Pop-up exhibition Woman, Life, Freedom

We honor the Iranian protest movement Woman, Life, Freedom with a mini exhibition that leaves visitors speechless. The exhibition, organised in collaboration with the Verzetsmuseum, can be seen throughout the entire festival in the foyer of Theater aan het Spui.

On 13 February 2026, the exhibition Woman, Life, Freedom – Iranian Women’s Resistance opened to the public at the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam. During the Movies that Matter Festival, a selection from the exhibition can be viewed free of charge at Theater aan het Spui.

Woman, Life, Freedom – Iranian Women’s Resistance at the Resistance Museum

Under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” Iranians took to the streets at the end of 2022, a movement that grew into a global uprising. The exhibition highlights the diversity of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and places this resistance within a long historical context. At its core are the strength and resilience of women and other Iranians who, despite great risks, stand up against oppression and inequality.

Now, in 2026, as Iranians once again took to the streets in large numbers to protest the regime—and these protests were violently suppressed with an unprecedented number of deaths—the Verzetsmuseum presents the stories behind the wave of protests that erupted in Iran at the end of 2022. The immediate trigger for this protest wave was the killing of Kurdish 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini by Iran’s morality police for allegedly wearing her headscarf incorrectly. Iranians of all genders, social groups, and ethnic backgrounds turned against the regime. The Kurdish slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî,” in Persian “Zan, Zendegī, Āzādī,” became internationally known as “Woman, Life, Freedom.” The protests inspired solidarity movements around the world.

The Woman, Life, Freedom movement fights for equal rights for women and for freedom of choice and equality for all Iranians. Because women are often among the most oppressed groups, their struggle lies at the heart of a broader resistance movement.

Historical context

The exhibition at the Resistance Museum shows that this resistance does not stand alone and that Iranian women’s resistance dates back to the mid-nineteenth century.

From this historical perspective, the exhibition shows how Iranian women’s resistance has manifested itself since 2022. Through personal stories, news footage, and art, the creativity and courage of the movement come to life in various forms of resistance. Curious to see all the stories, news posts and forms of resistance? Check out the expo in the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, until 16 August.

Advisory group of Iranian women

Every form of resistance can have severe consequences, including imprisonment or even death. Iranians who have fled the country and support the movement from abroad are also monitored and intimidated by the Iranian regime. An advisory group of Iranian women in the Netherlands was closely involved in shaping the concept and content of the exhibition; some members remain anonymous for security reasons.

Woman, Life, Freedom – Iranian Women’s Resistance invites you to share stories of resistance from Iran. The personal stories of Iranians who continue to resist oppression deserve to be seen and heard. Awareness and solidarity matter now more than ever.

(Photo credit: Getty)