LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE

Night of Ideas 2025: ‘Taking Action’

Join us for the Night of Ideas, our annual night of debate and discussion at the Institut français d’Écosse on 4th February!

Night of Ideas 2025: ‘Taking Action’

About Night of Ideas 2025: ‘Taking Action’

4th February 2025
6pm
Institut francais d Ecosse
Institut français d'Ecosse West Parliament Square, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1RF
Free event
Visit the event website here
Follow ifecosse on Twitter
Facebook information can be found here
Follow ifecosse on Instagram

Bringing together top thinkers, artists and political figures, the Night of Ideas is the occasion to address pressing questions facing the world today. The theme of the next edition, on 4 February 2025, is “Taking Action”.

We will have the honor of hosting a conference by Professor Camilla Toulmin, who has been following life in a small village in central Mali since 1980, to document how people manage in an uncertain environment. Her book on the changing pattern of life in the village of Dlonguebougou Land, Investment and Migration (OUP, 2020) now updated and translated into French Cultiver, Migrer, Investir (IRD, 2024), tells a story of the ups and downs faced by families in the Sahel.

About the book Cultiver, Migrer, Investir (IRD, 2024)
This book tells the story of a mud village in central Mali, covering changes in environment, land, climate and social values over the last 40 years. A tripling in population, unpredictable rainfall, and the arrival of the Chinese have forced people into new ways of both making ends meet and building up wealth—some have done better than others. Using a combination of infographics, satellite images, interviews, and survey data, Cultiver, Migrer, Investir presents the different strategies and fortunes of individuals and their families, the search for new cash incomes, the shift of people from village to town, and the erosion of collective solidarity at household and village levels. The book paints a portrait of the uneven fortunes faced by people living in the Sahel, and seeks to get behind the headlines usually associated with this region.

Sponsored Links

Kevin Quantum
Mowgli
Leith Makers
Fayre Play
Escape The Past
Renfrewshire Council
Kevin Quantum

Other Events at Institut francais d Ecosse

City Space

25th January 2025 - 26th January 2025

Join us at the Institut français d'Ecosse on 25th & 26th January for this video installation by Donald Sinclair, featuring two films focussing on creative life in contemporary cities!

READ MORE

Exhibition: Postcards For Perec

5th February 2025 - 28th February 2025

Postcards for Perec - Two Hundred and Forty-Three Postcards in Real Colour is a travelling exhibition curated by alum Linda Parr and you can see it at the Institut français d'Ecosse in February!

READ MORE

Jazz Concert: Aleph Quintet

13th February 2025

Aleph Quintet is one of the recent revelations of the Brussels music scene and they play the Institut français d'Ecosse on Thursday 13th February!

READ MORE

NOIR: Truth, Lies and Moral Ambiguity with the Scottish Writer Lisa Ballantyne

25th February 2025

Scottish Writer Lisa Ballantyne will be at the Institut français d’Écosse on Tuesday 25th February to talk about the themes of three of her novels.

READ MORE

Teaching Francophone Audiovisual Cultures

11th March 2025

This conference with Dr David Evans and Dr Pauline Souleau (University of St Andrews) aims to discuss the value of harnessing oral French and new forms of media in the classroom!

READ MORE

April’s Follies: Concert with Héloïse Bernard, Annemarie Klein and Jan Waterfield

1st April 2025

Follies can be pleasant, painful and everything in-between. This programme at St Cecilia's Hall on Tuesday 1st April, celebrates some of these musical depictions!

READ MORE

Organ recital with Caroline Cradock and John Kitchen

5th April 2025

Join the Institut français d’Écosse on Saturday 5th April at Greyfriars Kirk for an Organ recital with Scottish organists Caroline Cradock and John Kitchen!

READ MORE

8 Week Watercolour Painting Course - Wednesdays

9th April 2025

The Edinburgh Art Workshop is offering an 8-week watercolour course for beginner and intermediate artists, starting on Wednesdays from 9th April.

READ MORE

8 Week Watercolour Painting Course - Thursdays

10th April 2025

The Edinburgh Art Workshop is offering an 8-week watercolour course for beginner and intermediate artists, starting on Thursday from 10th April.

