The Milan Šimečka Foundation invites you to the 19th edition of the [fjúžn] festival, the largest multi-genre event focused on foreigners. The festival will take place in Bratislava from September 20 to 28, with additional events continuing in October. The main theme this year is Roots. The rich program includes more than twenty events, prepared in collaboration with immigrant communities and organizations. Visitors can look forward to fascinating exhibitions, unique concerts, community events, an unconventional reading party, children's activities, a culinary workshop, and a walking tour featuring participants from various countries around the world.
"Many of us embark on journeys to places that align more closely with our values, where we feel safer, or where we find family, friends, or career and educational fulfillment. We bring new perspectives and experiences that enrich and inspire others. Research shows that the more identities we experience, the less we engage in interpersonal conflicts. The [fjúžn] festival will shed light on the lives of people with roots in other countries and cultures who are an integral part of Slovak society. We believe that personal contact is the best way to break down barriers on both sides," says Veronika Fishbone Vlčková, director of the Milan Šimečka Foundation.
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Festival Opening – Humans of [fjúžn]: When You Can't Take Root
The festival opened with the interactive exhibition Humans of [fjúžn]: When You Can't Root Yourself, presenting the stories of Karin from Armenia, Maryna and Ulya from Ukraine, Michal with Vietnamese roots, Mirna from Iraq, and Parminder from India. Visitors could enjoy guided tours and live music by American musician Jeff Kirk. The exhibition was created by Alžbeta Kutliaková, Juraj Mydla, and Alžbeta Vrzgula, and will be on display at Eurovea until September 28.
Concerts, Community Events, Parties, Culinary Experiences, and Children's Programs
Music enthusiasts can look forward to the unique concert series Konektiv [fjúžn] Night, blending diverse musical genres and cultures. Musicians representing the majority culture will collaborate artistically with foreign musicians. The DJ duo Killa Selfie from Kharkiv will bring a fusion of electronic dance music and Ukrainian folklore.
In collaboration with Mäsokombinát, we’ve organized an electronic, rap, and lo-fi beat party. The headline act is Berlin-based DJ Logic1000, alongside performances by Fobia Kid, African rapper Ormay, Jureš Fallgrapp and Neorge, and FOM featuring Lara Abou Hamdan and Miklei. The concert series Equal, curated annually by Jonatán Pastirčák, will present a mix of traditional and futuristic elements, ranging from Iranian-Finnish psychedelia to avant-garde Chinese electronica. The new club series FAQ will showcase contemporary music without genre limits.
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The musical program will also feature a concert by Karin Sarkisjan, a native of Yerevan, Armenia, and one of this year's Humans of [fjúžn] participants. She will perform predominantly Armenian folk songs in a unique ethno-jazz arrangement with The Ladies Ensemble string quartet, piano, saxophone, guitar, and double bass.
The [fjúžn] Zone will be a traditional part of the Saturday Dobrý Trh event. Both young and older can enjoy a rich program and meet people from various communities. The festival will continue in a community spirit with a picnic in the Prügerka Garden, featuring an autumn Ukrainian brunch with Magnificent Picnic, a workshop by artist Evgeniia Kazarezova celebrating motherhood, and an interactive circus game for children titled Don't Be Afraid! CirKusKus.
(source: [fjúžn] festival)
Food lovers will enjoy the culinary workshop Gastro Magic with Naomi Huzovičová, where they can try new recipes using traditional Slovak ingredients, or a guided culinary tour with food blogger Čoje, discovering exotic flavours in Bratislava.
Book enthusiasts will be delighted by the [fjúžn] Books & Beats reading party, a unique evening filled with readings and conversations with new people, accompanied by a DJ set by Sasha Mamaev a.k.a. Gonso.
The festival will also feature a discussion titled Dissent Then and Now: Who Was Milan Šimečka?, which will reflect on the life of the prominent Czechoslovak dissident and philosopher. Rómer House in Bratislava will host a reading and discussion with Austrian author Susanne Gregor, who will present her novel Free Fall.
(source: [fjúžn] festival)
Other highlights include the stand-up show Joke’s On You, featuring international comedians like Siavash and Nasi from Iran, Syrian Nibal, and Terence Hartnett from the USA. The discussion series Apples & Hrušky: Korene & Conflict will delve into decisions between leaving and staying in one’s homeland, with actress Laura Začková, actor Tomáš Eštok, and director Bohdan Meteňkanyč. The program also includes a guided city tour with Philippe Cochard and the documentary Central Stage: Slovakia, capturing the personal journey of a French-German volunteer in Slovakia.
Contemporary art lovers can look forward to a talk by Lucia Gregorová Stach from the Slovak National Gallery, showcasing artistic diversity from the 1950s to the present. The talk will be held in English. Visual arts will be represented by the exhibitions Roots, Humans of [fjúžn]: When You Can’t Root Yourself, and Archipelago x Humans of [fjúžn] 2024.
"Traditionally, the [fjúžn] festival is a space for people from different cultures to meet, exchange experiences, and foster mutual understanding. This year’s edition offers a unique mix of art, music, discussions, gastronomy, and community events, making it an integral part of Bratislava’s cultural scene," concludes Martin Brix, the [fjúžn] festival manager. The detailed festival program is available at www.festival.fjuzn.sk or on Facebook.
About the [fjúžn] Festival
The [fjúžn] festival has been organized by the Milan Šimečka Foundation since 2006 and has become the largest multi-genre and multicultural event focusing on migration and foreigners in Slovakia. It transcends the boundaries of a single art form, offering a rich program of concerts, exhibitions, literature, theatre, film, workshops, lectures, presentations, discussions, community events, children’s programs, school activities, and many other activities.
Today, [fjúžn] is a year-round program of the foundation aimed at raising the visibility of foreigners among us and presenting community projects of new minorities (migrants, new religious groups). In addition to the festival, we organize a wide range of activities such as World Refugee Day celebrations, [fjúžn] walks, and the portal www.fjuzn.sk. Since 2019, we have also been hosting [fjúžn] on the Road, which presents the lives and cultures of foreigners in cities across Slovakia.
