FREE ENTRANCE
The opening night of europalia art2gether at WIELS will be dedicated to debate and statements about Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. Various experts and artists will discuss the future of European values and standards.
The rights and freedoms of the LGBTQ+ community within the European Union are currently under pressure, a worrying development that challenges the EU's core values. At the same time, the EU is struggling to integrate migration and address gender-based violence, which calls for a rethinking of how these issues touch on the fundamental principles of equality and justice. As a normative power, the European Union has long served as a beacon of liberal values, but current internal and external challenges raise the question of whether the EU can still serve as an inspiration to the rest of the world. These crucial issues are a test not only of the EU's own policies and identity, but also of its influence and leadership on the global stage.
In collaboration with Forbidden Colours.
Entrance is free, but please register here
PROGRAMME
18:00 Introduction by Latifah Abdou, host of the evening
Latifah Abdou is the founder of WeDecolonizeVUB, a project that centralizes the knowledge, experiences, realities, and needs of racialized youth in higher education. She has also been involved in various projects related to decolonization and inclusion, such as the Blueprint Study: Master in Critical, Diaspora, Race, and Liberation, and the Braver Spaces Summer School. Her work illustrates a pursuit of social critique and social justice. As a moderator and public speaker, she brings a genuine passion for creating and holding spaces to foster dialogue on these topics.
18:05 Welcome speech by Dirk Vermaelen, Artistic Director of europalia, on art2gether, the Belgian Presidency, and the coming days
18:15 Talk with Angelo Tijssens, screenwriter of Girl & Close
18:35 Panel: The first breach of Article 2 in the EU? Hungary’s anti-LGBTIQ+ law and the lawsuit at the Court of Justice of the EU, with
- Eszter Polgari, Legal Director Hatter Society (Hungary’s largest LGBTIQ+ organization)
- Esther Martinez, Executive Director Reclaim (Legal helpdesk for anti-LGBTIQ+ lawsuit)
- Rémy Bonny, Executive Director Forbidden Colours (campaign leader for lawsuit against Hungary’s anti-LGBTIQ+ law)
19:05 Keynote by Heleen Touquet, visiting professor at the University of Antwerp
19:20 Talk by multidisciplinary artist Alexis Blake
19:30 Normative Power Europe?
- Giorgi Tabagari, well-known Georgian political scientist and founder of Tbilisi Pride
- Lou Errens, Chief Strategy Officer Justice for Prosperity (expert in subversive actions against European norms and values)
