More than one hundred guests—including writers, philosophers, political scientists, filmmakers, and singers—will participate in the Madrid Festival of Ideas, taking place from September 17 to 20. This annual gathering centered on thought will focus on the body in a broad sense, spanning from individual to social perspectives, to reflect on the health of democracy, borders, and artificial intelligence.
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As Marcela Vélez, one of the event’s curators, explained to EFE, the festival will address the theme of “the body as that materiality we all possess, which enables life and thought.” The scope will extend to the social body, seeking to share ideas, question certainties, and view the world from new perspectives by occupying both outdoor spaces and indoor cultural venues across the city.
The opening event, scheduled for Thursday, will feature Mexican figures Lydia Cacho and Brenda Navarro. On the main stage at Plaza de España, they will discuss “The Wounded Body: Violence, Exile, and the Reconstruction of the Intimate Map.” Vélez noted that this opening serves as a statement of intent, highlighting “the fundamental nature of the body in both political and individual terms.”
British writer Zadie Smith, author of the novel White Teeth, will be one of the key figures. Her visit coincides with the publication of her essay collection Feel Free. She will meet with students and converse with French writer Édouard Louis about narrating, the social wound. Meanwhile, Spanish philosopher and art curator Paul B. Preciado will lead the closing session with a talk titled “No One Knows What a Body Can Do,” framing the body as a site of political resistance.
¿Qué ocurre cuando nos convertimos en mercancía?
Sami Naïr conversa con Laila Yousef sobre cómo el capitalismo atraviesa nuestra intimidad y nuestros cuerpos, y cómo podemos resistirlo.
Plaza de España
20/09 · 19h
https://t.co/25KbPfYesY pic.twitter.com/iQObZQL1g8
— Festival de las Ideas (@festdelasideas) September 13, 2026
The text reads, “What happens when we become commodities? Sami Naïr discusses with Laila Yousef how capitalism permeates our private lives and our bodies, and how we can resist it. The commodification of the human subject in the era of total capitalism.”
The program also includes American political scientist Susan Stokes—whose work *The Backsliders* analyzes “leaders who erode their own democracies”—who will speak on the threats and passions defining contemporary societies.
Belgian philosopher Mark Coeckelbergh will examine the real-world impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the human condition and how it reshapes sensory and social experience. The festival will incorporate other disciplines, featuring Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen and multidisciplinary artists Niño de Elche and Rodrigo Cuevas.
Alongside the talks, the program includes workshops for adults and children, philosophical walks, and discussion points on the streets of central Madrid, where any citizen can have their say. These activities aim to democratize access to knowledge and foster critical thinking in the public sphere.
#Culture | The first European edition of the Youth Awards positioned Spain as the link between Latin culture and Europe. Among its awards, it recognized artists as Agents of Change for their cultural impact.https://t.co/NHjquJXcSX
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 7, 2026
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