In 2023, we facilitated the establishment of a ‘safe zone’ at the Volkano Festival in Rwanda.
In collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) dedicated to addressing gender-based violence (RWAMREC, HDI, AfriYan, united in Generation G program), we undertook the initiative to create a designated area during the festival’s three-day duration that focused on raising awareness, prevention, and the provision of resources and refuge for individuals affected by gender-based violence and harassment.
The development of the festival’s Safe space policies and Community agreement guidelines was undertaken, in addition to the organisation of training on harassment and sexual violence for festival volunteers and workers.
Two panel discussions were organised in 2023 and 2024 on these issues, involving artists and artivists committed or willing to commit to using their influence to raise awareness of gender-based violence in art and culture.
This initiative to combat violence has given rise to a number of projects in which we have been involved:
- the creation of the MeToo Rwanda platform;
- the creation of the Rwandan Safe Events platform;
- the creation of the collective UNMUTE – Artists Against Abuse