On 24 November 2025, the Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe will be awarded the Spinozalens, a biennial international philosophy award. Previous winners include Martha Nussbaum, Bruno Latour, and Susan Neiman.
In the run-up to the award ceremony, we are organising a design competition for students at Dutch and Flemish universities and colleges | universities of applied sciences. I hereby cordially invite you to become an ambassador for this design competition. You become an ambassador by inviting your students to register for this competition. Students with the best designs can meet Achille Mbembe in person in The Hague on 24 November 2025.
The assignment: Design an instrument that contributes to a more equal and just world for everyone, and a fairer distribution of ‘the right to breathe’. That instrument can be anything: a story, a podcast, an app, a video, advice to a museum director or a minister, and so on. How do we guarantee the right to breathe for everyone, wherever you live and whoever you are?
This design question is focused on three specific cases about:
1. activism and climate
2. rehabilitation and (stolen) heritage
3. digital colonisation
Each case is explained using the ideas of Achille Mbembe. Throughout the design process, participants receive support from the project team.
More information (in Dutch):
https://www.spinozalens.nl/nieuws/mbembe-laureaat-2025/
https://www.spinozalens.nl/achille-mbembe-challenge/
More information (in English):
https://www.spinozalens.nl/en/achille-mbembe-challenge/
Interested students and teams must register preferably before 1 July 2025, and 1 September 2025 at the latest via info@spinozalens.nl
Please feel free to distribute this message among colleagues and students.