How to Inspire Dialogue and Understanding: The Role of Public Debate and Socially Engaged Art: Dessy Gavrilova in conversation with Lilia Topouzova

This is an-inperson event at the Munk School, 1 Devonshire Place, Seminar Room 208, North House, Toronto, Ontario.

 

Dessy Gavrilova is a Vienna-based Bulgarian cultural entrepreneur, curator, cultural consultant and playwright.  In Sofia, Gavrilova co-founded and directed The Red House Center for Culture and Debate. For decades, it was Bulgaria’s principal socio-cultural centre. Its innovative programming spanning socially engaged art, debates, public talks and lectures transformed Bulgaria’s public space. In Vienna, she founded the European Network of Houses for Debate “Time to Talk”, a network of cultural centers and initiatives that promote public debate and develop a culture of civic argumentation, aiming to inspire dialogue and understanding. In 2016, Gavrilova initiated and co-founded the Vienna Humanities Festival, an annual event that has already become emblematic for Austria's capital. During the last week of September, the festival features more than 40 debates with leading international thinkers, as well as selected artistic work that raises socially relevant issues.Most recently Gavrilova has founded a Bulgarian literacy start-up that supports kids’ reading with comprehension and develops their functional literacy, media literacy, and civil and global competences.In her capacity as a consultant, Gavrilova has advised numerous international and national institutions, like the European Commission, The Council of Europe, The Open Society Foundations.Her play "Innocent Murders" was nominated Best Play of the Year (2015) by both Askeer and Ikar theatre prizes.  In 2011, she was listed as one of the 100 most influential women in Bulgaria.