Panelists:
SOLOMON OKPURUKHRE: Visual artist, Painter, sculptor, Graphic designer, and Curator, Nigeria/Austria
VICTOR OCHEN (via zoom): Founder and Executive Director for African Youth Initiative Network, Uganda, member of the Global Advisory Group to the UNHCR on Gender, Forced Displacement and Protection
MIHRET KEBEDE: Co-founder of Tobiya poetic Jazz, Netsa Art Village Artist Collective, and Addis Video Art festival
HANNES SWOBODA: President IIP, former MEP
FRANZ SCHMIDJELL: Vienna Centre for Dialogue and Cooperation, Deputy manager, Global Dialogue African Politics
Moderation:
STEPHANIE FENKART, Director of the IIP
Content:
On the occasion of the opening of the exhibition of Solomon Okpurukhre on the topic “Peace: Reflections on Africa”, the experts from the fields of art, peaceful conflict resolution and politics will discuss the power of art in peace-building, and how talking about peace connects people across cultures and from different countries. Peace is more than absence of war, it is about engaging people, engaging the youth in non-violent means and ownership for their future. Peace is not a process, it is a way of life, with multilayered facets which include politics, awareness, dealing with the past, present and future and which goes beyond status and economic means. It is about the respect and fulfilment of human rights, ownership, and the idea that everyone profits from peaceful societies.
Art is an extremely important additional tool to bring topics to the attention of people. To show different realities, to play with emotions and experiences and to look at events happening on the ground and shaping the future. Art can open up dimensions of contradictions to people who are not frequently dealing with conflicts and wars from a political or expert point of view. Contrary to policies, art does not give recommendations. It places the visitor at the center, letting him explore, understand, feel, reflect, and conclude.
The talk will try to tackle some of the issues mentioned above. How does peace-building work on the ground? What is successful, what are the biggest challenges? How can the EU support African countries and its citizens to actively participate? How can a new narrative about Africa and its diversity be created? A narrative which goes far beyond the notions of colonialism, wars, corruption and natural resources. A narrative which portrays Africa and its people as diverse, prosperous and as an equal partner on the global stage.