THE CITY OF CHAMPIGNY-SUR-MARNE INAUGURATES LOUNES MATOUB STREET
On Saturday 28 September 2024, the city of Champigny-sur-Marne paid tribute to Lounès Matoub, an emblematic figure of Kabyle culture and the fight for human rights, by inaugurating a street in his name. The event was attended by his widow, Nadia Matoub, and the mayor of Champigny-sur-Marne, Laurent Jeanne, surrounded by numerous Kabyle political, cultural and artistic figures.
The inauguration marked a high point for the Kabyle community in France, honouring the memory of the committed singer and poet who was assassinated in 1998 by the Algerian Islamic junta. The new rue Lounès Matoub thus becomes a symbol of cultural resistance and the fight for freedom, values that the artist proudly embodied in his songs and actions.
Nadia Matoub, visibly moved, expressed her gratitude to the town and its inhabitants for this recognition of her husband’s struggle, stressing that his legacy lives on through the generations. Mayor Laurent Jeanne paid tribute to Lounès Matoub’s contribution to the defence of the rights of oppressed peoples and to cultural diversity, stressing the importance of perpetuating his memory.
Several Kabyle artists were present, performing in honour of Matoub, and speeches were made recalling the immense impact of his work in the struggle for recognition of Kabyle culture and democracy in Algeria. This inauguration is one of a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the links between cultures and promoting living together within the municipality.
From now on, rue Lounès Matoub in Champigny-sur-Marne will be a place of remembrance for all those who admire this outstanding artist and his unwavering fight for freedom and justice.