Rijksoverheid, Public Cinema, de Balie and Mathieu Wijdeven
At the end of 2022, the Dutch government issued an apology to the enslaved and their descendants. Since then, the national government has been working to increase public awareness about the history of slavery and its impact on contemporary society. The government also continues to promote equal opportunities and the fight against discrimination and racism. For "Who Are We?" the government is collaborating with Public Cinema, the De Balie foundation, and artistic designer Mathieu Wijdeven. Together, they developed this conversation starter and are implementing it across the Netherlands. The goal? To initiate a dialogue in all places about this important question: who are we?
wie zijn wij?
A shared past
At Blikopener Festival, you'll come across the 'Who Are We' installation. This installation is a conversation starter, inviting people to engage in discussions about the history of slavery. It's a shared past that we all have in common. What do you know about the people who played a role in it back then or are still affected by it today? You'll discover this together, as well as how perspectives on this topic can differ. The conversation starter is inspired by the well-known board game 'Guess Who' and is a life-sized version of it. Together, participants expand their knowledge about their shared past and discover the ongoing impact of the history of slavery on contemporary society.
'Who Are We?' is a pilot installation that will be presented in a public space for the first time at the Blikopener Festival. If you have any feedback as a participant on how we can improve our conversation starter, please let us know.