ALPAS Pilipinas; International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, Germany (ICHRP Germany); Gabriela Germany

The 13th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art convenes two People’s Tribunals—community-sourced judicial forums to address human rights violations and crimes against humanity when justice has been denied at a state or international level. 

The People’s Tribunal on Art for Resisting Oppression—Philippine cases puts state forces on trial for their coordinated attacks on artistic and cultural rights. At the heart of the Tribunal is the recognition that the right to cultural expression is inseparable from the political and economic struggles of the people. Art and culture are not a luxury—they are weapons, lifelines, and offer room for reflections of a people’s dignity, aspirations, and resistance.

The Tribunal will hear testimonies from Filipino artists who are grassroots organizers—some now in exile in Europe due to political persecution, others continuing to face repression in the Philippines. These artists report on their experiences and their ways of artistic expression that embody the very spirit authorities have tried to silence. Each act will demonstrate how the repression of artistic expression is a deep form of violence—aimed at extinguishing not just voices, but the “soul of resistance.” This event is about solidarity, truth-telling, and collective judgment—as well as honoring those who continue to speak and fight through their art.

ALPAS Pilipinas, founded 2021 in Berlin, Germany. Places of belonging: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. Fanzine: Banana Ketchup, 2023. Representative member: Catherine Abon.

Gabriela Germany is the German chapter of the GABRIELA National Alliance of Women. This grassroots alliance comprises over 200 organisations, institutions, desks, and programmes for women from across the Philippines. It seeks to fight for the liberation of all oppressed Filipino women and the rest of the population. Gabriela Germany campaigns on issues specific to migrant women, such as women’s rights, gender discrimination and violence against women, as well as women’s health and reproductive rights.

International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) – Germany, founded 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Places of belonging: Philippines, Germany. Mentioned in: “ICHRP Germany launched on International Human Rights Day”, 2025. Representative member: Annemarie Anecio Mier.

Acknowledgments: Chris Ablon, ICHRP – Europe, Czarina Musni, Karapatan, Marikit Saturay, Migrante Europe, Reya Morgado

Project Lead People’s Tribunal: Jasmine Grace Wenzel