Each February, Marrakech becomes one of the world’s most compelling cultural destinations.
As the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair electrifies the city with collectors, artists, and global tastemakers, a more intimate and rarefied gathering quietly unfolds: The Diaspora Salon.
Conceived by Meryanne Loum-Martin, owner of Jnane Tamsna and author of Inside Marrakesh: Enchanting Homes and Gardens, The Diaspora Salon is a four-day, invitation-only experience that blends intellectual rigor with the pleasures of refined travel.
Hosted in an exceptional boutique hotel setting, the Salon convenes leading artists, writers, thinkers, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders from Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas.
A full list of participating speakers and contributors is available here.
Days are devoted to elegant, thought-provoking conversations on culture, identity, creativity, and global influence. Evenings unfold through exquisitely curated dinners, performances, and torch-lit soirées that are stylish, celebratory, and unmistakably Marrakech.
The atmosphere is intimate and intentional, drawing together cultural capital, lived experience, and intergenerational dialogue in a setting designed for meaningful connection.
A brief glimpse into the Salon’s atmosphere can be seen here.
More than an event, The Diaspora Salon is a destination in its own right. It is a reason to experience Marrakech at its most inspired, where art fairs, intellectual exchange, and luxury hospitality intersect.
For travelers and cultural observers seeking journeys that nourish both mind and spirit, it offers a singular vantage point into the global Black diaspora as a living, evolving ecosystem of excellence.
A Pioneer’s World, Experienced From the Inside
Meryanne Loum-Martin is widely regarded as the pioneer of boutique hospitality in Marrakech, and there is no finer introduction to the city’s magic than experiencing it through her world. Her work has long shaped how Marrakech is felt rather than simply visited, through design, storytelling, and a deep reverence for place.
That sensibility defines The Diaspora Salon, where hospitality becomes a framework for exchange and cultural continuity rather than spectacle. The gathering reflects a philosophy in which beauty, intellect, and belonging are inseparable, and where space itself becomes an active participant in cultural dialogue.
Investing in the Next Generation of Global Black Thinkers
This year’s Salon also deepens its intergenerational mission through a dedicated student cohort initiative, bringing students from HBCUs and other universities into direct conversation with global leaders across the arts, humanities, finance, diplomacy, technology, and design.
Participants engage in mentoring circles, professional development workshops, and immersive conversations that expose them to the diaspora not as an abstract concept, but as a lived and welcoming global network.
For many, the experience represents a first encounter with Black excellence operating seamlessly across borders, disciplines, and generations, affirming possibility, mobility, and belonging at a formative stage of their lives.
A Moment of Living History
Adding to the Salon’s cultural significance, this year’s gathering will also host the Special Ambassador of Benin, who will be on site to discuss pathways to citizenship for descendants of the African diaspora.
The moment situates the Salon within a broader historical continuum, where questions of identity, return, and future-building are not theoretical, but actively unfolding.
At its core, The Diaspora Salon is not about scale or spectacle. It is about presence, proximity, and purpose, a carefully held space where global Black culture is not performed, but lived.
For more information about the event, visit thediasporasalon.com.
Tickets are limited and currently available.
