Night of Ideas 2023
Every year since 2016, the Night of Ideas has been an invitation to celebrate the sharing of knowledge and ideas between countries and cultures around the world, embracing all disciplines, in the arts as well as in the sciences, in order to listen to those who advance thinking in all fields. It is an opportunity to reflect on the major issues of our time and to celebrate together the free flow of ideas and knowledge through conferences, meetings, forums, and round tables, as well as screenings, artistic performances, and youth workshops, based on a theme that each city interprets in its own way.
The 8th edition of the Night of Ideas will be held from February 1 to 10, 2023, in eight Canadian cities outside Quebec: Moncton, Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. The events will take place in person, following a fully virtual Night of Ideas 2022 due to health restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The theme chosen by the Institut Français, “More?”, will be approached in a highly multidisciplinary manner, and the preferred angle, which gives the Canadian Night of Ideas its coherence, is that of “Less,” i.e., how, in this era of global warming, with the dynamics of accumulation taking center stage as essential drivers of our modernity, can we stop this frantic race for “more and more” and return to a more sober approach, meaning less destruction, less pollution, and even less consumption?
February 1 – Vancouver – “More? Slowness is Beautiful”
The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at BCIT Downtown and the question of “More” will be addressed from a temporal point of view, through the concept of slowness.
We live in an age of urgency (climate, society, food, etc.) and acceleration (lifestyle, transport, networks, etc.). This raises a paradox: does this urgency raise the question of slowness as a possible antidote to the era of the Anthropocene, also defined by climate crisis and vulnerabilities?
What is at stake in this pursuit of speed, this acceleration of our ways of living? The 2023 “Night of Ideas” invites us to reflect on the models of “performance” and “growth” that underpin this logic, to consider innovation but also overconsumption and planned obsolescence; and to examine both local and global dynamics of climate warming.
These mechanisms of “more” are expressed primarily in terms of speed. Would our contemporary era, rooted in a linear and positivist reading of history, push us—paraphrasing the Goncourt Prize-winning novel—to “live fast,” or, borrowing this time from the Olympic motto, to live “faster”? Would it push us toward a movement of acceleration inherent to this quest for growth and performance? What are the stakes, both negative and positive, of this pursuit of speed, this acceleration of our ways of life?
During the evening, various speakers and artists will reflect on the theme “More” in all its dimensions—climate emergency, demographic inequalities, performance enhancement, augmented humanity…: Severn Cullis-Suzuki, environmental activist, lecturer and Canadian TV host; Brendan McLeod, BC-based writer, composer, performer; Ndidi Cascade, Vancouver-based hip-hop artist involved in projects highlighting equity and diversity, anti-racism, youth empowerment; and John Desnoyers-Stewart, interdisciplinary artist-researcher whose work and immersive installations encourage new perspectives on immersive technology to better grasp its true potential and effects.
February 1 – Night of Ideas Toronto
The 2023 Night of Ideas – Toronto will take place on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, from 8 p.m. to midnight, in the Starlight Room of the El Mocambo. The public is invited to take part in a discussion celebrating the sharing of ideas and knowledge across multiple fields, in partnership with OCAD University.
The 2023 theme, More?, will explore in Toronto the global trend of acceleration, accumulation, and overexploitation through the lens of climate warming and consumerism, with the goal of collectively reflecting on ways of acting that favour diversity, humility, humanity, and the planet.
The question mark after the adverb more sounds like “a wake-up call about the devastating effects of unbridled production, overconsumption, and gratuitous exploitation that we have witnessed as a society in recent times,” explains Ana Serrano, President and Vice-Chancellor of OCAD University. “We are at a tipping point. Artists and designers are essential to this conversation, to imagine how we can collectively engage with the planet to spark profound cultural changes and find the creative design solutions we need now to face this critical moment.”
Various presentations will be offered to unpack the issues of this 8th edition’s theme, including Ranee Lee, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Design; Ésery Mondésir, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Art; Ian Clarke, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Science; Aurélie Brette, Partner Marketing Director at Too Good To Go; Leïla Marie Farah, Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, Department of Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University; Emmanuel Pont, engineer and author; and Carolina Reis, artist, designer, and curator.
The presentations will be followed by a discussion with the public, moderated by Charlène K. Lau, art historian, critic, and curator at Evergreen Brick Works. Victoria Ho, Sustainability Advisor, Office of Diversity, Equity and Sustainability, OCAD University, will also moderate a panel. Throughout the evening, the public will also be able to listen to rap pieces performed by Leslie Seaforth, OCAD University staff member and artist.
February 2 – Night of Ideas Ottawa
The Night of Ideas in Ottawa will take place on February 2 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the National Gallery of Canada.
