Pussy Riot Headline Sydney’s Festival Of Dangerous Ideas

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The Sydney Opera House’s sixth Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI) will host talks with former members of Russian punk collective Pussy Riot when the event begins in August. Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina (pictured), who remain vocal critics of Russian president Vladimir Putin‘s regime, will speak at the festival.

In one talk, titled Russia Is A Penal Colony, Tolokonnikova and Alekinha will share their experiences of being detained by the Gulag, a Russian government agency.

In another session titled Pussy Riot / Zona Prava, the two women will be joined by writer Masha Gessen, who has published a book about Pussy Riot, to discuss their prisoners’ rights group Zona Prava (Zone of Rights).

Members of Pussy Riot were arrested for “hooliganism” in Russia in 2012 after the group performed in a church. The incident attracted worldwide media coverage, with Pussy Riot drawing support from many fellow musicians, including Paul McCartney, Madonna and Bjork.

Current Pussy Riot members disowned Tolokonnikova and Alekhina earlier this year, citing that the two women had forgotten about the “aspirations and ideals of our group”.

Speaking of FODI, festival curator Ann Mossop has said, “There’s no denying that ideas are having a moment. People don’t just want to read a book by themselves and think about it: they’re excited for ideas being presented in public ways, and sharing them with other people.”

Watch Pussy Riot’s recent music video Putin Will Teach You How to Love, below, along with an interview with Tolokonnikova and Alekhina which appeared on European television earlier this year.

The 2014 Festival of Dangerous Ideas takes place at the Sydney Opera House from 30th-31st August. For the full list of speakers and ticket information, visit the festival website.

Watch: Pussy Riot – Putin Will Teach You How To Love / Путин научит тебя любить Родину

Watch: Pussy Riot’s RTE interview, 1st February 2014

http://youtu.be/b0zgRhyrHo4

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