Inspiring Change through Culture

As the Right Livelihood Award is approaching its 40th Anniversary and the Medellín International Poetry Festival its 30th, our common global challenges are becoming increasingly acute and tangible when it comes to for example the climate crisis, authoritarian governance, the continuous threat of violent conflict including the use of nuclear weapons and growing inequality between rich and poor.

The Right Livelihood Foundation, in cooperation with the Medellín International Poetry Festival (Right Livelihood Laureate 2006), will organise a three-part webinar series inviting Right Livelihood Laureates, others within the Right Livelihood network, and poets. We want to provide a safe space for transformative ideas and visions. The focus will be on Culture as a tool to inspire change, and how to communicate the urgency of system change to the wider public. How can poets, musicians, activists and policymakers invited to the Poetry Festival best come together with science and Right Livelihood Laureates to trigger an urgent worldwide mobilisation around the pressing need for system change?

August 18: World Peace and Disarmament

10:45 COL. 15:45 GMT. 17:45 CET

Language: English

For decades, the security-concept has been defined by military strengths. However, in 2020, COVID-19 showed us that confrontations and weapons cannot solve a global threat like the virus. We need a shift in the political and economic priorities towards increased investments in human security issues such as health, poverty and climate change instead of spending trillions of dollars on weapons.

Speakers:

• Mr. Alyn Ware (2009 Laureate, New Zealand)
• Ms. Gcina Mhlophe (South Africa)
• Ms. Ulrika Modeer (Sweden)

August 24: Defence of Earth and Life

10:00 COL 15:00 GMT. 17:00 CET

Language: Spanish

The increasing effects of shrinking biodiversity, global warming, and other growing effects of human activities, are alarming and a significant threat to the planet’s inhabitants. By learning from each other we can develop a deeper understanding of the effects and struggles in different parts of the world, but also find more creative ways to cooperate globally in the urgent fight for a major systems change.

Speakers:

• Ms. Fiore Longo (France) member of 1989 Laureate Survival International
• Mr. Raúl Montenegro (2004 Laureate, Argentina)
• Ms. Francia Márquez (Colombia)
• Ms. Marije Langelaar (The Netherlands) 

September 2: Culture, for the Transformation of Human Society

10:00 COL 15:00 GMT. 17:00 CET

Language: Spanish

The world needs to go through an extensive transformation in the forthcoming ten years, starting now. The International Poetry Festival of Medellin shows the world how free expression and culture as a universal language could help us overcome fear and violence and to make the necessary changes to our way of life. What role does culture play in communicating the urgency of transforming human society?

Speakers:

• Ms. Magdalena Max-Neef (Chile), President of 1983 Laureate Manfred Max-Neef Foundation
• Mr. Boaventura de Sousa Santos (Portugal)
• Mr. Freddy Ñáñez (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela)

About the webinar series

• Concept note & participant biographies “World Peace and Disarmament” 
• Concept note & participant biographies “Defense of Earth and Life”
• Concept note & participant biographies “Culture, for the Transformation of Human Society” (English)
• Concept note & participant biographies “Culture, for the Transformation of Human Society” (Spanish)
• Press Release
• News Article