APA - Nouakchott (Mauritania) The 4th festival of nomad music opened Monday evening in Nouakchott with over 300 artists from Africa and Europe attending the occasion.

Mauritanian artist Ousmane Guangue when performing during the opening gala expressed honour of being home after representing his country in France, Belgium and several other countries.

The culture and communication ministry in Mauritania with the help of the European Union, the French cultural co-operation and the Spanish and German embassies disbursed 127 million ouguiyas (CFA 254 million) for the event.

This is now an "annual tradition in our country which enables us to portray the richness of our culture and our hospitality, openess and tolerance," the Mauritanian culture and communication minister, Mohamed Vall Ould Sheik, said at the occasion.

Emphasising the importance of music and its role in human activities, Ould Sheik said the festival offered an excellent opportunity to share experience among the various nomad musicians.

The president of the urban community of Nouakchott, Ahmed Ould Hamza, noted that the human being will always be in "desperate need of music, in spite of globalisation and the era of technologies, because it is the only tool able to express joy and sadness".

The festival of nomad music will last 5 days.