Djamila Ribeiro fills auditorium in debut at Metropolis Bleu Festival in Montreal

The Brazilian philosopher took part in the program with support from the Brazilian Consulate in Montreal and the Instituto Guimarães Rosa; diplomatic post highlighted the success of the author’s visit to Canada

Djamila Ribeiro’s participation in the Metropolis Bleu International Literary Festival in Montreal consolidated the international strength of her intellectual production. In her first appearance at the Canadian event, the Brazilian philosopher, professor, and writer drew large audiences, took part in meetings with Quebec authors, and received recognition from the Brazilian Consulate in Montreal, which celebrated the success of her agenda on social media.

With support from the Instituto Guimarães Rosa, part of Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Djamila joined the festival’s “Blue” segment, dedicated to literature in Portuguese and Spanish. The 2026 edition of Metropolis Bleu took place from April 24 to 26 and featured names such as Leonardo Padura, Azar Nafisi, and Guy Delisle.

Djamila participated in the festival’s opening alongside international authors and, on April 25, hosted ten Quebec writers at the professional “Morning Meet-Up.” Among the participants were J. D. Kurtness, Eric Dupont, Nicholas Dawson, Ioanna Georgescu, and Joanne Rochette, “interested in presenting their works and gaining a deeper understanding of the Brazilian publishing market, which includes the Feminismos Plurais collection,” the Consulate’s Instagram post noted.

Also on Saturday, the author presented, in Portuguese, the panel “Lugar de Fala: A Conversation with Djamila Ribeiro,” in dialogue with journalist and university professor Ingrid Bejerman. The event filled the auditorium, bringing together specialists, members of the Brazilian community, and Lusophone audiences in Montreal.

Demand for the writer’s participation had already exceeded expectations before the festival began. With tickets sold out for the first session, organizers opened an additional session in English, held on Sunday, April 26, under the title “Who Gets to Speak: A Conversation with Djamila Ribeiro.” On that occasion, the audience was able to learn about the author’s trajectory and ask questions about the concept of standpoint, its circulation in U.S. academia, and in other international contexts.

Her time in Montreal reinforced Djamila Ribeiro’s presence in the global intellectual circuit. Author of works that reshaped Brazil’s public debate on structural racism, Black feminism, political responsibility, and standpoint, she returned after the festival to her role as a visiting professor in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Boston.

In its post about her participation, the Brazilian Consulate in Montreal highlighted the warm reception from Canadian and Lusophone audiences: “She will be missed in Montreal. May this be the first of many visits to Canada!” the publication concluded.