Newsflash October 2025 / II Special REstART Edition

Special Edition: REstART Festival - October (II)

REstART Festival - The Art of Justice, Dialogue, and Repair
Participate, Watch, Discover, Explore, & Witness!

At REstART, arts and restorative justice come together to imagine creative ways of portraying unique encounters, difficult conversations and experiences of dialogue. The Festival guides participants across complex and different fields of application of restorative justice, from traffic offence to terrorism, from environmental justice to gender-based violence. Through theatre and films, lived experiences and storytelling, visual arts and music, REstART explores art as a form of expression and innovation which can make restorative justice more accessible, concrete and relatable to diverse audiences.

REstART brings together artists, practitioners and the general public and invites everyone to engage in the programme with some actions: participate, watch, discover, explore, and witness with us this four-day Festival! See you in Leuven between 6th-9th December (preceding event in Brussels on 5th of December)!

Something to Participate In

During REstART, art and restorative justice are not simply witnessed but also actively participated in: through four workshops, small groups of participants are encouraged to exchange with and learn from the artists through their interactive practices and playful explorations. In “Falling Together: Moving Between Aesthetics and Ethics” (6th Dec.) facilitated by Catarina Camara, the language of dance will guide you through the embodied experience of learning to fall and rise again. With Douglas Bateman's “Decisions Decisions” (8th Dec.), the experience of decision-making and how it impacts relations is highlighted in a card game dialogue, curiosity and listening. In “Dreams Longer than the Night” Silvia Angel uses storytelling in a setting of civil war to present and facilitate a dialogue session on resistance and the transformative power of collective actions (9th Dec.). In “Victims' Voices of a Pollution” (9th Dec.) by Orika Komatsubara, Yumi Kamuro, Kaori Okuba and Hatsue Koizumi photography is used to portray the impact of environmental harm on people, communities and nature.

Explore the workshops!

Something to Witness

Through some parts of the REstART programme, participants can witness the real stories of people who engaged in dialogue, or hoped to do so, with their “enemies”. These stories bring us into the intimate journey of encountering the other, reflecting on themes such as accountability, harm and empathy and, mostly, the difficulties of human connections. From road traffic offences to acts of terrorism and political violence, to the experience of war, these artworks remind us of the challenges of engaging in a restorative journey and meeting the “difficult other”. Join us for Proyecto 43-2's theatre performance “La Mirada del Otro” (5th Dec.), tesimonies and music by Rondine fellows “Dissonanze in Accordo” (6th Dec.), Clair Aldington's installation “Convergences” (7th Dec.) and the theatre “Piéton” (7th Dec.) by Kenneth Berth.

Something to Explore

During REstART, some artists welcome participants to immerse themselves in narratives exploring the coexistence of multiple perspectives within the story but also within oneself.

From myths and folk tales on transformation and healing in “The Grail Question” (7th Dec.) performed by Hannah Moore, to the lived experiences of victims, offenders and restorative justice mediators in Sharon Daniel's “Inside the Distance” (8th Dec.), as well as the introspective reflection on memory and trauma of “Mediation on X” by Brandon LaBelle (9th Dec.), we explore our values, the way we interact with the world and the way we deal with conflicts within ourselves and with others.

Something to Watch

At REstART, restorative justice is also brought to the public through the lenses of cinema: this is a chance to watch, but also to discuss what is portrayed in the narration, promoting dialogue on the principles, values and practice of restorative justice. On the occasion of the Kortfilmsfestival of Leuven (6th Dec.), five short thematic films offer a unique perspective on what it means to repair harm, rebuild trust, and seek dialogue, while the twin documentary screening “Human Rights Beyond the Human?” (9th Dec.) created by the RIVERS project's team reflects on the legal pluralism which often emerges from clashes between Indigenous and dominant justice systems. Isabelle Vayron and Chloé Henry-Biabaud's documentary “La Réparation” (8th Dec.) follows the steps taken in the aftermath of homicide, when those affected by the harm decide to begin a restorative journey meeting with some prisoners. (Note that this last screening is limited to a small group of participants entering the prison Leuven Hulp and discussing with people deprived of personal liberty.)

Something to Discover

The REstART programme also includes special events that combine celebration and exploration. The Restorative City Guided Tour (7th Dec.) offered by Leuven Restorative City is the opportunity to get to know the city of Leuven, its university and community, which host the headquarters of the EFRJ and have been the heart of the restorative justice movement since 2000. On Saturday evening (6th Dec.) participants are invited to celebrate together with EFRJ members the 25th anniversary of the European Forum for Restorative Justice, which over the years has grown to connect restorative justice realities all across Europe and beyond.

Something to Join!

How to get into action? Join us in Leuven on 6-9 December (and in Brussels on 5 December). With the 4-day Festival Pass you can access the REstART programme which includes all performances, film screening and exhibitions and workshops (40-200 EUR for members and supporters). This is the best way to experience the full ensemble of REstART and be kept updated on all the events.

You can easily purchase the Festival Pass from the EFRJ website and then reserve the individual sessions of your interest using the code (this is particularly important for those sessions with limited seats, such as workshops, the city walk and film screening). If you are interested in only some parts of REstART, you can reserve your single-session tickets via the link under each event (see day by day programme). In all cases, sessions must be reserved, as seats are given away on a first-come first-served basis.

Reminder: #RJWeek25

Join the human rights campaign for restorative justice during the global Restorative Justice Week 2025, taking place between the 16th-22nd of November. This year the campaign puts forward the slogan“From Question to Principle: Access to Restorative Justice as a Human Right”, and advocates for individuals' and communities’ legitimate claim to processes that acknowledge harm, responsibility, and repair outside of punitive approaches. The EFRJ will be promoting all #RJWeek events, so keep an eye out for planned activities!

Get ready for #RJWeek25!

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