Ljubljana, 28th October 2025
In a time of wars and rising hatred – the Festival House of Tolerance – House of Others, from 3rd to 10th November 2025, once again opens a space for dialogue, art and compassion
In a world where wars, conflicts and hatred are once again spreading, where antisemitism and intolerance towards the Other are returning to the public sphere – including in Slovenia – the importance of the Festival House of Tolerance – House of Others is more evident than ever.
The festival, conceived years ago by Branko Lustig, an Auschwitz survivor and two-time Oscar winner, together with Robert Waltl, director of Mini Theatre and the Jewish Cultural Centre Ljubljana, was created out of the conviction that remembrance is the foundation of a future without hatred.
At the opening of the festival, Robert Waltl emphasizes:
“Branko Lustig believed that art and compassion are the strongest weapons against evil. Today, when wars are destroying lives in Gaza, Israel, Ukraine and elsewhere – and as antisemitism and hatred of ‘Others’ are once again on the rise, including in Slovenia – the Festival House of Tolerance/House of Others is becoming an essential space for dialogue and understanding.
Every war is a defeat of humanity, which is why remembering the past is our responsibility toward the future. I know that suffering is universal. And that the tears of mothers – regardless of nationality or faith – fall with equal bitterness.
This festival is not merely a cultural event. It is a public space where we speak about things that hurt. About how quickly intolerance can return if we leave room for it.
The Holocaust is not just a historical topic – it is a moral compass. A reminder of what happens when humanity loses its voice.”
Second part of the Festival House of Tolerance – House of Others
3rd–10th November 2025 | Mini Theatre Ljubljana
After the January edition of the festival, held between 21st and 29th January, the second part of this year’s Festival House of Tolerance – House of Others begins on Monday, 3rd November, at Mini Theatre, and will conclude on 10th November with the theatre performance All My Bodies.
The central theme of the festival remains the culture of remembrance, with a special focus on the role of art as a bridge between the past and the present, between the individual and society.
The second edition of the festival will be opened with an introductory address by Tanja Fajon, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia. The opening evening will continue with the concert Music for Peace and Tolerance by clarinettist Goran Bojčevski, who will take us on a journey through the universal language of music.
The festival offers 10 films, the educational programme Educational Mornings intended for primary and secondary school students, and the exceptional theatre performance All My Bodies, which explores physical, emotional and spiritual transformation, as well as the collective memory that connects us.
Artists from Austria, Hungary and Argentina will be coming to Ljubljana – among them director Andreas Gruber (Rabbit Hunt – The Mühlviertel Massacre), Ádám Breier (All About the Levkovics), Argentine director Gonzalo Quintana and performer Maiamar Abrodos (All My Bodies).
The film programme includes some of the most engaged documentary and feature films of recent years from Poland, Austria, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Finland, Ukraine, Germany and the USA. They address themes such as human rights, social responsibility, propaganda, and the power of the individual in times of manipulation and war.
All events are free of charge, but tickets must be collected at the Mini Theatre box office. All film and theatre events will include both Slovenian and English subtitles.
The festival as a space of hope and dialogue
Since 2015, Mini Theatre Ljubljana and the Jewish Cultural Centre Ljubljana have been organising the Festival House of Tolerance, which has become an important international space for dialogue, art and a reminder of the dangers of forgetting.
The festival is not just a cultural event but an act of compassion and courage, connecting communities, fostering understanding and reminding us that memory is not a burden of the past, but a path toward a future without hatred.
Support and partners
The 2025 festival is supported by:
The City of Ljubljana – Department of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, the Embassy of Poland, the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Austrian Cultural Forum Ljubljana, the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Centre Ljubljana, and the Embassy of Germany.
