This is a hybrid event. Please register for in-person attendance, or register to join this event online. Please use this link to watch the film screening online.

As part of the King’s Africa Week Programme 2025, we are hosting an event to celebrate both the centenary of Amílcar Cabral’s birth and the 50th anniversary of the independence of the Lusophone African countries.

This event will explore Cabral’s profound contributions to decolonial movements across the Global South and their enduring relevance today. The discussion will feature documentary filmmaker Valerio Lopes alongside academics Victor Barros and Nayanka Perdigão as panelists.

The event will take place on Thursday the 6th of March 2025 in Strand Building S-1.06 from 17.30 to 19.30. It will be split in two parts:

1. A screening of CABRALISTA – Amílcar Cabral. 
2. A panel discussion exploring Cabral’s enduring influence on Lusophone African and broader African struggles for decolonisation, both historically and in contemporary contexts.

About the filmmaker

Valerio Lopes

Valerio (Val) Lopes is a storyteller, filmmaker, and technologist dedicated to preserving and amplifying Africa’s history and heritage. As the creator and founder of Afryk and Medeo, he merges creativity with innovation to reshape narratives about the continent. Though his work spans the globe, his perspective remains deeply rooted in African values, driven by a vision of peace, equality, and justice.

With a background in audio engineering, Valerio expanded his expertise into programming and digital design, developing a range of apps and digital products. His passion for storytelling led him to filmmaking, and he is the director of Cabralista, the documentary being shown at this event, as well as The Africologist, a film that presents the world through an authentic African lens. These projects, along with many others, reflect his commitment to ensuring Africa’s history and cultural legacy take their rightful place in the global narrative.

Throughout his career, he has taken on multiple roles—audio engineer for film and music, designer, director, editor, and consultant. In his recent work as a consultant in Africa, he prioritizes cultural representation over profit, advocating for social responsibility and the advancement of African values.

About the panelists

Victor Barros

Dr Víctor Barros is a historian specialising in Portuguese colonialism, anticolonial movements, and the politics of memory. He holds a PhD in Contemporary History from the University of Coimbra, supported by a Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation research fellowship. From 2016 to 2019, he was a researcher on the project Amílcar Cabral – From Political History to Politics of Memory at NOVA University of Lisbon, conducting archival research and organising seminars in Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Portugal, and France. His work examines the legacy of Cabral and the broader struggles for decolonisation in Lusophone Africa. He is the author of a book on colonial concentration camps in Cabo Verde and has published extensively on commemorations, transnational anticolonial solidarity, colonial monuments, and history writing. His research appears in journals such as The International History Review, Revista Portuguesa de História, and European Contemporary History. A former member of the École des Hautes Études Hispaniques et Ibériques at Casa de Velázquez (2022–2023), he is currently a researcher at the Institute of Contemporary History at NOVA University of Lisbon.

Nayanka Perdigão

Dr Nayanka Paquete Perdigão is a Research Associate with the African Leadership Centre (ALC). Prior to this, she was the head of the ALC Peace and Security Fellowships programme and convenor of the annual ALC Africa Debates at King's. Dr Perdigão then went on to become a partnerships and programs lead at the Global Internet Forum to counter-Terrorism (GIFCT). During her two years at GIFCT, Dr Paquete Perdigão managed partnerships with a range of stakeholders, from tech companies, to NGOs and governments, to foster collaboration and information-sharing to counter terrorist and violent extremist activity online. Dr Perdigão is currently the outreach and partnerships lead for violent extremism at TikTok.

Nayanka was educated at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) where she holds a BA in Politics and Development and a MSc at the London School of Economics (LSE) in Urbanisation and Development. Nayanka also holds a MRes in Political Science, also from the LSE. She holds a doctorate in Leadership Studies with reference to Security and Development from King’s. Her PhD on Leadership and State-Building in Guinea-Bissau focused on State and Society Relations.

Dr Perdigão's research spans the study of state-building processes, violent conflict, and peacebuilding in Africa.

About King's Africa Week

Hosted by the African Leadership Centre and Africa research group, Africa Week is an annual celebration of research, education and outreach activities on Africa.

King's Africa Week brings together academics, researchers and students from across King's – and offers the opportunity to hear from African scholars, leaders and thinkers. It also showcases King's collaboration with African universities and partners.

Find out more about Africa Week