Friday, October 16, 2026
Olin Auditorium 2:30 pm
Solidarity is often approached as an idea—something we define politically, debate philosophically, and interpret historically. But what would it mean to practice solidarity together?
Artist Yazmany Arboleda will transform The Arendt Forum into a participatory artwork, inviting each attendee to bring one small object that tells a story about the people they come from. The object may be inherited, found, handmade, or symbolic, and may represent family, ancestors, mentors, neighbors, or a community that has shaped their life.
LEARN MORE
Together, these objects will form a temporary, evolving installation: a Living Altar for Solidarity. It will not be an altar of agreement or ideology, but one of memory, inheritance, relationship, responsibility, and hope. It asks a simple question: Who are we carrying with us?
Before we hold political beliefs, we inherit stories. Before we belong to institutions, we belong to one another. By beginning with experiences of care, loss, migration, conflict, celebration, resilience, and love, the Living Altar invites participants to move from abstract solidarity toward solidarity as an embodied and shared practice.
REGISTER HERE
Your registration really helps with our planning! Thank you!
Special Artistic Opportunity at the Forum with Yazmany Arboleda
Part of The 2026 Arendt Forum on Solidarity: What Are We Fighting For?Olin Auditorium 2:30 pm
Solidarity is often approached as an idea—something we define politically, debate philosophically, and interpret historically. But what would it mean to practice solidarity together?
Artist Yazmany Arboleda will transform The Arendt Forum into a participatory artwork, inviting each attendee to bring one small object that tells a story about the people they come from. The object may be inherited, found, handmade, or symbolic, and may represent family, ancestors, mentors, neighbors, or a community that has shaped their life.
LEARN MORE
Together, these objects will form a temporary, evolving installation: a Living Altar for Solidarity. It will not be an altar of agreement or ideology, but one of memory, inheritance, relationship, responsibility, and hope. It asks a simple question: Who are we carrying with us?
Before we hold political beliefs, we inherit stories. Before we belong to institutions, we belong to one another. By beginning with experiences of care, loss, migration, conflict, celebration, resilience, and love, the Living Altar invites participants to move from abstract solidarity toward solidarity as an embodied and shared practice.
REGISTER HERE
Your registration really helps with our planning! Thank you!
The Annual Conference: What it's All About
Bold and Provocative Thinking.
Together.
Together.
Every year, students, thinkers, artists, writers gather at Bard College's Annandale campus for two days of exploration into a pressing contemporary issue. Our aim is to bring together speakers from diverse careers to think together - and often to disagree- in public.
Our Conferences
The Center's annual conferences are known for bringing together speakers from diverse careers to think in public about the most important issues of our time. Previous conferences have explored the economic crisis, education, surveillance, and privacy. In conjunction with the conference, the center sponsors an annual student competition and a student debate.
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View video playlists of past conferences on our YouTube channel.
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Citizenship and Civil Disobedience
took place at Bard College on
Thursday, Oct. 11 and Friday, Oct. 12, 2018
