"The Power to Act": Night of Ideas 2025 kicks off with activities in seven cities

The Night of Ideas 2025 will be held from May 14 to 20 in seven cities across Argentina , including Buenos Aires. This year, the quintessential event for thought , which also aims to serve as a bridge between nations, will bring its activities to the Teatro Colón , both in the Experimentation Center and the Golden Hall, on May 16 and 17.

In addition, the federal program will cover Córdoba (May 12-14), Mendoza (May 11-13), Tucumán (May 13-14), Rosario (May 14-16), Santa Fe (May 14-16), Mar del Plata (May 19-20), and Tandil (May 19-20). At each location, the programs will combine art, science, and philosophy in an agenda tailored to local issues and challenges.

This year, the theme "The Power to Act" will guide the discussions and activities , inviting reflection on the possibilities for action in the face of global socioeconomic, environmental, and political crises.

The event will focus on three themes : new geopolitical balances in a changing world, forms of contemporary engagement driven by youth and civil societies, and the capacity to act and decide in the face of current challenges. These themes, articulated through panels, debates, and performances, seek not only to analyze current problems but also to imagine possible solutions from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The list of international participants includes prominent figures from various disciplines. Spanish political scientist Jaime Aragón Falomir will be participating, contributing his expertise in global power dynamics and international cooperation. Also participating will be French-Chilean writer Miguel Bonnefoy, renowned for works such as Octavian's Journey, who will analyze the relationship between literature and cultural identity.

In the field of science and art, Jean Marc Chomaz , a physicist-artist and research director at the CNRS, will be present. On the other hand, French activist Marjolaine David , who researches contemporary transfeminist artistic activism, the circulation of political art forms, and community archiving practices, while Belgian philosopher Pierre Dardot, a professor and philosopher specializing in the work of Hegel and Marx, will be present.

Also participating will be Laurent De Sutter , the Belgian philosopher, author of thirty books that have been translated into fifteen languages, and the sociologist Lila Le Trividic Harrache , specialized in the field of education, youth, vulnerabilities, and public action.

Also featured are French-Argentine photojournalist Anita Pouchard-Serra, a documentary photographer trained as a ballet dancer, architect and anthropologist, and artist Leïla Ka , an acclaimed French choreographer performing in Buenos Aires for the first time.

Special mention should be made of Christophe Ventura , research director of the Institute of International Relations and Strategies (IRIS), who has built a deep and unique understanding of Latin American civil society (social movements, trade unions, NGOs, political parties, academic circles, among others) and the institutional actors in the countries of the region.

In this ninth edition , the Night of Ideas also stands out for its ability to generate interdisciplinary encounters. Activities will include interactive workshops, art exhibitions, and keynote lectures, as well as performances that integrate dance, music, and theater.

For example, in Buenos Aires, performances are expected at the Teatro Colón's Experimentation Center that will combine contemporary music with philosophical debates. The event, with free admission to most activities, reinforces its annual presence as a space for dialogue and creation, an invitation to foster critical thinking and collective responses to contemporary problems.

"The Night of Ideas 2025 seeks to rekindle the desire to act, invent, debate, and collectively create desirable futures . Crossing disciplines, generations, and territories, it is proposed as a space where critical thinking and artistic creation meet to imagine other possibilities," its organizers declare.

The Night of Ideas 2025 is organized by the Institut français d'Argentine in collaboration with the French Embassy in Argentina , the Alliances Françaises network of Argentina , the Medifé Foundation , and the Franco-Argentine Centers.

It also has the support of the Institut français in Paris, the Novotel Buenos Aires , and collaborative work with municipalities, provinces, and academic and cultural institutions in the seven host cities.

The Night of Ideas program can be found on the website .