“How can any man harbor so much hatred for others around him? To me it is unthinkable”

How democratic a society are we? Democracy does not exist only in electoral processes, but concerns the person and the society, it is based on concepts such as freedom, equality and solidarity. At a time when anti-democratic phenomena are increasing and manifestations of intolerance are multiplying, key questions are being asked about the functioning of democracy today and how freely fascism is legitimated to express itself.

In the Society Uncensored discussion, entitled How do we respond to the crisis of democracy? people who experienced targeting and violence but with their actions and attitudes showed that fear can become power, they speak openly about authoritarian reactionary ideas, anti-democratic phenomena, what freedom and democracy mean today, how we experience the crisis of democracy. Viewers became an active part of the discussion that took place on December 14, 2023 in the Small Stage of the Roof and is presented on the Onassis Foundation YouTube channel from April 8, 2024.

How do we respond to these phenomena that undermine real democracy? How do people function in gloomy times? How do witnesses to such displays of violence and hatred take a decisive step forward? How do they stop being passive observers and become active agents?

The new discussion of the Society Uncensored series: speakers from the journalistic, artistic and academic fields open a dialogue about the human relationship with democracy, its evolution and crisis over the years. People who do not remain observers, do not look away, who have experienced some form of violence, discuss how to deal with such phenomena. How do we say no to fascism and the erosion of democracy?

On the Onassis Channel on You Tube

Watch the video here
No charge or time limit

A production of the Onassis Foundation House
Arrest: Pasqua Borgia, Dimitris Theodoropoulos
Diligence: Kostis Papaioannou, Vangelis Kosmatos, Ioanna Meitani, George Nicolaidis, Pasqua Borgia, Dimitris Theodoropoulos

Take part:

On the panel
Manolis Afolaniou, musician, performer, member of Anasa Cultural Center
Giorgos Avgeropoulos, documentary maker, journalist
Anastasia Vaitsopoulou, journalist
Vangelis Kosmatos, psychologist, responsible for the “Gender Alliance” scientific project
Ilirinda Musarai, coordinator of the Albanian Migration Archive at ASKI, PhD candidate
Lina Papadopoulou, Professor of Constitutional Law at the Law School of AUTH
Coordinator: Kostis Papaioannou, educator, Director of the “Point for the Study and Counteraction of the Extreme Right”

On video

Yannis Boutaris, Businessman, former Mayor of Thessaloniki
Dimitra Zorzou, Chemical engineer, eyewitness to the murder of P. Fyssa
Antonis Rellas, Director, disabled activist
Aspasia Lykourgiotis, Theatrologist
Ody Icons, Interdisciplinary Artist
Eleni Kostopoulou, Educator, mother of Zack Kostopoulou/ Zackie Oh

In cooperation with

“POINT FOR THE STUDY AND TACKLING OF THE FAR RIGHT”

“ALLIANCE OF TRIBES”

What is Society Uncensored?

“Society Uncensored” started in 2020 as a series of Stegi digital discussions, as a source of need to discuss without censorship about everything that concerns us in the “here and now”, locally and globally. The central core is the round table, where people meet to discuss openly and directly about all the current and critical issues of the time and Greek society. #BlackLivesMatter, Hate Speech, Femicide, Active Citizens, Disability, are some of the topics that have been discussed among others.

With over 700,000 views on the Onassis Channel YouTube platform, the discussions provoked comments and reactions, challenged and raised awareness, opened a fruitful dialogue that continued and continues in the physical and digital space. The views of “Society Uncensored” content in total on social media (through excerpts, trailers, etc.) reach 5.5 million, while the comments (on YouTube and other social media on content related to “Society Uncensored”) exceed 16,000, proving once again that Stegi, true to its mission, ignites discussions.

Now, the “Society Uncensored” digital discussions take place in person at the Roof and the audience can watch them live and become part of a fruitful dialogue through a question-and-answer session with the guest speakers.

Watch previous episodes

• 9 Afro-Greeks discuss: What does “I can’t breathe” mean in Greece
• 8 Women Discuss: Patriarchy, Sexism and Gender-Based Violence in Greek Society
• 8 Athenians discuss: what does it mean to be an active citizen today?
• 8 Young People Discuss: Cultural Identity and the Meaning of “Belonging”
• #PSOFOS: Hate Speech on Social Media
• Body Shaming – What makes you ashamed of your body?
• Modern Family: What does it mean to be a parent today?
• Femicide
• Disability and Culture. Visibility and Representation
• Roma without Mediation
• Love & Marriage

Read more about the discussion series Society Uncensored and see them video here

Listen to them podcasts of the series Society Uncensored here

Onassis Channel on YouTube

The YouTube Channel of the Onassis Foundation broadcasts from Athens and New York to the whole world. The Onassis Foundation uploads and shares moments, images, conversations, sounds, emotions on its YouTube channel. Performances, concerts, podcasts, meetings, exhibitions, educational programs, virtual film premieres, online courses. The digital stage of the Onassis Foundation builds a Roof in every home, in a place that does not exist on the map, to entertain, to educate, to unite, to open conversations.

Read more here