Care and Liberation 100 Years after Fanon: A Series of Conversations on Mental Health, Resistance and Decolonisation

From November 3rd to 8th, between Cesena and Bologna, the event “Care and Liberation 100 years after Fanon: Mental Health, Resistance and Colonial Oppression, at Times of Genocide” will take place. The initiative is organized to mark the centenary of the birth of Frantz Fanon, the psychiatrist and anti-colonial intellectual who revolutionized thought on trauma, oppression, and mental health.

In a global context marked by militarization, coloniality, and border violence, these days aim to create a space for dialogue between the academic world, mental health professionals, and organizations engaged in solidarity with migrants. Through conversations with prominent international guests — including Palestinian psychiatrist Samah Jabr, clinical psychologist Zaynab Hinnawi, psychologist Wael Garnoui, Dr. Yaser Abu Jamea, journalist Wael El Dahdouh, among others — we will reflect on the role of care in contexts of oppression, on forms of psychological resistance, and on the possibilities of developing more conscious, decolonial, and transformative practices of intervention.

The goal is to enrich both public and professional debate with theoretical and practical tools that place at the center the experiences and subjectivities of those most affected by collective and prolonged trauma.

The event will feature a rich program ranging from seminars addressed to university students, to workshops for mental health professionals, as well as open meetings with schools and the broader public. For a complete overview, including schedules and venues of the various sessions, please refer to the attached program.

The initiative is organized in collaboration with the Laboratory of Community Psychology of the Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari” of the University of Bologna, together with the Department of the Arts, and the support of the Order of Psychologists of Emilia-Romagna.

The programme includes nine main events:

3 November, 14:00–18:00 – Community Health and Liberation: Care, Colonial Violence and Resistance in a Time of Genocide

Aula A, Dipartimento di Psicologia “Renzo Canestrari”, P.zzle Aldo Moro 90, Cesena

A dialogue on colonial violence, resistance, mental health and care with Samah Jabr, Zaynab Hinnawi and Wael Garnaoui, exploring trauma, exile and collective healing in contexts of oppression.

🗣️ Event in English

4 November, 10:00–13:00 – Horizons of Justice: Activism and Solidarity from the Mediterranean to Palestine

Aula C, Dipartimento di Psicologia “Renzo Canestrari”, P.zza Aldo Moro 90, Cesena

A public meeting with high school students from Cesena, international experts, activists and local professionals discussing mental health, resistance and solidarity across borders.

📝 Registration required via form

🗣️ Event in Italian and English

4 November, 17:00–19:00 – Narrating Gaza and the Politics of Care and Repair

Aula V, Via Zamboni 38, Università di Bologna, Bologna

A public meeting with international experts, activists and local professionals to discuss mental health, resistance and solidarity among peoples.

🗣️ Event in Arabic and English

5 November, 10:00–12:00 – “Death in Life”: (Re-)Thinking the Coloniality of Border Violence with Fanon

Aula 2, Complesso di S. Giovanni in Monte, Università di Bologna, Bologna

A workshop for those working in academia, volunteer networks and activism supporting migrants and refugees.

📝 Registration required via form

🗣️ Event in English

5 November, 14:00–18:00 – Colonial Violence, Trauma and Reparations: Community Struggles for Life, Care and Dignity

Aula Magna, Dipartimento di Psicologia “Renzo Canestrari”, Viale Berti Pichat 5, Bologna

An international seminar with scholars from diverse academic contexts exploring the relationship between mental health, colonial violence and processes of decolonisation and reparation.

🗣️ Event in English

6 November, 09:30–12:30 – Developing Decolonial Practices of Care and Solidarity: Local Experiences and Actions

Aula Prodi, Complesso S. Giovanni in Monte, Università di Bologna, Bologna

Round table discussion.

🗣️ Event in Italian

6 November, 14:00–17:00 – From a Theory of Oppression to a Practice of Collective Care: Decolonial Principles, Clinical Work and Mental Health

Aula 2, Complesso S. Giovanni in Monte, Università di Bologna, Bologna

Workshop for mental health professionals, activists and volunteers engaged in mental health promotion and community support.

📝 Registration required by writing to psicologiaperlapalestina@gmail.com or via form

🗣️ Event in Italian and English

7 November, 11:30–13:00 – Decolonial Approaches in Psychology in Times of Genocide

Aula 3, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Via Berti Pichat 5, Bologna

A seminar with Samah Jabr and Wael Garnaoui on psychiatry, migration and dignity in decolonial contexts, with discussion involving experts from Istituzione Minguzzi and the University of Bologna.

📝 Registration required by writing to maricmartin.lorusso2@unibo.it or via form

🗣️ Event in English

7 November, 16:00–18:30 – Mental Health, Liberation and Decolonisation: Past, Present and Future

Biblioteca della Istituzione Gian Franco Minguzzi della Città Metropolitana di Bologna, Via Sant’Isaia 90 – Complesso Roncati, Bologna

A seminar with Samah Jabr and Wael Garnaoui on psychiatry, migration and dignity in decolonial contexts, with discussion involving experts from the Minguzzi Institute and the University of Bologna.

🗣️ Event in English; materials available in Italian

7 November, 19:00–21:00 – From Basaglia to Today: Rethinking Care and Affirming that Mental Health is Political

Auletta Prometeo, Ospedale Sant’Orsola, Bologna

Public meeting open to the wider community.

🗣️ Event in English with Italian translation

8 November, 10:00–11:30 – Collective Care and Decolonial Narratives for Palestinians Arriving in Bologna from Gaza

Community meeting reserved for families from Gaza, in collaboration with professionals involved in the project

ORGANISING AND SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

• Lorenzo Pezzani, Ruba Salih, Tareq Tamimi – Department of the Arts
• Cinzia Albanesi, Annalisa Cecconi, Francesca Esposito, Maric Martin Lorusso – Community Psychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology
• Benedetta Di Taranto, Alia Jasim, Carmen La Serra, Carolina Rainaldi, Matteo Sangiorgi – Decolonial Medicine Network “Chi si cura di te?”
• Psychologists from Psicologia per la Palestina

SUPPORTED BY

Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari” and Department of the Arts, University of Bologna

With the patronage of the Order of Psychologists of Emilia-Romagna

ILLUSTRATION BY

Faida Acquifera

Participation

Participation is free of charge.
Some events require registration via the contact email or by filling in a dedicated form.