Living Archive: Diversity in/of Freedom / start 14:30

The walk lasts approximately 30–45 minutes and includes seven carefully selected locations.

Starting point: Embassy of the Free Mind, Keizersgracht 123
Ending point: Goethe-Institut, Herengracht 470

As part of Living Archive: Freedom, a curatorial framework developed by Ipek M. Sur, art historian and founder of Anlamam Ki, İrem Sezer, was invited to develop a series of guided walks that map the layered histories of freedom in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is widely known as a “city of freedom.” Yet this notion is neither singular nor static. Throughout its 750-year history, freedom has been continuously shaped, contested, and redefined through social, political, and cultural processes. Since the 16th century, the city has developed into a place of diversity—not only through openness, but also through struggle, resistance, and the efforts of communities claiming their place.
The walk approaches the city as a living archive, bringing forward stories that often remain invisible — highlighting perspectives of women, queer communities, and broader movements related to emancipation, social activism, and freedom of expression.
By moving through everyday urban spaces, participants are invited to experience Amsterdam as a dynamic and constantly evolving landscape, shaped by multiple voices and lived experiences. In doing so, the walk fosters a deeper sense of connection, shared responsibility, and collective memory.
Living Archive is an ongoing curatorial methodology that activates oral history through artistic and participatory practices, approaching collective memory as a space for polyphony, reflection, and healing. This program is realized in collaboration with 7 Hills Foundation, the Reinwardt Academy and the Netwerk Levend Archief, with support from the Amsterdam Comité 4 en 5 mei and the Vfonds.

Starting point: Embassy of the Free Mind, Keizersgracht 123

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Host or Publisher Goethe-Institut Niederlande