{"id":28741,"date":"2026-05-21T16:37:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T20:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/?p=28741"},"modified":"2026-05-21T16:37:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T20:37:47","slug":"boys-men-festival-rio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/boys-men-festival-rio\/","title":{"rendered":"World-Class Artists, Activists and Changemakers Gather in Rio for Free Public Boys &#038; Men Festival During MenCare Changemaker Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Para consultas de los medios de comunicaci\u00f3n, comun\u00edquese con: <\/span><a href=\"mailto:press@equimundo.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">press@equimundo.org<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>May 2026 \u2013 Rio de Janeiro will host a landmark public celebration of culture, conversation, and collective action on 29 May as the <a href=\"https:\/\/thewowfoundation.com\/festivals\/Boys-and-Men-Festival-2026\/\">Boys &amp; Men Festival<\/a> brings together internationally acclaimed artists, activists, performers, and thought leaders to explore new visions of masculinity, care, and gender equality.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Presented by Equimundo in partnership with WOW \u2013 Women of the World, the free one-day festival forms part of the inaugural <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/changemakers.equimundo.org\/mencare-changemaker-summit-2026-rio\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MenCare Changemaker Summit 2026<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a four-day global convening taking place in Rio from 27\u201330 May focused on advancing caring manhood and gender equality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Held across two of Brazil\u2019s leading cultural venues, Museu de Arte do Rio and Museu do Amanh\u00e3, the festival will feature live music, performances, exhibitions, workshops, and conversations addressing some of the most urgent issues facing boys and men globally today.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"single-post-image single-post-image-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-28742\" src=\"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kay-Rufai.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"851\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kay-Rufai.png 851w, https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kay-Rufai-300x111.png 300w, https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kay-Rufai-768x284.png 768w, https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kay-Rufai-18x7.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 851px) 100vw, 851px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p><b>Featured artists, speakers, and performers include:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grammy-nominated music duo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/duoavua\/?hl=en\">\u00c1VU\u00c1<\/a>, featuring Jota.p\u00ea and Bruna Black<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brazilian artist and composer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/exudoblues\/\">Baco Exu do Blues<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Performer, comedian, and broadcaster <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/Rita_von_Hunty\/\">Rita Von Hunty<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indigenous writer and climate activist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/_ailtonkrenak\/?hl=en\">Ailton Krenak<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Award-winning British-Nigerian artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/smilingboysproject\/\">Kay Rufai<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poet and spoken-word artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sambrownex\/\">Sam Browne<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Actor and writer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/s.adjani\/?hl=en\">Adjani Salmon<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/padrejulio.lancellotti\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Padre J\u00falio Lancelotti<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/marcoslucavalentim\/?hl=en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marcos Luca Valentim<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coral <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=cJcsIIKaKFY\">Uma S\u00f3 Voz<\/a>, Rio\u2019s Homeless Choir<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The festival will conclude with a free public concert by \u00c1VU\u00c1 alongside award-winning DJs and performers including Noite das Estrela.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Alongside headline performances, attendees can participate in:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slam poetry and drumming workshops<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capoeira circles and passinho dance masterclasses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An altinha street football championship<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workshops on identity, fatherhood, and belonging<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guided tours of Rio\u2019s historic Little Africa district<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The program also includes dedicated sessions for schools and young people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A major artistic highlight will be the debut of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/universoulartist.com\/smiling-boys-project\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">S.M.I.L.E-ing<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Boys in Mar\u00e9<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a new photography exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist Kay Rufai. Developed in collaboration with young Black boys and men from Rio\u2019s Mar\u00e9 favela complex, the exhibition challenges harmful stereotypes surrounding Black boyhood and masculinity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wow-found.transforms.svdcdn.com\/production\/Headshots\/S.M.I.L.E-ing-Boys-in-Mare%CC%81-collage.-Credit-Kay-Rufai.jpg?w=1400&amp;h=788&amp;q=100&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=crop&amp;dm=1779184211&amp;s=b54713707725dd50b2ea684fe87439c7\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Boys &amp; Men Festival takes place amid growing global debate around masculinity, online misogyny, men\u2019s wellbeing, and gender-based violence. Organisers say the event aims to create space for more hopeful, constructive, and community-based conversations about men and boys.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere is growing conversation about men and boys, too often framed in terms of problems, either their problems, or them as the problem,\u201d said Gary Barker, Founder and CEO of Equimundo. \u201cThrough our Boys &amp; Men Festival and the Changemaker initiative, we are choosing a different path: one grounded in care.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe see caring manhood not as an abstract ideal, but as a political, practical and powerful response to these challenges,\u201d Barker added. \u201cThis Festival is a space for solutions \u2014 a place to affirm and amplify the many ways women, men, boys, girls, and people of all identities can come together.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jude Kelly, Founder Director of WOW \u2013 Women of the World, said the festival is designed to invite the wider public into the global conversation taking place during the MenCare Changemaker Summit.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe want all genders and ages to join us for an unforgettable day of talking, sharing and learning,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cMuch like WOW Festivals, we\u2019ll be addressing serious and urgent topics, but there will also be joy, play and community.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b>About the MenCare Changemaker Summit<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The MenCare Changemaker Summit brings together global leaders from business, media, culture, civil society, and government to advance solutions around gender equality, caring masculinities, and violence prevention. Thousands of participants are expected to take part across the four-day program in Rio de Janeiro.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The summit is led by Equimundo in partnership with WOW \u2013 Women of the World, in collaboration with Instituto Mapear and Instituto PapodeHomem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#x1f39f; Free festival tickets and the full program are available now.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#x1f517; Learn more: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/changemakers.equimundo.org\/boys-men-festival-english\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">changemakers.equimundo.org\/boys-men-festival-english\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00bfTienes preguntas o quieres cubrir esta historia?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reach out to our press team: <\/span><a href=\"mailto:press@equimundo.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">press@equimundo.org<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For media inquiries, please contact: press@equimundo.org May 2026 \u2013 Rio de Janeiro will host a landmark public celebration of culture, conversation, and collective action on 29 May<\/p>","protected":false},"author":243,"featured_media":28743,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","program_areas-caring-men","department-advocacy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/243"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28741"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28744,"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28741\/revisions\/28744"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.equimundo.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}