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NoHate – Reclaim. Empower. Celebrate: Two Days of Dialogue, Creativity and Reflection in Dresden

On 26 and 27 February 2026, Dresden became a space for reflection, exchange, and creativity as the final event of the UDEW – Urban Decolonisation Walks in the EU project took place with the “NoHate – Reclaim. Empower. Celebrate. From Colonial Past to Inclusive Future.” Festival.

For two days, participants from across Europe, together with local organisations, initiatives, and community members from Dresden, came together to explore how colonial histories continue to shape our cities and what it means to reflect on them today.

Through city walks, discussions, art, workshops, and film, the event created a space where history, creativity, and dialogue could meet.

Walking Through the City with New Questions

The programme began with an Urban Decolonisation Walk through Dresden, inviting participants to look at the city through a different lens. Monuments, public spaces, and street names became starting points for conversations about colonial histories and how they remain present in today’s urban landscape.

As the group moved through the city, discussions unfolded around questions that rarely surface in everyday life:
Who is remembered in public spaces? Who had to fight to be remembered? How is colonialism connected to structural racism? How are seemingly elegant urban landscapes connected to colonial extraction? And how have cultural institutions historically intersected with colonial structures?

The walk transformed familiar streets into places of reflection and dialogue, encouraging participants to reconsider how cities remember, and sometimes forget, their past.

Exchange, Art and Encounters at Blaue Fabrik

In the afternoon, the programme continued at Blaue Fabrik, where the Country Corners created an open and interactive space for exchange between project partners from Italy, Belgium, and Spain, alongside local organisations from Dresden.

Through presentations, quizzes, and conversations, partners shared insights from their own Urban Decolonisation Walks and reflected on how colonial legacies appear in different European contexts. The discussions revealed both shared challenges and inspiring local initiatives.

One particularly encouraging moment came from the youth group from Seville, who shared that they will now organise their own urban decolonisation walks in their city, building on what they developed through the project.

The evening continued with a roundtable discussion, where different voices came together to reflect on memory, representation, and the role cities play in addressing their colonial past.

Art also became part of the conversation. A powerful slam poetry performance by Brussels-based spoken word artist Nadjad explored questions of identity, belonging, and culture through rhythm and language.

The day ended with a live concert by Banda Comunale, whose music filled the space with energy, movement, and solidarity, a reminder of the powerful role art can play in social dialogue.

Creativity, Zines and Film on Day Two

The second day shifted the focus toward creative expression and collective reflection.

During the workshop “Rewriting Urban Narratives,” participants created their own zines using collage, drawing, and text. Pages quickly filled with ideas, questions, and visual reflections on how cities tell stories, whose voices become visible within them and were our responsibilities as citizens lie.

In the evening, the event concluded with a film screening and discussion that addressed colonial memory, representation, and structural racism. The films opened space for thoughtful conversations about the role of art, storytelling, and education in addressing difficult histories.

Continuing the Conversation

Over the course of the two days, the event brought together people from different backgrounds, organisations, and countries. Conversations continued long after the sessions ended, new connections were formed, and ideas for future collaborations began to take shape.

While the UDEW project now comes to an end, the dialogue it sparked continues. The gathering in Dresden showed how important it is to create spaces where communities, organisations, and individuals can come together to question, reflect, and imagine more inclusive urban futures.

A heartfelt thank you goes to all partners, speakers, artists, organisations, and participants who helped make these two days of dialogue, creativity, and exchange possible.

We invite everyone to stay connected and keep an eye on our upcoming events, workshops, and initiatives, as we continue exploring topics that matter to our communities.