Organisms Democracy: Who Will Kill the Winner

How could viruses, humans, and pigs coexist in a way that would be more mutually beneficial and less exploitative?

Organisms Democracy Prague kicks off with a performative lecture titled Who Will Kill the Winner?. In the format of a “debate among species,” a wild boar discusses with the ASF virus the role of antagonistic relationships in human-shaped ecosystems. The ASF virus first appeared in European industrial pig farming in 1957 and has since had a fundamental influence on the shaping of hygiene standards and border policies in Europe. The performance contrasts the impact of the virus within human economic and hygiene systems with the plight of the pig, which is threatened by both the virus and humans, thereby opening a debate on how viruses, humans, and pigs might coexist in a more mutually beneficial and less parasitic or exploitative way.

Practical Information: The program is in English / suitable for ages 12 and up / 25 minutes + discussion