured that "the State of Senegal will also maintain a perhaps even more diligent approach to accelerate the process. It is true that there is a process to follow, but all the due diligence and support work that the State of Senegal must do will continue, certainly accelerating as needed."

Diourbel, initiatory land of the Magal

Dr. Serigne Khadim Ngom, coordinator of Turaas, the research and preservation platform for the heritage of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké, expressed his satisfaction: "First of all, it is a feeling of gratitude, happiness and satisfaction to find ourselves today in Diourbel, the initiatory land of the very origin of the Magal. I will first recall that Serigne Touba stayed for 15 years in Diourbel under house arrest."

He explained the origins of the Magal: "It is in this state of affairs that he made a resounding call to humanity to come and join him, to give thanks to God, to share the blessings that have been bestowed upon him. So it is to respond to this universal call that the Mouride community, under the guidance and dictation of the General Khalif of the Mourides, has expressed the wish to share his blessings with humanity."

Dr. Serigne Khadim Ngom praised the State's responsiveness: "The State of Senegal, with speed and promptness in execution, first registered the Magal on the national representative list and initiated the process for the Magal's registration on the UNESCO World Heritage list."

He specified that "this CRD, which follows a community consultation that took place in Touba on December 23, sets the tone for the process of registering the Magal as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The work has begun, but this was a crucial step, important for the finalization of this process."

The coordinator of Turaas clarified everyone's roles: "As the Secretary of State reminded us earlier, it is the State of Senegal that registers. It is the community that expresses the wish and we position ourselves as a database to provide all the necessary documentation to strengthen the file, so that the State has all the necessary arguments to respond to this concert of nations at the meeting of giving and receiving."

"Senegal will offer the Magal of Touba to the whole world. Now, there is a joint commission between the State and the community which is being put in place," he concluded.