Multiple (hi)stories, Multiple futures
“Thinking out of the box is exactly how the box thinks. We are the boxes we strive to out-think,” writes philosopher Bayo Akomolafe, speaker at the eighth edition of Ecopolis where artists, thinkers and doers break open our frames. Social, ecological and economic crises force us to think about a radically different way of living. Can unheard stories help us with that? Stories that link different generations, geographical areas that are far apart or ancient knowledge and technology. Can activism as a form of love take us further than doomsday thinking? "The world is not about to end; we are already living with a different world," Akomolafe continues. Ecopolis brings stories that depict an inclusive and sustainable future for this new world.
• Ecopolis is the annual rendezvous for those committed to a sustainable future. Ecopolis is diverse, international and interactive. The eighth edition starts in the afternoon and goes on until late in the evening. Expect walks, lectures, discussions between writers, academics and citizens, workshops, literature and documentaries. Kaaitheater has already invited makers Enkidu Khaled and Joachim Robbrecht to contribute their work on the impact of war on the climate. At the crossroads of performance and discourse, they will present stories from Iraq, Kenya, Ukraine... Last season Khaled and Robbrecht worked together on the project God 99, which premiered at Kaaitheater.
PROGRAMME
WORKSHOPS & WALKS
13:30 Minority walk with Omar Fassi Fehri (EN/FR)
The Minority Walk is a tour of the center of Brussels to discover the public space of the capital, told through the lens of how the oppression of various minority groups is still taking place, in different ways, representations, mechanisms and images. (starting point at AB)
13:30 The Brussels of witches: feminist guided walk (EN/FR)
In the 14th century, as we move out of the ‘dark’ Middle Ages and into the Modern Age and the Renaissance, women are plunged into darkness – or rather into the flames of the stake. How were women’s skills and knowledge transformed into acts of witchcraft? hat does our urban public space reveal about that time… and about witches today? Find out in this guided walk by art historian Chiara Tomalino from L’architecture qui dégenre. (starting point at L'oreille Tourbillonnante, Calder (Corner of Rue du Musée/Coudenberg - 1000 Brussels)
13:30 Walk: Twee (t)huizen, een gids (NL)
In this intercultural walk, the guides do not focus on history but on how they themselves experience the city. During Ecopolis, we follow Tatyana, who moved from Ukraine to Belgium some 22 years ago and at once fell in love with Brussels because of its rich and omnipresent history, culture and vibrancy. She will take you along the former canal showing you her favourite spots. The walk ends with a tour of KVS theatre, for which she has a personal preference. A drink at KVS Café Congo will be the perfect conclusion to you walk. Organized by FMDO. (starts at Saint Catherine church)
14:00 Workshop ‘Limits to Growth’ (NL/EN)
Floods, forest fires, melting glaciers, etc.: we are increasingly faced with natural disasters. The consequences are disastrous and indisputable: we are exceeding the limits of our planet. To keep our planet livable, we urgently need to rethink our way of living. In this workshop, in line with the Buen Vivir philosophy, we will look together for ways in which we can live with fewer non-renewable resources, with the aim of taking a critical look at our consumer society and actively considering alternative models of society. (together with Catapa) (starting point at AB)
DEBATES & PERFORMANCE
16:00 Colonisation as exploitation of people and nature
Colonalisation is more than a system of dominance over a population and territory. In this panel discussion, writers and artists from various backgrounds will discuss what this means and will focus on the many narratives that survived colonialism while offering alternatives. They will talk about what the ’decolonialisation’ movement involves.
With: Dalilla Hermans (journalist, writer, theatre maker), Báyò Akómoláfè (celebrated international speaker, posthumanist thinker, and essayist) Jumana Emil Abboud (Palestinian artist), Mihnea Tănăsescu (political theoretician) and with Olave Nduwanje (writer, lawyer and activist) as moderator.
18:00 Different jobs, one planet. Stories of strong commitment
Whatever your studies, whatever your job, there are always plenty of opportunities for strong commitment to creating a better world. An architect need not only design houses but may also promote a more feminine approach to urban life. A lawyer may lead the way in the fight against chemical pollution of the environment. And what about a financial analyst’s call for blowing up the banks?
With: Apolline Vranken (architect), Thomas Goorden (environmental activist), Jérémy Désir-Weber (financial analyst), moderated by Caroline Van Peteghem and concluded with a brief key-note by Eric Corijn (cultural philosopher and social scientist)
21:00 TANK TINK / ONE: The environmental impact of war (première)
War turns gigantic areas into inhospitable no-go zones. Its impact on humans as well as on nature and biodiversity is dramatic. Ecopolis will feature playwrights and performers Enkidu Khaled and Joachim Robbrecht in the premiere of their play on the impact of war on the environment. Along with artists, journalists and activists from different corners of the world, they examine the relationship between warfare and environmental crises in a hybrid and polyphonic lecture-performance.
With: Sara Dziri, Anika Schwarzlose, Ogutu Muraya, Caroline Ngorobi, Chris Keulemans and Brian McKenna.
presented by AB, Oikos & Kaaitheater
€ 19/16/13/10/7