celebrating migration and diversity, for the construction of a society just for all

Is democracy possible just inside each nation-state? or in order to think about democratic choices in a globalising world, do we have to think at a level beyond the nation state?
The European Union is frequently and rightly criticised as having a ‘democratic deficit’, but it is rarely pointed out that the state of democracy inside each nation of Europe is not ideal either. The events in this strand of the festival ask profoundly how democracy can be achieved at a transnational level in today’s Europe, and what new forms of activism and political participation could be used to give people real choice and autonomy in a world where politics is more and more global.

When: 9th May, 1pm – 6pm
Where: Toynbee Hall, Commercial Street
Info: Key-note lecture to be given by Saskia Sassen, followed by roundtables on Britain’s role in Europe and modes of democratic activism in Europe. Will also feature stands of NGOs and participative activities.
When: 3rd May, 4pm
Where: “Babes-Bolyai” University, Aula Hall, Faculty of European Studies
Info: Michael Shafir will speak about the concepts of European and Romanian democracy and some other topics related to its (non)functioning effectively.
When: 4th – 7th May
Where: at the Cité Nationale de l’histoire de l’Immigration médiathèque
Info:The exhibition brings together the photographs of Exequiel Scagnetti and will be the point of departure for two public debates bringing a larger reflection on the state of extreme-right, populist, and islamophobic discourse in Europe today. For more information click here.
When: 4th May, 3pm – 6pm
Where: MamBO, Via Don Minzoni 14
Info: Showing of the video What is Democracy? by austrian artist Oliver Ressler; presented by curator Elvira Vannini.

Quella labile linea grigia tra istanza artistica e sfera politica sociale, è il luogo in cui si fa spazio il video, intitolato What is Democracy?, dell’artista viennese Oliver Ressler, presentato il 4 maggio dalla curatrice Elvira Vannini al Mambo, il Museo di Arte Contemporanea di Bologna.Ciò che ci propone l’artista è la produzione di controinformazione, dice Elvira Vannini; un’installazione audiovisiva le cui le riprese ritraggono spaccati di colori e interviste colte tra la società civile mondiale. Le città toccate dal video, infatti, vanno da Atene a San Francisco, passando per …
The last 6 months have shown both the anachronistic nature of the global status quo, and the lack of a political project that genuinely changes the logic of global politics. The European project, despite certain appearances, has the potential to introduce a paradigm shift to an era of transnationalism.