This year LeidenGlobal started with a new public series: The LeidenGlobal Dialogues. Drawing on the rich knowledge of our partner organisations, the Dialogues explore enduring global themes that shape our world, beyond the headlines of the day. Each edition features two researchers introducing the context of a chosen topic, followed by an interactive exchange of ideas and an open Q&A with the audience. Join the 2nd edition on May 21st:
Indigo: Threads of Trade, Culture & Change
Indigo is more than a colour. It is a defining part of living traditions shaped by people, places and histories. For centuries, artisans across the world have used indigo to define identities, gender and lineage by creating textiles that carry stories of skill, and heritage. Indigo shows how knowledge, techniques and materials have developed in different cultures and how these have been interacting.
In the LeidenGlobal Dialogues, experts and the public come together for an open conversation. Experts will share short insights to provide context, but the dialogue is open to everyone. Together, we explore indigo not only as a material, but as a way to discuss culture, knowledge, inequality and sustainability across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
We will reflect on some key questions:
• Is traditional knowledge about indigo truly recognised and valued?
• Who owns this knowledge (local communities, researchers or companies), and why does this matter?
The conversation also considers indigo in a global context. As indigo becomes more widely used around the world, does it lose its cultural meaning? Or can it create new connections between people and traditions? Through this exchange, the session encourages participants to think critically about the past, present and future of indigo, and about the shared responsibility to value both the material and the the communities who have held the knowledge till now.
LeidenGlobal Dialogues: Indigo: Threads of Trade, Culture & Change
Date: 21 May 2026
Time: 19:30-20:45 (walk-in 19:15)
Location: Tempelzaal, Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (Rapenburg 28, Leiden)
Language: English
Entrance: Free, please register here
About the speakers:
- Aarti Kawlra is Academic Director of IIAS’s Humanities Across Borders (HAB) programme. As anthropologist, she examines colonial and global discourses through oral history, geography, and cultural studies, with a focus on artisanship and makers’ lived experiences. She has also conducted research on indigo, the production, traditions and itineraries.
- Elizabeth Visser owns Strawberries Fabrics (2004), an organisation focused on sustainability and fair trade. She works with a Dogon community in Mali producing traditional indigo and has 30+ years’ experience in international development, specializing in green rural growth, poverty reduction and biodiversity.
The LeidenGlobal Dialogues is a cooperation of LeidenGlobal and The National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden) and is part of the Thursday evening programme at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. This edition was created in collaboration with International Institute for Asian Studies