Organized in partnership with Tulane University and celebrating the Mois de la Francophonie, the 2026 Night of Ideas in New Orleans, brings together students, scholars, and members of the wider community for an evening of discussion and reflection on Enlightenment ideas, historical revolutionary events, and their contemporary legacies.
Centered on students’ research and debates, the program features short presentations examining key aspects of the American Revolution in dialogue with France and Louisiana, with perspectives extended to the Haitian Revolution in order to highlight transatlantic circulations of ideas, people, and struggles.
The evening will then continue with a moderated panel discussion, and a public Q&A led by students from Tulane University’s Department of French & Italian, fostering direct and dynamic exchanges with the audience regarding the contemporaneity of the Enlightenment.
The presentation and panel discussion will be preceded by an opening cocktail with food and refreshments.
Designed as a space for emerging voices and collective inquiry, the event directly addresses the Night of Ideas’ 2026 theme, “Enlightenment Now: Independence at 250,” by revisiting the promises, complexities, and lasting impact of Enlightenment ideals.
With the participation of Thibault Bladek, Rodolphe Sambou, Chelsea Stieber, Masano Yamashita, Fayçal Falaky, and Jennifer Tsien.
Presented by Villa Albertine New Orleans and Tulane University.
Free and open to the public. RSVP here.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Tulane University | 6 PM – 9 PM
Diboll Gallery, 3rd Floor of the Malkin Sacks Commons