MUDA Festival: A Comprehensive Guide to the Celebration of Democracy and Memory

Original article: MUDA, el Festival de la Memoria: Guía práctica para conocer en detalle la fiesta de la democracia

There’s just a short time left until MUDA, the Festival of Memory, takes place on Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4, at the National Stadium Park in Santiago. This festival promises to be a significant cultural event centered around human rights, democracy, and historical memory.

Organized by the National Stadium Memory Corporation, this year’s festival will feature nearly 40 national and international bands and solo artists performing across three stages: Joan Jara, Patricio Manns, and Sergio Ortega. Tickets can be purchased at festivalmuda.cl.

In addition to music, MUDA will host over 20 prominent figures from culture, social sciences, journalism, literature, and politics during its two days, including four National Prize winners: sociologist Manuel Antonio Garretón, writer Diamela Eltit, and journalists Faride Zerán and Mónica González, who will participate in the panel discussion titled «Discomforting Power: Journalism for Truth.»

One of the festival highlights will be the participation of former President Gabriel Boric, who will hold a talk on democracy on Sunday, October 4 at 2:00 PM in the Thought Tent. This will mark his first public appearance following his term in office.

A Unique Cultural Experience

The MUDA experience is enriched by the Andrés Pérez Tent, which will host the play «Allende: The Interrupted Odyssey of a People Who Wanted to Fly (The Musical)» by La Bella Donna Teatro.

Another area will be Active Memory, featuring a fair of entrepreneurial ventures and initiatives such as Proyecto Memorice, Memory Arpilleras, and Tienda Nacional.

Additionally, guided tours of the National Stadium memory sites, an exclusive exhibition from collector Sergio Stecher, and muralist activations by Muralistas Mujeres, Historias Desobedientes, and Alejandro «Mono» González (2025 National Plastic Arts Prize) are set to take place.

The festival will also incorporate a space called Cooking with Memory, featuring La Piojera, La Chimenea, Comadre Lola, Costa Azul, and the Popular Cafeteria, along with the Children’s and Families sector, featuring ShiShi Gang, a Ludoteca, and a photographic exhibition from the Museum of Memory.

For Palestine

One of the most significant moments of MUDA, the Festival of Memory, will occur on Saturday, October 3, on the Sergio Ortega Stage, featuring Chinoy, Jorge Campos, Golosa La Orquesta, Valentina Marinkovic, Javiera Rosselot, Jejo Velasco, and Nickla joining their voices and music in an act of solidarity and remembrance that connects the Palestinian cause with struggles for human rights and dignity.

The Legacy of MUDA: Map of Memory Sites

On September 11, the Memory Sites platform was launched, enabling users to explore a georeferenced map of recognized memory sites in Chile.

Currently, the state recognizes 1,132 centers of imprisonment, torture, and extermination during the dictatorship, but only 17 receive state funding.

In this initial phase, the application will focus on the 12 sites directly linked to MUDA, including the National Stadium Memory Site, Cerro Chena, Ex Tenencia Curacaví, Ex Clínica Santa Lucía, Ex Nido 20, Ex Nido 18, Hornos de Lonquén, Mulchén, Irán 3037 (Ex Venda Sexy), Casa de Miguel Red Solidaria, Casa Valenzuela Velásquez, and the Salvador Allende Cultural Center of Human Rights in Puente Alto, along with the Memorial for Justice and Dignity, Province Cordillera.

For more information, visit www.festivalmuda.cl