Night of Ideas, New York, March 27, 2025, 7-11pm: Pierre Singaravélou, Nadia Yala Kisukidi and Pap Ndiaye Lead Nocturnal Marathon of Debates and Performances
New York, February 26, 2025 — Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education has announced the program for New York’s 2025 Night of Ideas on March 27. This annual event — an engaging marathon of debates, performances, readings, and more — brings together influential thinkers, civil society leaders, artists, decision makers, and the public for late-night discussions on pivotal global issues.
Since 2016, Night of Ideas has been held in over 100 countries and 300 cities worldwide. This year, it returns to 25 U.S. cities, aiming to strengthen French-American dialogue on shared challenges while making intellectual debate more inclusive, blending thought-provoking discussion with artistic performances.
Night of Ideas will kick off at Villa Albertine in New York on March 27 at 7pm, exploring the global theme “Common Ground.” The event will bring together leading French and American intellectuals — including historian Pierre Singaravélou, philosophers Nadia Yala Kisukidi and Nancy Fraser, and historian and France’s Ambassador to the Council of Europe, Pap Ndiaye — for three French-American dialogues. Discussions will focus on the global rise of empires, the evolution of contemporary solidarities in France and the U.S., and the challenges facing both democracies today. The evening will also feature dance and musical performances by noted artists including Yannick Lebrun.
24 other events will take place across the United States through April 6. Most of them are co-developed with prestigious American institutions, including the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, The Goat Farm in Atlanta, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Rothko Chapel in Houston, the Museum of Science in Boston, The Wende Museum in Culver City, and The Wolfsonian-Florida International University in Miami. Participative and inclusive, the conversations will explore the principles shaping social connections today in France and the U.S., fostering debates on how we can revitalize collective decision-making, ensure meaningful participation from youth and civil society, and protect what we share in the face of today’s challenges — ranging from AI and environmental crises to geopolitical tensions.
More than 10,000 attendees and 500 French and American participants are expected.
Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, deepens connections between the United States and the French-speaking world in the realms of arts and education. With hubs in 10 US cities, Villa Albertine fosters dynamic and participatory debates between French and American thinkers and civil society leaders on global issues, promotes exchanges between French and American youth, and supports the translation of French non-fiction works into English.
Mark your calendar for Night of Ideas on March 27, 2025, and visit nightofideas.org for the latest news and programming announcements.
Night of Ideas 2025 is presented by Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation thanks to the leadership support of the Judy & Peter Blum Kovler Foundation, and with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. It is coordinated worldwide by the Institut Français.