Professor Djamila Ribeiro begins her long-awaited 2025 international tour this June, starting in the United Kingdom. The schedule includes three major events in cities known for their intellectual and cultural significance.

On Sunday, June 1, at 1 p.m., Djamila will take part in the renowned Hay Festival, held in Hay-on-Wye, Wales. Recognized as one of the world’s most important literary festivals, the event brings together powerful voices in contemporary thought. The Brazilian philosopher will share the stage with writer Ngartia Bryan, under the moderation of lawyer and activist Ayisha Osori, in a discussion about “the power of narratives.” Djamila has previously participated in other editions of the festival, including in Cartagena, Colombia, and Arequipa, Peru.

The panel is part of the South to North Conversations series, promoted by the British Council and Open Society Foundations, and invites reflection on how narratives shape identities and challenge systems of oppression. Djamila will explore the concept of “lugar de fala” (place of speech), central to her eponymous work, recently released in Europe under the title Where We Stand.

On Monday, June 2, Professor Djamila Ribeiro will make history by delivering the Taylor Lecture, the traditional keynote lecture at the University of Oxford, one of the oldest and most prestigious academic institutions in the world. The invitation came from the university’s Department of Portuguese Language, and the event is open to the public. “Immense gratitude for the invitation and trust,” Djamila wrote on her Instagram profile.

Closing this first leg of the tour, on June 3, Djamila will be at the University of London for the official launch of the British edition of Where We Stand. Due to high demand, the event was moved to the Woburn Suite, doubling the venue’s capacity.

“This leg was only possible thanks to many hands and support. We keep going, hearts full of gratitude,” said Djamila.

The tour marks a significant step in the internationalization of Black Brazilian feminist and antiracist thought through the work of Djamila Ribeiro. In September, she will begin her tenure as a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), ranked the top university in the world. Djamila is the first Brazilian to teach in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program.

Learn more about the Hay Festival, the Woodstock of the mind

The story of the Hay Festival begins in Hay-on-Wye, a small town in Wales known for its many bookstores—earning it the nickname “The Town of Books.” The festival was founded by theater producer Norman Florence and his son Peter Florence, who in 1988 organized a series of talks to share and discuss literary, musical, and artistic preferences. The idea quickly became a success. To this day, Peter Florence continues to direct the festival.

In 1996, the Hay Festival began expanding to other countries such as Mexico, Colombia, and Peru. In Spain, it arrived in Segovia in 2006, under the leadership of María Sheila Cremaschi, who describes the event as one that “…brings together writers and readers to discuss the fragility of the world we live in and to present ideas that give us reasons to be optimistic about our shared future. Artists, thinkers, and creative minds will transform public libraries, squares, and iconic theaters into centers of creativity, innovation, and hope…”