Moridja Kitenge Banza, Chairman of the Board of Culture Montréal and a Canadian artist of Congolese origin born in Kinshasa in 1980, is a graduate of the Académie des Beaux-Arts de Kinshasa, the École des Beaux-Arts de Nantes Métropole and the Université de La Rochelle. Winner of the grand prize at the DAK'ART Biennial in 2010, he was awarded the Prix Sobey in 2020. His work has been presented at the AGO, the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, the National Gallery of Canada, the Phi Foundation and internationally. His work can be found in many public and corporate collections, including BMO, RBC and TD Bank.

Manuel Sainsily is a TEDx speaker and XR instructor at McGill University and the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Born in Guadeloupe and now a Canadian citizen based in Montreal, where he earned his Master’s degree in Engineering Science, he is a trilingual speaker, designer, and educator with over fifteen years of experience advocating for the responsible use and understanding of artificial intelligence.<br><br>From publishing an AI ethics course with MasterClass to speaking at global conferences on technology, film, and video games, Manuel has been recognized by NVIDIA, Mozilla Rise25, and SkillShare for his contributions to the field. He has also collaborated with Meta, OpenAI, and VIFFest to produce art exhibitions, amplifying discussions on cultural preservation and emerging technologies such as Spatial Computing, AI, real-time 3D, Haptics, and Brain-Computer Interfaces through powerful talks and meticulously curated events.

Dédy Bilamba is a high-level marketing manager with a rich and diverse background spanning three continents, known for his unique career path.

‍

Throughout his journey, Dédy has demonstrated his versatility and creativity in diverse roles, including Partnership Manager at Stade de France, Communications Advisor at the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, and Brand Manager for KFC Côte d’Ivoire. His ability to thrive in different environments is driven by a consistent thread—his creative approach to tackling challenges.

‍

A passionate advocate for culture, Dédy is also the author of three books and has written short film scripts.

‍

For the past five years, he has worked in television and cinema in Quebec, contributing to prestigious institutions such as the Vues d'Afrique International Film Festival and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (Quebec section).

‍

Dédy also serves on the Board of Directors of the Dynastie Foundation, further showcasing his commitment to cultural advocacy and community impact.

‍

Despite having lived in the diaspora from a young age, Dédy maintains a deep connection to Africa. In 2022, alongside his partner Éric M'boua, he co-founded Afro VFX, a groundbreaking initiative with the mission of revolutionizing African cinema and television. 

‍

Afro VFX aims to develop a competitive ecosystem for VFX (Visual Effects) on the continent, helping amplify African stories and bring them to a global audience.

‍