Night of Ideas 2025 at the Institut Français

Now a worldwide project staged in 190 cities and 104 different countries, the Night of Ideas is a highly anticipated event in London. Crossing French and British perspectives, it tackles the latest ideas of our time and engages audiences through free debates and workshops.

This year's event is organised with academic partners in London - and through the UCL European Institute, UCL is once more on board.

The designated theme of this year’s edition, Taking Action, invites us to reflect on the ability of governments, civil society and individuals to respond effectively to the world’s geopolitical disorder. It also questions the growing polarisation within our societies and the frailty of social contracts in democratic heartlands. By crossing perspectives and bringing together leading figures from both sides of the Channel, we hope that visions for a brighter – if not less fractious – future will emerge tonight.

Watch out in particular for the session run by the UCL Debating Society, Direct democracy or disorderly conduct? (8.30-9.20pm in Les Salons). In what promises to be a rather lively session, they will argue the pros and cons of whether states should use citizens’ assemblies to guide law reform in contentious areas like environmental policy, criminal justice and abortion.

In the run-up to the Night of Ideas, a Little Night invites pupils from British and French schools to reflect on the main topics.

Programme and Registration