READ MORE

Sponsored Links

St Mary's Music School
Open Pass Scotland
Edinburgh Dungeons
ATG
Rabbies
Kids Pass
Parkdean

Similar events you might like...

Costume Society Scotland Events

Costume Society Scotland Events

Selected dates between 4th November 2024 - 5th May 2025

Come along to the Costume Society Scotland's season of varied talks on fashion, costume, textiles, accessories and related subjects between between October and April at Augustine United Church!

READ MORE
Edinburgh’s Christmas: Val McDermid and Nicola Sturgeon In The Company of Books

Edinburgh’s Christmas: Val McDermid and Nicola Sturgeon In The Company of Books

15th December 2024

Join book lovers Nicola Sturgeon and Val McDermid with special festive guests In The Company of Books -- old favourites and new -- as they explore the joys of reading!

READ MORE
Information Lecture: Help and Healing on the Spiritual Path through the teaching of Bruno Groening

Information Lecture: Help and Healing on the Spiritual Path through the teaching of Bruno Groening

Selected dates between 15th December 2024 - 21st December 2025

A lecture about spiritual healing and help through the teaching of Bruno Groening is taking place at The Open Door Community Centre, Edinburgh on various dates throughout the year.

READ MORE
An Evening With: Sir Alexander McCall Smith

An Evening With: Sir Alexander McCall Smith

19th December 2024

Join us for an evening with Sir Alexander McCall Smith, in aid of The Lyceum, hosted by our Artistic Director, David Greig.

READ MORE
Richard Wiseman: Edinburgh’s History of Magic

Richard Wiseman: Edinburgh’s History of Magic

28th December 2024

Join magician, psychologist and writer Professor Richard Wiseman in a fascinating local history talk exploring the surprising and little-known magical history of Edinburgh.

READ MORE
The Archaeology of the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival

The Archaeology of the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival

9th January 2025

In this lecture on 9th January at Augustine United Church, Dr Kenny Brophy BSc FSAScot will consider how archaeology (especially Roman) was represented at the Glasgow Garden Festival.

READ MORE
Writing the Great Tapestry of Scotland with Alistair Moffat

Writing the Great Tapestry of Scotland with Alistair Moffat

18th January 2025

Celebrated historian, Dr Alistair Moffat MBE presents an enlightening overview of The Great Tapestry of Scotland along with a special book signing and entry to the exhibition Stitched!

READ MORE
Selector Series With Gavin Hastings

Selector Series With Gavin Hastings

23rd January 2025

The LRC Selector Series Comes to Edinburgh on Thursday 23rd January for a special and intimate event with former Lions and Scotland legends Gavin & Scott Hastings!

READ MORE
An Evening With: Jackie Kay

An Evening With: Jackie Kay

27th January 2025

Poet, dramatist, writer and former Makar, Jackie Kay, joins The Lyceum for an evening exploring her writing and career in aid of the theatre.

READ MORE

Find other events in Edinburgh

Sponsored Links

Kevin Quantum
Mowgli
Leith Makers
Fayre Play
Escape The Past
Renfrewshire Council
Kevin Quantum
St Mary's Music School
Open Pass Scotland
Edinburgh Dungeons
ATG
Rabbies
Kids Pass
Parkdean

Popular Events

Edinburgh’s Christmas: The Polar Ice Bar
Take some time to ‘chill’ at the Polar Ice Bar, the coolest bar in the city, where your table, chairs and glasses are sculpted entirely from ice.
Cinderella
Join returning panto favourites Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young with a new magical pantomime for all the family at the Festival Theatre!
Christmas at the Botanics
Explore the sights and sounds of Christmas in this magical after dark experience when it returns to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh!
Geordie Greep
One of the most unique musicians of his era, Geordie Greep plays The Liquid Room Edinburgh on Sunday 30th March!
Castle Of Light
Enjoy the Defender of the Nation illuminated in a spectacular after-dark trail when Castle of Light returns with an all-new show for its fifth year at Edinburgh Castle!

Popular Listings

Corn Exchange Haddington Edinburgh Playhouse Festival Theatre Edinburgh Howden Park Centre Livingston Kings Theatre Edinburgh National Museum of Scotland O2 Academy Edinburgh The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Traverse Theatre Usher Hall