On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the República de Nissa and the República Federala Occitana are organizing a tribute to Annie and Ben Vautier. A minute of silence is scheduled for 6 PM at Garibaldi Square in Nice, on the occasion of the Occitan National Festival.
On June 17, Garibaldi Square in Nice will host a public tribute to Annie and Ben Vautier. The event is supported by the República de Nissa and the República Federala Occitana. It is part of the Occitan National Festival, celebrated in several cities across the larger Occitan linguistic area.
The artist from Nice, Ben Vautier, who passed away in 2024, was recognized for his visual art work. He was also committed to cultural causes. In 1962, he met François Fontan, the founder of the Party of the Occitan Nation in Nice. He then adopted the theory of Ethnism, which views language as the primary marker of a nation.
From there, Ben Vautier defended minoritized languages. Occitan and Nissart held a significant place in his stances. He participated in several political and cultural actions in support of stateless peoples. In 2015, he published Ben Minister of Foreign Affairs. Two years later, he became an advisor on foreign affairs for the República Federala Occitana. He was surrounded by eight ambassadors to advocate for this cause abroad: in Armenia, Cameroon, Catalonia, Italy, Lithuania, Madagascar, and the Dominican Republic.
A New Tribute to Ben Vautier
Cristòu Daurore, president of the República de Nissa, calls on all the inhabitants of the larger Occitan linguistic area to display the Occitan flags and observe a minute of silence at 6 PM, in tribute to the Occitan Nation and to Annie and Ben Vautier.
The initiative is intended as both a gesture of remembrance and an act of continuity. The Occitan National Festival celebrates a living culture, carried by citizens who refuse erasure. This day of gathering will pay homage to a man and a woman who left a mark on their time through their commitment to language, art, and freedom of expression.
