The United Kingdom chapter of Professor Djamila Ribeiro’s international tour was marked by insightful exchanges that connected literature, activism, and critical thought. Between June 1 and 5, the MIT visiting professor traveled through Wales and England, participating in respected literary and academic venues including the Hay Festival and the University of Oxford.

The journey began in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, famously known as “the town of books.” On June 1, Djamila took part in the Hay Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious literary events. She shared the stage with Kenyan artist Ngartia Bryan in a conversation moderated by Nigerian writer Ayisha Osori. The panel, titled The Power of Storytelling, explored how narratives shape identity and challenge power structures. “It was a full house and a deep exchange,” the professor wrote on her Instagram.

In the audience were Brazilian Ambassador to the UK Antônio Patriota and his wife, Tânia Cooper Patriota. Djamila expressed gratitude to the Brazilian Embassy for their ongoing support during her stay. Her days in Hay-on-Wye also included meaningful conversations with The Guardian journalist Emma Graham-Harrison and documentary filmmaker Matan Cohen, with whom she shared accommodations at the countryside home of artists Sophie Windham and Bruce Robinson.

From there, she traveled to Oxford, where, on June 2, she delivered the Taylor Lecture — a tradition held annually since 1889. This year’s edition was hosted by the university’s Department of Portuguese and focused on Where We Stand, the English edition of Lugar de Fala, published by Yale University Press with a foreword by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. “I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that this lecture series began just one year after slavery was abolished in Brazil,” Djamila wrote. “It is a profound responsibility to stand here as a Black Brazilian intellectual.”

The event drew a full audience and even had a waitlist. Djamila was hosted at the historic Trinity College and celebrated the inclusion of her work in Oxford’s university libraries. “I was deeply moved by the level of academic interest,” she shared.

The UK chapter concluded on June 5 with an event at Senate House, University of London, marking the launch of Where We Stand. The evening was organized by Professor Jamille Pinheiro Dias, with support from the Brazilian community in London. “Still processing everything I’ve experienced. It was a joy to discuss the English edition of Lugar de Fala,” Djamila shared on Instagram. Brazilian Consul General in London, João Alfredo dos Anjos Junior, was also present.

This first chapter of the international tour reaffirms Djamila Ribeiro’s position as one of Brazil’s leading voices in global conversations on antiracism, Black feminism, and critical epistemologies. Next stop: France.