The Embassy of France, in partnership with the National Gallery of Canada, chose to explore the role and place of changemakers in raising awareness of the ecological crisis and in the possibility, through their actions and discourse, of stopping this frantic race toward “always more” (Always more population, more production, more technology and more performance—but also always more consumption, more destruction, more pollution…).
The starting point is that of artists who, throughout history, have conveyed a certain “vision of the world,” capable of initiating far-reaching change, or at least sparking new reflection on the shifting perception of the world. Today, as scientific discourse on climate disruption struggles to bring about radical behavioural change needed to curb the ecological crisis, should we rely on artists to hope for a more compelling awareness capable of prompting more massive action on a global scale?
This first step will then lead to broadening the debate and questioning the relevance of other changemakers who could also be seen as effective alternatives to scientific discourse, notably by examining the place of academic, cinematic, and literary discourse.
Starting at 5 p.m., the public will be able to participate in guided tours of the museum’s collections related to the theme “More?” and more specifically the link between art and ecology.
From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., a roundtable moderated by Vincent Mirza, Director of the Centre for Future Cities Research and professor at the University of Ottawa, and Jonathan Shaughnessy, Director of Conservation Initiatives at the National Gallery, will examine the role of changemakers and their potential for action. The discussion will bring together Hannah Claus, transdisciplinary artist of Kanien’kehá:ka and English descent; Flore Vasseur, director of the film Bigger Than Us, which sheds light on various activists fighting for human rights, climate, freedom of expression, social justice, access to education, and food; Bénédicte Ramade, art historian, independent curator, specialist in environmental issues; and Hélène Dorion, writer, poet, and artist, author of Mes Forêts, a work included in the 2023–2024 French baccalaureate curriculum. The evening will also feature performances by David Charette, Indigenous solo drum artist.
Finally, the discussion will be followed by a screening of the documentary Bigger Than Us.
February 3 – Night of Ideas Winnipeg
The Manitoba Night of Ideas will take place on February 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.
The event will consist of two panel discussions on issues of population growth and climate warming. What will become of migratory populations from regions most affected by climate disruption as they move toward regions less affected? Will it be possible to welcome those harmed by this disruption?
February 8 – Night of Ideas Moncton
The Night of Ideas is organized in Moncton for the third consecutive year, and in 2023 it is being held under the guidance of various organizations, including the Consulate General of France in the Atlantic Provinces, the University of Moncton, the Alliance Française of Moncton, Acfas-Acadie, the Senghor Chair in Comparative Francophonies, the Acadian Studies Institute, and the Research Centre in Kinesiology, Leisure and Healthy Living.
“More?” will be explored here through the lens of sport, and more specifically the link between sport and inclusion, since the theme echoes the Olympic motto (“Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together”).
First, a student conference, “Integration and Inclusion of All Diversities Through Sport at the University of Moncton,” will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Le Coude as part of the Ideas Day (JDI). The student conference will contribute to sharing studies and experiences that highlight the dual dimension of integration and inclusion in sport. It will also demonstrate that in the university context, encouraging sports practices can foster more encounters and help celebrate diversity and difference.
From 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., a university sports activity will be offered. This activity will be followed by a well-being session from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., as well as a dance workshop accompanied by an exchange between the facilitator and participants.
From 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., a public lecture, “Beyond Performance: Inclusion and Well-being in Sport,” will take place at the Carrefour des études acadiennes.
February 9 – Night of Ideas Edmonton
In Edmonton, the Night of Ideas will take place starting at 6 p.m. at the Alliance Française, in partnership with the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts. Following an exhibition of works made from recycled materials, artist Virginie Rainville will discuss with the public her artistic approach, her creative process, and the recycled materials she uses compared to new materials.
Why use materials that already have a history? What does this bring “more” to a work? What changes occur in the artistic process when the artist works with materials that have already lived?
February 9 – Halifax: More? Sport, Climate, and Populations: Towards New Rules of the Game(s)?
The Alliance Française Halifax and its partners are inviting the public on Thursday, February 9, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for their Night of Ideas. This year, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 will host this global event supported by the Embassy of France in Canada, the Discovery Centre, and Radio-Canada Acadie.
The theme chosen by the Institut français refers to current events around us. In Halifax, all partners decided to approach this question from several angles in order to bring more suggestions and more expertise. Thus, the following issue was selected: One year before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a few months before the North American Indigenous Games, and at a time when climate change is disrupting our daily lives, several specialists will gather at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax to exchange and share their respective experiences. A fitting venue for the event since immigration and migratory flows play a significant role both in sport and in climate change. The event will be streamed online simultaneously.
February 10 – Calgary: More? Consuming Less and Better in the Fashion Industry
The Calgary Night of Ideas will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Alliance Française and will consist of a debate focused on sustainability issues in the fashion industry, followed by a fashion show featuring outfits made from recycled pieces.
Happy Night of Ideas 2023!
