The Festival of Freedoms will take place at the Wallonia-Brussels National Theatre from 8 to 17 October, under the theme of ‘Amazement and Uprising,’ organisers announced on Tuesday.
Hosted by the Brussels Laïque non-profit organisation, the festival combines various forms of creative expression focussing on resisting, sharing testimonies, and bringing people together.
The organisation highlights the danger of becoming desensitised to shocking information, which can lead to a sense of helplessness or paralysis. It cites issues such as wars, security-focused rhetoric, attacks on freedoms, and inequalities as sources of this desensitisation.
It is during these moments of paralysis, it notes, that individuals rise and resist. This resistance manifests itself in collective movements, speaking out publicly, acts of disobedience, and creative initiatives, whether artistic or civic, that reject fatalism.
By exploring this theme, the Festival of Freedoms aims to examine the current era without catastrophising but also without naivety. Its goal is not only to showcase the causes of worry or stagnation but also to highlight actions and ideas that spark movement, restore agency, and inspire creation and resistance.
The festival's schedule includes several performances, including a concert by Ascendant Vierge, slated for Sunday, 11 October at 8:30 pm.
