Born from the mobilization of several militant•e•x•s from diverse backgrounds, the Echoes of Freedom support event surpassed the success of the previous year with a second edition that brought together more than 40 artists and 80 volunteers in Geneva on June 10 and 11.
Keen to create a dynamic of solidarity with civilian populations affected by wars stemming from colonial and imperialist logics and to raise public awareness of the challenges of decolonization, Geneva-based associations and collectives decided to join forces. “We felt that the space for expression was insufficient and that we needed to create it ourselves,” Coralie Robadey, event co-coordinator, told Blindspot.
“The initiative originated with a group of people involved in organizing a pro-Palestine event three years ago. From there arose the desire to mobilize even more people and create this space, inviting all these collectives, associations, and artists. Echoes of Freedom was initially formed as a collective, but today it is an association that manages the organization of this event, bringing together many volunteers, whether simply on the day itself or in the coordination of the project,” explains Justine Bosset, event co-organiser.
Their mobilization was driven by a shared conviction: the need to have an impact in Geneva, a city of international stature that bears a particular responsibility in the face of human rights abuses.
One of the initiative’s objectives is to provide financial support to oppressed peoples. The funds raised are donated to local associations working with these populations.
The first event, which took place in April 2025 at L’Usine, an iconic venue in Geneva’s alternative scene, raised approximately CHF 36,000 for Palestinian, Lebanese, and Congolese associations. This year, the funds were donated to the Retaj Women Center in Palestine and to Siha in the Horn of Africa.
A conference on the situation in Gaza and Sudan took place on the first day of the event, with the participation of Yahya Al-Sarraj, Mayor of Gaza City, speaking directly from Gaza, and Hamad Gamal, Sudanese activist exiled in France and co-founder of Sudfa media.
“The main objective of these events was to raise funds, and the turnout was fantastic. The initiative mobilized a large number of people, many of whom came with the intention of contributing financially to support the organizations. Last year, we raised funds for three organizations in Palestine, Congo, and Lebanon, and this year for two organizations working in Palestine and Sudan,” said Justine Bosset.
This year’s event also took place at Usine, with a program that included a market featuring local designers and a sale of secondhand clothing, concerts and DJ sets, a conference on the economics of genocide, a roundtable discussion on the hierarchy of struggles, and an educational workshop for young teenagers. “The goal of this workshop was also to connect with young people and address the issue of education, to talk about decolonial struggles, which are still completely ignored today, even in school curricula,” Justine emphasized. “Although the audience was mainly composed of young adults, younger and older people also participated. It’s also about mobilizing across generations.”
Building on their success and growing participation, these events will continue. “Our goal is to organize one event per year on different themes or in different regions,” confirmed Coralie. “We also aim to maintain our focus by offering different formats for engagement, activism, and deconstruction. The goal of Echoes of Freedom is truly to offer methods and formats that speak to everyone and reach very diverse audiences.”
Nelson Pereira
