La Monnaie / De Munt is set to present “Statement for Freddom: Love – Speak – Create” on May 13, 2024.

The event, which is taking place during Brussels Pride Week, aims to spotlight and advocate for human rights for the LGBTQIA+ community.

“It has always been my adagio that every human being deserves the same rights as those I dare claim for myself,” said Peter de Caluwe, General and Artistic Director of La Monnaie / De Munt and Founding Board member of Forbidden Colours, one of the prominent LGBTQIA+ organizations in Europe. “Where this moral basis of democracy is surely accepted, it is still different when it comes to matters as LGBTIQ+ rights or freedom of (artistic) expression. It is important to keep our eyes open and warn against retrograde and intolerant views on our living together in harmony.”

“Our research underscores a dire warning: Within the next five years, the European Parliament could turn against LGBTIQ+ rights,” added Rémy Bonny, Executive Director of Forbidden Colours. “It is crucial that we demonstrate to Europe our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every individual lives with dignity and freedom. This is the essence of our Statement For Freedom.”

The event will feature a number of major artists and political figures, including Hadja Lahbib (Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Federal Cultural Institutions), Petra de Sutter (Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Minister for the Civil Service), Pascal Smet (Vooruit MP, Brussels Parliament), Gilles Vertraeten (NVA MP, Brussels Parliament), Marie-Colline Leroy (Secretary of State for Equal Opportunities), Sophie In ‘t Veld (Renew Europe MEP, European Parliament), Sophie Rohony (Défi MEP), Victoriæ Defraigne (activist for the representation and visibility of transgender people in Brussels), Jallouad Alloul (composer and visual artist), Antoine Pickels, (author, exhibition curator (Trouble / (Pas si) Fragile ! ), professor (ENSAV – La Cambre)), Saskia de Coster (writer), Krystian Lada (director), and Alexandra Ana (Gender and Sexuality Researcher, ULB), among others.

The event kicks off at 7:30 p.m.