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UID:20260603T134418EDT-7763PgVLUJ@132.216.98.100
DTSTAMP:20260603T174418Z
DESCRIPTION:The Centre for Huma Right and Legal Pluralism is pleased to bri
 ng together Ayodele Ganiu (O’Brien Fellow – Artist & Cultural Policy Profe
 ssional from Nigeria)\; Justin Jalea (Canadian Artist\, lawyer and Consult
 ant on Arts & Human Right)\; and Fatemeh Sadeghi Givi (O’Brien Fellow – Re
 searcher and Gender Studies Expert from Iran) about the power of art as a 
 tool for advocating for and defending human rights.\n\nThe speakers will s
 howcase the transformative effect of art through the work and legacy of th
 e late legendary African musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti\, and analyse cases 
 of violation of artistic freedom. They will identify key challenges for ar
 tists’ freedom of expression\, analyse the violation patterns and trends a
 s well as social developments in different countries that have undermined 
 freedom of creativity.\n\nParticipants will have the opportunity to intera
 ct with speakers and access information on how better environments can be 
 created for artists to exercise freedom of expression.\n\nAbstract\n\nArti
 stic expression is vital in civic education and public enlightenment in de
 mocratic societies. Artists play important role in addressing political an
 d social issues in ways that appeal to emotions and often lead to mass mob
 ilization. In Sub Saharan Africa and other regions of the world\, this uni
 que power of art is understood by people in position of power and many fee
 l threatened by its influence. Artistic expressions with dissenting views 
 are brazenly suppressed by politicians\, clerics\, community leaders and o
 thers who feel challenged in their bid to hold on to power and influence o
 n the people. Musicians\, composers\, filmmakers\, comedians\, playwrights
 \, visual artists\, poets and other artists are increasingly struggling to
  create critical works as a result of restrictions imposed by state\, reli
 gious establishments\, traditional practices and social customs. Artists h
 ave faced and continue to face censorship\, threats\, attacks\, harassment
 \, arrests and prosecutions arising from these obstacles.\n\nThe obstacles
  create uncertain environments for artists\, foster self-censorship and di
 scourage constructive criticism of public policies and authorities. Artist
 s are not the only victims\, the restrictions undermine citizens’ right to
  information\, public participation\, open and democratic governance.\n\nT
 he event promises a lot of fun with music and food.\n\nA Brief on Fela Ani
 kulapo Kuti\n\nFela Anikulapo Kuti\, simply known as Fela\, was a Nigerian
  multi-instrumentalist\, singer\, composer and human rights activist. He d
 evoted his entire music career to making and releasing songs that criticiz
 ed the corruption of African authorities and the poor conditions that Afri
 cans were subjected to. His music blamed many of Africa’s problems on colo
 nialization. Through his music\, Fela condemned military coups and interve
 ntions in Africa’s politics\, election rigging and other illegitimate acts
  that aggravated poverty\, economic inequality\, unemployment\, and politi
 cal instability.\n\nThroughout his career as a musician and activist\, Fel
 a was reportedly arrested more than 200 times and spent 20 months as his l
 ongest time in jail. He died in 1997 under mysterious circumstances allege
 d to be caused by AIDS\, but which many fans dismissed as government cover
 -up for his frequent torture and brutal attacks at the hands of the police
  and the military.\n
DTSTART:20191029T170000Z
DTEND:20191029T183000Z
LOCATION:Stephen Scott Seminar Room (OCDH 16)\, Chancellor Day Hall\, CA\, 
 QC\, Montreal\, H3A 1W9\, 3644 rue Peel
SUMMARY:Free the Vibes: A Day of Reflections on Freedom of Expression and t
 he Power of Art
URL:/law/channels/event/free-vibes-day-reflections-fre
 edom-expression-and-power-art-301399
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