When does a society stop being afraid? And what needs to happen for individual dissatisfaction to transform into a collective gesture of solidarity? Through discussion, film, music, and a participatory workshop, Sounds of Democracy: Solidarity revisits moments when culture, civic courage, and the public voice came together to create real social change. At the heart of the programme is the film Człowiek z żelaza / Man of Iron, which captures the birth of the Polish Solidarity movement and reminds us that solidarity is not an abstract concept, but a lived experience of people who choose to act together. The programme is complemented by live contemporary culture and an open participatory format connecting this historical experience with the present day.
This event is the second in the Sounds of Democracy series, organised together with the Pohoda Festival. Admission is free.
Programme:
16:30 – 19:06
Film screening: Człowiek z żelaza / Man of Iron (1981, Poland)
19:15 – 20:00
Discussion about the film
21:10
Concert: COALS (PL)
Throughout the event:
Workshop: Samizdata ‘26
About the programme:
Concert: COALS
A Polish music duo working at the intersection of alternative pop, electronic music, and melancholic experimental sound. Their work combines intimate atmosphere, strong visual identity, and a contemporary sound shaped by sensitivity, darkness, and club energy.
Film screening: Człowiek z żelaza / Man of Iron
(1981, Poland)
A Polish film directed by Andrzej Wajda about the strikes in Gdańsk and the emergence of the Solidarity movement. The film captures the moment when resistance stops taking place in secrecy and becomes a public act of collective courage.
Discussion about the film
The discussion will focus on Człowiek z żelaza / Man of Iron and open themes of solidarity, civic courage, collective resistance, and the moment when society stops being afraid. The film follows events surrounding the workers’ strikes in Gdańsk that led to the creation of the Solidarity movement, intertwining personal stories with the political turning point that shook the foundations of the communist regime.
Workshop: Samizdata ‘26
A participatory workshop running in a drop-in / drop-out format, where visitors can continuously contribute to the collective sharing of testimonies, thoughts, memories, and messages. The project draws inspiration from the tradition of samizdat and transforms it into an open contemporary format.
