Cultural Program

Advancing the rule of law through culture and the arts

Whether through music, literature, theater, film, the visual arts, or other forms of creative expression, artists and cultural institutions play a critical role in the rule of law ecosystem. They are creators and interpreters, keepers of knowledge and collective memory, and catalysts for change.

Artists have a special ability to express and celebrate shared values and cultural traditions. At the same time, they have the power to call out tyranny and injustice and to stand up for the dignity and worth of the marginalized, the threatened, and the persecuted.

Sixty-two years ago, U.S. President John F. Kennedy said, “We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.” In this age of pervasive disinformation, it is more important than ever that artists be free to pursue their vision of the truth as we strive to strengthen accountability and the rule of law.

The World Justice Forum is proud to welcome distinguished members of the artistic community to participate in our conversations in Warsaw. We invite all Forum attendees to engage with them in a special series of cultural programs that will highlight the role of the arts in creating communities of justice, opportunity, and peace.

Calendar of Cultural Events at the World Justice Forum

Events are open to all World Justice Forum participants and do not require special ticketing unless otherwise noted.

DAGADANA & Trupa Trupa in concert
Tuesday, 24 June – 19:00  – 21:00 (CET)
Presented by Music Week Poland, SAMA Music + Art, and the World Justice Project.
DAGADANA fuses Slavic folk, jazz, and electronica into an electrifying celebration of cultural unity, with vocals, bass, and toys blending into a joyful sonic experiment. Trupa Trupa, hailing from Gdańsk, offers a darker lens—melding post-punk, psych-rock, and poetic lyrics to confront memory, conflict, and the human condition. Together, they create a musical dialogue rooted in resilience and cross-border connection.
Ticketed event. To reserve a free ticket, visit: https://forms.gle/zkDqMCcmJx4auJqU8.

Location: Zaiks performance space at the Zaluski Library, Hipoteczna 2, 00-092 Warsaw

Plenary Stage Film Screening: A Thousand Robes
Wednesday, June 25 – 9:00 (CET)
Short documentary film: In Warsaw on January 11, 2020, judges, prosecutors and lawyers from 26 European countries demonstrated their solidarity with Polish judges fighting to maintain what remains of judicial independence.

Working Session: The Role of Artists in Strengthening and Shaping the Rule of Law Ecosystem
Wednesday, June 25 – 15:00 – 16:30 (CET)
This working session will feature insights from artists and cultural leaders on how their work drives change and fosters dialogue. The panel will explore the myriad ways in which these artists and institutions work to advance justice and the rule of law, challenge authoritarianism, and hold governments accountable to their people. Moderated by Darek Mazzone, with Matthew Covey, Grzegorz Kwiatkowski and Catarina Vaz Pinto.

Plenary Stage Concert: Chamber Music Performance by students of the Barenboim-Said Akademie
Wednesday, June 25 – 17:00 – 18:00 (CET)
In 1999 conductor-pianist Daniel Barenboim joined with author Edward W. Said to found the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in Weimar, Germany, with a mission to unite young musicians from across the Middle East in promoting dialogue through music. Since 2015, the Barenboim-Said Akademie has continued that mission, with support from the German government, inviting gifted young musicians, primarily from the Middle East and North Africa, to study music theory, performance, and the humanities with a distinguished international faculty. The concert will feature a student ensemble performing Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49. The program will be introduced by Lesley Rosenthal, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Juilliard School, with brief remarks by Tabaré Perlas, CEO of the Daniel Barenboim Stiftung Berlin.

Plenary Stage: Jazz Cafe with jazz pianist Ted Rosenthal
Wednesday, June 25- 19:00 (CET)
Musical performance followed by coffeehouse-style creative exploration of rule of law themes through the visual and performing arts, open to participation by all Forum attendees.

Cultural Institution Tour: POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.
Friday, 27 June – 10:00 – 12:00 (CET)
A coordinated group tour of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews will be available to interested Forum participants.
Ticketed event. Spaces are limited and will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis. To sign up for free, visit: https://forms.gle/vGdR7XJw1hsHABGt7.

Location: 6 Mordechaja Anielewicza St., 00-157 Warsaw

Visual Arts
On Display throughout the Forum
In a nod to the importance of Poland’s poster art tradition, several posters will be exhibited during the Forum, including illustrations of the 2025 Warsaw Principles for the Rule of Law and a commissioned piece from Afghan digital artist Fatima Wojohat celebrating the work of Anthony Lewis Prize honoree CamboJA News.

Get updates on the Forum and more:

Nozomi Iwama

Deputy Director General, Governance and Peace Building Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Ms. Nozomi Iwama is the Deputy Director General in charge of governance cooperation of JICA, at the Governance and Peace Building Department. Prior to this assignment, she was the Senior Director and Head of Office for Global Issues and Development Partnership, Operations Strategy Department of JICA from February 2021 to February 2024. She was responsible for JICA’s partnership relations and strategic dialogues with development partners. She served as Senior Representative of JICA’s Vietnam Office from 2017 to 2021. Her other previous assignments include Director for Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, Deputy Director of Office of International Affairs of Financial Services Agency of Japan. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration in International Development (MPAID) from John F. Kennedy School of　Government of Harvard University.
 

Justice Madan B. Lokur

Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India

Justice Madan B. Lokur is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and the first Indian to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Fiji, where he served until January 2025. He currently serves as Chairperson of the United Nations Internal Justice Council and continues his work as an independent arbitrator and legal commentator. As a Supreme Court Judge, Justice Lokur was known for handling key social justice cases, with his Bench becoming widely known as the “Social Justice» Bench. Justice Lokur has been a strong advocate for judicial reform, access to justice, child rights, and environmental protection. He chaired key committees in the Indian judiciary, including the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee and the E-Committee for court computerization.

Adam Krzywoń

Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Poland

Adam Krzywoń was appointed as Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Poland on 1 January 2025. Currently, he serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Constitutional Law at the University of Warsaw. His academic focus includes Polish and comparative constitutional law and the protection of human rights. Additionally, he is a researcher at the German Research Institute for Public Administration (FÖV), where he leads an international research project examining the transformation of public service systems across Europe. Prof. Krzywoń’s professional experience includes, inter alia, working at the Constitutional Tribunal (2007–2008). From 2010 to 2018, he was a secretary and member of the Prime Minister’s Legislative Council