The Night of Ideas returns to Italy on January 28, 2021. Conceived by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and present in more than 90 countries to encourage the circulation of ideas between countries and cultures, disciplines and generations, the event is made more topical than ever in these pandemic times. The event is promoted by the French Embassy and the Institut français Italia and sponsored by the Conference of Italian University Rectors, the Conférence des présidents d'universités françaises and supported by Edison.

The sixth Italian edition will be hybrid and polycentric and will focus on the theme of proximity.

From 7 pm. to midnight on January 28, 30 Italian and French researchers, intellectuals, politicians, artists, journalists and cultural leaders will be talking in person or remotely from Rome, Palazzo Farnese; Milan, Fondazione Feltrinelli; Palermo, Institut français - Cantieri culturali alla Zisa; Naples, Museo Madre, as well as from France and the United States.

The programme includes 6 round tables to understand our interdependencies better, highlight the exchanges and solidarity that unite Italy and France, and project us beyond the pandemic, in the European context.

"New European solidarities", "Coexistence and inequality before Covid", "Alternatives to collapsology", "Borders, walls, conflicts", "For an open memory", "The urgency of artistic alliances": this new year we need more than ever to join forces to build the world of tomorrow together.

The Italian newspaper "Repubblica", the event's media partner, will live stream the Night of Ideas 2021 on its website. The French Embassy and the Institut français Italia, the programme's creators and organisers, will broadcast the event on their youtube channels in French and Italian.