Souveraineté, de quel côté es-tu? [Sovereignty, which side are you on?] is a two-part articulation on how notions of sovereignty have been adapted according to various social, economic, and geopolitical realities. Starting with a keynote, playwright, poet, political essayist, and 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Wole Soyinka reflects on governance and governments, civic engagement, the place of the arts in society, as well as state abuse and destabilization wrought by colonial and imperial regimes. Soyinka’s thoughts are expanded upon in a conversation with the Port-au-Prince-based author Évelyne Trouillot. Together they propose that sovereignty should not solely be understood through borders or the functions of state institutions, but as rooted in living civics—informed by communitarian practice and values such as reciprocity, respect for plurality, and shared responsibility. Drawing on personal insights, their artistic practice, and cross-regional perspectives, they consider sovereignty as a concept rooted in communal well-being and a spirituality dedicated to the care of land and people.