Djamila Ribeiro to Present ‘Lugar de Fala’ at the Opening of the Alma Talks Festival in São Paulo

The November 6 talk is part of the nationwide tour for the expanded edition of her book. The three-day festival brings together philosophy, psychoanalysis, culture, and education.

Djamila Ribeiro will present her talk “Lugar de Fala” (Place of Speech) on Friday, November 6, at 8:30 p.m., at the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo in Ibirapuera Park.

The Brazilian philosopher will open the Alma Talks Festival’s lecture program, which runs through Sunday, November 8, bringing together Brazilian thinkers to explore issues facing contemporary society.

The event is part of the nationwide tour promoting the revised and expanded edition of Lugar de Fala, published in June by Rosa dos Tempos, nine years after the book’s original release. The new edition includes four previously unpublished chapters, updated data, and reflections the author has developed over the intervening years.

The question featured in the Alma Talks promotional materials, “Does ‘place of speech’ limit or broaden the debate?” addresses one of the book’s central themes: recognizing the inequalities that determine who has access to spaces where knowledge is produced and whose voices are granted legitimacy in society.

In Lugar de Fala, Djamila writes: “Speaking is not simply about uttering words, but about being able to exist.” This statement helps explain why the concept does not prohibit certain groups from discussing particular subjects. Instead, it examines how social structures, especially racial and gender hierarchies, shape opportunities for expression, recognition, and participation in society.

The São Paulo appearance follows tour stops in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, and Florianópolis, which drew a combined audience of more than 2,000 people.

Festival Brings Together Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, and Education

The Alma Talks program continues on Saturday, November 7, with psychoanalysts Ana Suy and Christian Dunker discussing desire and new forms of love. Physician Ana Claudia Quintana Arantes will explore the connections between saudade (longing), grief, and joy, while philosopher Lúcia Helena Galvão will offer a philosophical reflection on anxiety.

On Sunday, November 8, educator Ivana Jauregui will discuss parent-child relationships, focusing on how to balance discipline, affection, and being present in children’s upbringing. Fellow educator Kito Vivolo will also take part, addressing the challenges of raising children amid increasing screen use.

The festival brings together different perspectives on contemporary life, from close relationships and emotional health to education and social inequality.

Event Details

Djamila Ribeiro’s talk will take place on Friday, November 6, at 8:30 p.m., at the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo, located on Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral (no street number), in Ibirapuera Park. Check-in begins at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available through Alma Tickets, with prices starting at R$120 for half-price (meia-entrada) tickets. Donation tickets cost R$130 and require a donation of 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of nonperishable food. Full-price tickets cost R$240. An additional service fee applies.

Following her São Paulo appearance, the Lugar de Fala tour will continue to Ribeirão Preto on November 11 and Fortaleza on November 26.

Translated by AI