Congolisation

The festival takes place in a Belgian context and wants to draw the attention to not only the Congolese but the entire African diaspora. It takes a look ‘from within’ diversity towards the world surrounding it, rather than a look ‘at’ this diversity. Sixty years have passed since independence for the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, and yet the debates haven’t stopped. Every so often new terminology arises to define or redefine the relationships that North and South should entertain. Currently, decolonisation is all the rage. Whereas independence applies to territory, decolonisation applies to the mind and for that matter to the imagination. The challenge consists in making sure other stories are being heard, not to compete with each other, but as an addition to the existing stories. To achieve this, it’s important to direct specific attention to those who have difficulties gaining access to these different spaces of expression. It’s within this context that CONGOLISATION takes place. The aim is to restore the balance in terms of visibility, speaking time and concerns, and to make sure that everyone has ‘equal opportunity to seize opportunity’. The 5th edition of CONGOLISATION has the theme of ‘Links and roots’. This 60th birthday is a perfect moment in time for the festival to see how and why the African diaspora and the Afro descendants keep their connection with the motherland and the original culture. This means the festival wants to invite you, into a space of encounter where the dialogue between here and yonder can be held, in order to distinguish, observe and understand the challenges of these crossroads.