Big Ideas, Greek Mythology and Pasteis De Nata
Financial Times Weekend Festival 2022
Activism is inextricably linked to artistic expression and the panellists were emphatic on the need to ensure that more resources are needed to widen access to opportunities for diverse groups to produce, enjoy and benefit from art”. Our day was varied and vivid, with the perfect vantage point from our booth for the BIG IDEAS stage, where much of the action happened. We enjoyed a thrilling special performance from a new adaption of Euripides’ anti-war tragedy The Trojan Women, by a cast of Ukrainian, Afghan, Syrian and other refugees through the Trojan Women Project (there was a bit of a Greek mythology theme this year) before a lively discussion with Mikhail Khodorkovsky on “How to Deal with Putin”. The Russian businessman and onetime Kremlin confidant turned political prisoner and dissident spoke about the mind and motives of the Russian president and what might be next for his homeland.
Meanwhile, our Vice President of Strategy, Laetitia Pancrazi, attended the session: “Women Writing in the World” with Enuma Okoro and Jamaica Kincaid: “two women with such voices and insights, talking about the power of words and of building identity in literary work. This is crucial in the times we are facing. Literature can be a powerful tool to fight for social justice”.
The Athena Advisors were joined by a number of special guests: Bisi Alimi, Founder/Executive Director of Bisi Alimi Foundation; Patricia Hamzahee FRSA, Co-Founder and Trustee at Black Funding Network; Adrienne Johnson, Chair, Democrats Abroad UK Black Caucus and Dr Agnes Kaposi MBE, engineer, author of Yellow Star – Red Star and PR client of The Athena Advisors.
