‘L’imagination au pouvoir: the power of protest in words, images, actions’

Protest movements have changed the evolution of society and politics at critical moments. This panel will discuss the movements in the 1960s that challenged the status quo in parallel across Europe, the Americas and Africa. The actions, messages and images generated by these movements had a ricochet effect across continents and were driven by a common yearning for change and the redefinition of power relationships. These struggles for personal liberties, civil rights, racial justice and gender equality had a powerful effect on the conscience of subsequent generations. The speakers will consider how the politics of protest touched their own lives, and how the aesthetics of the 1960s movements have shaped their world-views today.

With: Patrick Gaspard (President Open Society Foundations), Kendell Geers (South African artist and activist in the anti-apartheid movement), Manu Claeys (Essay writer, activist and author of the book Red de democratie! (Save the democracy!)), Timea Junghaus (Director of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture ERIAC, Berlin) and Heleen Debeuckelaere (Co-founder of Black speaks Back).
Moderator: Heather Grabbe (Director of the Open Society European Policy Institute)

Presented within the framework of BOZAR’s thematic focus on the legacy of 1968, revolution and Black Protest movements worldwide.

Programme:
18:00 drinks with Patrick Gaspard
19:00 start of the conference, followed by a reception