Agenda
This Is Not a Trial – Theater Performance
A theatrical experiment on justice in times of ecological crisis
THIS IS NOT A TRIAL is a theatrical experiment that invites you to become part of the urgent conversation on how society can assign accountability for environmental destruction. On 18 and 19 June, a group of artists, actors, and students from Utrecht University will stage a fictional trial at the ZIMIHC theater Stefanus in Utrecht (Overvecht), and you will be the jury.
This fictional trial is set in a time when ecocide has been introduced into criminal law, and major crimes against nature are now being prosecuted. In the dock: the Dutch multinational Smit Refineries N.V. and its CEO, for the severe destruction of an Indonesian ecosystem where nickel and other rare earth metals are extracted. Though these raw materials are essential for the development of green technologies for a more sustainable future, the nickel mining industry destroys key biodiversity areas, pushes unique species to the point of extinction and displaces Indigenous communities from their lands.
What would such an ecocide trial look like? Can the law really bring justice for local communities, species and ecosystems, and who can be held accountable for crimes against nature? Central to our theatrical experiment is the attempt to include more-than-human voices in a creative way.
THIS IS NOT A TRIAL is an effort to bring together legal argumentation with alternative perspectives through art. Step into the role of our jury – to come to a verdict, and to rethink what justice can mean in an era of environmental crisis.
Developed in collaboration with teams across university faculties, law students, NGOs, and creative artists, THIS IS NOT A TRIAL invites you to reflect on what role law can play in facing one of our biggest challenges today.
Dates: June 18 and 19, 2025
Time: 20.00
Location: Zimihc Theater Stefanus, Braziliëdreef 2, 3563 CK Utrecht
Please register via the ZIMIHC website: https://www.zimihc.nl/agenda/this-is-not-a-trial/
Partners and Creators
THIS IS NOT A TRIAL was developed by Utrecht University researchers and students as part of the interdisciplinary Conceptualizing Ecocide project in collaboration with NGOs and artists. Together, we explore the role that law could play in facing one of the greatest challenges of our time.
Partners:
- EcoJustice (formerly known as Stop Ecocide NL)
- International Union for the Conservation of Nature, National Committee of The Netherlands, Bottom Line Project
- Writer and theater director Reinier Noordzij
- Author and vocal artist Emma Zuiderveen
- Pollif Projects – performance artists Tim Hammer and Mirthe Dokter
With support from:
- Centre for Science and Culture, Utrecht University
- Pathways to Sustainability, Utrecht University
- Network for Environmental Humanities, Utrecht University
Contact: Susanne Knittel (s.c.knittel@uu.nl)