On Wednesday evening, June 11, Mayor Jan van Zanen (The Hague) opened the Just Peace Festival in cultural center Amare. This official kick-off marked the start of a series of public activities in the theme of peace and justice, as part of The Hague’s ‘Road to Summit’ program towards the NATO summit later this month. The opening included a dance performance and the opening of the exhibition Humanity in Times of Tension , with over 40 works of art by international creators, each reflecting on the theme of peace and justice. There was also a debate on the meaning of peace in the present day.
‘The Just Peace Festival offers perspectives from which peace arises, from the bottom up and from within. Only by continuing to talk to each other is it possible to achieve peace. With this we show what The Hague stands for as an international city of peace and justice.’ – Mayor Jan van Zanen
About the Just Peace Festival
The Just Peace Festival offers a broad cultural and social program around the theme of peace. Through art, debate, dialogue and encounter, different perspectives are made visible. The festival invites people to think about the question: what is peace, and how do we work on it together?
Everyone is welcome, from artists to students and from researchers to interested residents of The Hague. The festival will take place from 12 to 26 June and will coincide with the arrival of the NATO summit in The Hague. View the full programme at: Welcome to Just Peace Festival | Just Peace
Program: Dialogue, art and activism come together
From 12 to 26 June, The Hague will be the setting for over 60 public activities spread across the city. The programme includes debates, exhibitions, film screenings, music and dance performances and workshops. One of the highlights is the programme HagueTalks: What is Just Peace?, on 23 June in Amare. This evening, which can be followed live and online, combines conversations with music, spoken word and dance.
Joint initiative
This new, city-wide festival is a joint initiative of The Hague Humanity Hub, Leiden University and the Municipality of The Hague, in collaboration with more than 50 (inter)national organisations. With over 60 events and contributing partners from The Hague, more than 100 speakers and a broad social and cultural programme, the festival aims to involve as many residents of The Hague as possible in an urgent and hopeful question: How do we build a just and peaceful world together?
Road to Summit
The Just Peace Festival is part of the broader Hague programme Road to Summit , which looks ahead to the NATO summit on 24 and 25 June. During this period, The Hague will be the vibrant scene of a variety of activities focused on peace and justice. The programme includes debate, counter-narratives, lectures, exhibitions, music, film and dance performances, and creative competitions. The Just Peace Festival is one of the highlights. The programme is accessible to a wide audience.