Boys & Men Festival

Everyone is invited to join the Boys & Men Festival, a free celebration of culture, conversation and collective action taking place across Museu De Arte do Rio and Museu do Amanhã for one day only! 

Big ideas will meet big energy at this festival featuring conversation, music, dance and more. Bringing together global thinkers, favela-based activists, artists, faith leaders, policymakers and young changemakers, the festival will explore how new visions of masculinity can shape safer, fairer and more caring futures.

Ticket holders can explore a packed programme taking place across the main stages of the Museu De Arte do Rio and Museu do Amanhã. There will be talks discussing everything from climate justice to caring manhood, fatherhood to racial injustice, and the urgent global movement to end gender-based violence. Events in the festival will be in Portuguese and/or English, with simultaneous translation available for many sessions.

Beyond the auditoriums, the festival will spill into the courtyards and open spaces in true Rio style. Expect capoeira circles, drumming workshops, passinho dance masterclasses, slam poetry, and a street-style altinha football championship. Join a guided walking tour of Little Africa, step into a hands-on Hair Care Corner celebrating everyday fatherhood, or take part in workshops exploring identity, care and belonging in the digital age.

Line-up so far includes…

• Opening performance by the With One Voice choir
• Speakers include acclaimed singer Baco Exu do Blues, performer, comedian broadcaster Rita Von Hunty, actor, producer and director M.M. Izidoro, writer and activist Raull Santiago, politician and Rio’s police commissioner Orlando Zaccone, writer and climate activist Ailton Krenak,  urban farming enthusiast and agroecology activist Ana Santos, human rights activist Irone Santiago, educator, economist, and speaker Ad Junior, anthropologist and philosopher Luiz Eduardo Soares, poet and artist Math de Araujo, author Renato Noguera, writer, columnist, presenter and content creator Jonas Maria, creator of the Homem Paterno project Tiago Koch, artist and songwriter ALL-ICE, sexual health doctor Doutor Maravilha, director of Instituto PapodeHomem Guilherme Nascimento Valadares, director of the Instituto Mapear Luciano Ramos,activist Bruna Benevides, academic, author and sports scientist Leonardo Peçanha, artists Juca Fiis and Luca Scarpelli, photographer Daniel Gonçalves, educator and priest Padre Julio Lancelotti, academic Babalawo Ivanir dos Santos and Pastor and M.P Henrique Vieira. Plus international speakers including award-winning artist, musician and actor Jordan Stephens, poet Sam Browne, actor and executive producer Adjani Salmon, and artist Kay Rufai
• As the sun sets, join the Night of the Stars as they lead us to our free public concert with award-winning artists, djs and performers to be announced to close the day!
• Plus workshops, free pop up activities, exhibitions and more! All free to explore on the day with your festival pass

Book your free ticket today. You can drop in anytime, full schedule will be announced nearer the time!

The MenCare Changemaker Journey is a global initiative to solve some of the biggest problems facing men, boys and manhood around the world today powered by the unique coming together of two of the world's leading gender equality organisations: Equimundo and WOW - Women of the World. This free public festival is part of a four day programme in Rio de Janeiro, working in partnership with Brazilian organisations, Instituto Mapear, PapodeHomem and many others. Details can be found at changemakers.equimundo.org.