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.
Free upon registration
Organised by europalia in collaboration with Forbidden Colours
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 illustrate 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 by Dirk Vermaelen on Art2Gether, BE Presidency, and coming days
18:15 Talk with Angelo Tijssens, screenwriter Girl & Close
This talk will discuss the international release of Tijssens movies Girl and Close, which deal with masculinities and queer identities. The movies produced by Lukas Dhont and written by Tijssens, have received a lot of international attention. From the film festival of Cannes to the European Parliament’s LUX Audience Award, film critics from across the world have honored the movies. But the movies did also attract negative reaction from time to time. The talk with Tijssens will be about discrimination, queer rights and freedom of expression.
18:35 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
The panel will delve into the unprecedented human rights case that challenges Hungary's anti-LGBTIQ+ legislation. Since 2010, the Hungarian Government has been promoting a conservative notion of the family, culminating in the 2021 enactment of the so-called ‘child protection’ law. This legislation has been widely criticized for violating the principles of human dignity, freedom, equality, and non-discrimination enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). The panel will explore the extensive advocacy efforts by NGOs and the resulting lawsuit at the Court of Justice of the EU, which has garnered the most extensive support in EU history. The discussion will address the implications of this legal battle for LGBTIQ+ rights, European values, and the future of human rights in the EU.
Eszter Polgari, Legal Director Hatter Society (Hungary’s largest LGBTIQ+ organization)
Lawyer, holds an LLM and MA in Human Rights, and a PhD in law. She worked at the Central European University and has been involved as a human rights expert in various research and monitoring activities on LGBT rights, primarily within the EU and the Council of Europe. Between 2014 and 2018 she was a member of the Hungarian expert team reporting to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. Her main research areas are the European Convention on Human Rights and the practice of the European Court of Human Rights, with special focus on the role of comparative law, the European consensus inquiry and the protection of LGBTQI rights. She has been working for Háttér Society since 2008, first as a pro bono expert, later as a governing board member, and currently she is the director of the legal program.
Esther Martinez, Executive Director Reclaim (Legal helpdesk for anti-LGBTIQ+ lawsuit)
Esther is the co-founder and director of RECLAIM. She has a vast track record of engaging EU institutions in protecting human rights, civic freedoms and media pluralism. She engages on a daily basis with an extensive network of human rights defenders across Europe and beyond. Esther is a political scientist from Spain based in Brussels.
Rémy Bonny, Executive Director Forbidden Colours (campaign leader for lawsuit against Hungary’s anti-LGBTIQ+ law)
Rémy Bonny, a Belgian human rights defender and expert in international relations, serves as the executive director of Forbidden Colours, a non-profit advocating for LGBTIQ+ rights in Europe. Bonny has exposed anti-LGBTIQ+ initiatives by Russia and Hungary and advised governments on disinformation and human rights sanctions. In 2019, he uncovered a Russian-Hungarian disinformation campaign against LGBTIQ+ communities. In 2023, he led a campaign that resulted in the largest lawsuit in EU history against Hungary's anti-LGBTIQ+ law. Bonny holds degrees in Political Science and Human Rights & Democratisation, with his work featured in international media such as Time, Politico, and The Guardian.
19:05 Keynote by Heleen Touquet
Heleen Touquet is a visiting professor at the University of Antwerp. Heleen's research and teaching focuses on issues relating to gender, masculinities, conflict and peacebuilding. Their most recent project examined conflict-related sexual violence against men in the former Yugoslavia.
Touquet will talk on the intersection between European norms & values and gender-based violence.
19:20 Talk by Alexis Blake
Alexis Blake will delve into her innovative multidisciplinary practice, focusing on how her work critically examines and challenges the representation of women’s bodies and societal power structures. In her talk, she will explore the theme of breaking norms and heteronormativity, using the metaphor of glass as an amorphous, transparent material to symbolize resistance and disruption. Blake's current presentation at WIELS, "Crack Nerve Boogie Swerve," originally conceived as a performance, embodies concepts such as transparency, resistance, resonance, and disruption. This performative exhibition liberates itself from oppressive constraints, pushing the boundaries of art institutions. As part of the wider Art2Gether event, Blake’s discussion will resonate with the central themes of Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, emphasizing the importance of equality, justice, and the liberation from societal norms. Her work not only engages with the subjectification of women’s bodies but also activates them as agents for socio-political change, creating new languages of resistance and spaces to challenge and elude systems of power.
19:30 Normative Power Europe?
Article 2, and the European values described in it have been under the attention of academics for decades. What kind of power is Europe? Some said Europe is a normative power. But do these norms and values also reflect in Europe’s external policies. Is the world really viewing us as a democratic institution? Are our adversaries trying to undermine us?
Giorgi Tabagari, well-known Georgian political scientist & founder of Tbilisi Pride
Giorgi Tabagari is a prominent Georgian political scientist and the founder of Tbilisi Pride, an organization dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in Georgia. With a strong academic background in political science, Tabagari has become a leading voice in the promotion of democratic values and human rights in the Eastern Partnership region. His work focuses on the intersection of civil society, governance, and international relations, highlighting the importance of normative power in shaping political landscapes. Tabagari's activism and scholarship have earned him recognition both domestically and internationally, as he continues to champion equality and inclusivity in his efforts to foster a more democratic and just society.
Lou Errens, Chief Strategy Officer Justice for Prosperity (expert in subversive actions against European norms and values)
Lou Errens is a seasoned senior advisor and project lead with over 15 years of experience in enhancing intergovernmental cooperation on sensitive political issues. She has worked with the United Nations Organization for Migration, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and various European Commission-funded projects. Recognized internationally for her expertise in data processing and technology use in counterterrorism and law enforcement, Errens has also negotiated and implemented complex international dossiers for the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including the EU PNR Directive and issues of security and privacy. Her notable achievements include leading a global technology project for hashed data exchange and participating in the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program.