The multidisciplinary festival UNFINISHED, with a community of over 20,000 people from more than 70 countries, announces the first speakers for its ninth edition. Pianist Faraj Suleiman, poet Ben Okri, founder of the Slowness platform Peter Conrad, bread sommelier Lara Schütz, MESA program founder Barbara Soalheiro, Via Transilvanica founders Alin and Tiberiu Ușeriu, multisensory artist Grace Boyle, and many others will explore this year’s theme – PRAXIS – and experiment with different ways to transform thoughts into concrete actions.
This year, 3,141 participants will meet from September 27-29 in Bucharest at HOUSE OF IDEAS (Casa și Grădina Universitarilor). Participation is by prior application, with time as the currency: apply.unfinished.ro.
Capucine Gros, the festival’s artistic director, stated that: without much intention, the themes of recent years tell a story. In 2020, we responded to the medical crisis caused by the pandemic with trust (TRUST). Then, in 2021, after a year of introspection, we realized we were facing multiple crises and it was time to acknowledge that in many aspects of life, we are at midnight (MIDNIGHT). In 2022, the UNFINISHED community began to look at things differently and sought inspiration and solutions in less obvious places (OFF-CENTER). In 2023, we felt the need for silence, nuance and subtlety in face of chaos, overstimulation and polarization (SILENCE). This year, it is time for action – not instinctive and rushed, but systemic and long-term. PRAXIS was the fitting answer. PRAXIS represents the embodiment of philosophical thought into concrete action. Inspired by the concept of praxis, this year’s theme is about practicing what we preach, turning our ideas into impactful, long-term efforts.
What happens at UNFINISHED 2024?
The festival takes place in Bucharest, in a 4000 sqm urban oasis, which includes a historic greenhouse and a 153-year-old heritage house. For three days, the 3,141 accepted participants will put their ideas and aspirations into practice through workshops, artistic moments, conversations, immersive installations, concerts, performances, wellbeing moments, and much-anticipated gatherings around the table.
Born out of a desire to make people understand the value of others in their lives, regardless of how different they are from each other, the UNFINISHED festival brings together guests from various disciplines under one roof. Some of the guests for the ninth edition of the UNFINISHED festival include Monika Jiang, community builder; Adelina Toma, founder of the slow-fashion workshop ițe urbane; Răzvan Petri and Dan Adamescu, founders of Politică la minut; Lauren Celenza, technology designer; and Daniel Jones, editor of the Modern Love column at The New York Times.
How can you participate in UNFINISHED? As every year, participation in the festival costs time. The only way to gain access to the UNFINISHED community is by filing an application, where interested parties must share about themselves, their values, motivations, and what they bring to the festival with their presence. Registrations have opened on the website www.unfinished.ro/line-up, and only 3,141 participants will be accepted for this edition.
The UNFINISHED festival is held under the high patronage of the European Parliament.