Let yourself be welcomed and surprised by the performances of the students from Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Opening remarks by representatives of the institutions co-organizing this 2025 edition of Night of Ideas in Washington, DC.
Principal Sandi Logan, Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Ambassador Laurent Bili, Embassy of France to the United States
This panel will explore the historical role of youth in shaping democratic ideals and movements in both the United States and France. Through the lens of education, activism, and leadership, panelists will discuss how young people have influenced the development of democracy historically and how they can continue to do so today.
Laurent Dubois and Amber Mackey from the Karsh Institute of Democracy, CR Gibbs Historian and scholar, Etienne Ollion Sociologist specializing in political sociology and elites, and Rama Yade, former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights.
This workshop explores the intersection of parenthood and leadership, examining how societal norms and workplace structures impact career progression for parents. Panelists will discuss gender biases, corporate responsibility, and policy reforms needed to support working mothers and fathers. The session will highlight strategies for balancing professional ambition and family life while redefining leadership to be more inclusive. How can workplaces and policies adapt to ensure parenthood is seen as an asset rather than a barrier?
Binkady-Emmanuel Hié, author and artist agent, Juncal Faus Figuerido and Eva Rota Graziosi, students from Georgetown Univesity.
This workshop explores the relationship between culture and political dynamics—both in immediate political participation and in the gradual transformation of ideas and identities. We’ll examine how art and culture transcend national borders, challenging political structures in ways that don’t fit neatly into traditional narratives.
Laurent Dubois from the Karsh Institute, Isabelle Boni-Claverie, author, screenwriter, and director, Lual Mayen, CEO of Junub Games & Founder Lual Mayen Foundation, Eva Rota Graziosi student from Georgetown University
This panel explores how culture and the arts shape politics—both in immediate political participation and in the long-term formation of ideas, practices, and identities. Focusing on Black creativity, we’ll examine how the circulation of art and culture across borders challenges national political structures and discourses, revealing the power of artistic expression in reshaping societies.
Binkady-Emmanuel Hié, author and artist agent, Nina Maturu, design strategy and future
sensing expert, Julien Jaubert, music producer, Ayanna Muhammad, founding curator of the
National Hip-Hop Museum, and Lual Mayen CEO of Junub Games & Founder Lual Mayen
Foundation.
This workshop will explore the role of AI in artistic creativity in the Unites States and France, and how can AI transform creative platforms to promote the art and storytelling of activist artists. Attendees will engage in hands-on AI exercises before a plenary discussion. With students from Georgetown University, and Science Po exchange students at Georgetown University.
Julien Jaubert, music producer Ayanna Muhammad, founding curator of the National Hip- Hop Museum, Nina Maturu, design strategy and future sensing expert.
This workshop aims to explore the role of free speech in modern democracy, examining its limits, responsibilities, and challenges. Participants will discuss the balance between freedom of expression and the need to regulate misinformation and harmful rhetoric. The session will address the influence of social media on political discourse and the role of institutions in protecting democratic debate. Comparative perspectives from different countries will provide insights into global approaches to free speech. Ultimately, the workshop seeks to foster a deeper understanding of how free speech can strengthen—or threaten—democracy today.
Aaron Myers, Executive Director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Jenaro Aken, Financial Professional, Consultant, and Founder of Shufto Soccer Initiative, Etienne Ollion, sociologist specializing in political sociology and elites, and Rama Yade, former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights.
In this documentary film, Isabelle Boni-Claverie explores the role of race and the persistence of racism in France, as well as the impact of the French colonial past. Through an exploration of her personal family history, and interviews with historians and academics, Too black to be French peels back the layers of race relations in supposedly institutionally colorblind France. Boni-Claverie, a French-Ivorian, who grew up in upper class French society, unpacks how socio-economic privilege doesn’t mean protection from racial discrimination. Boni-Claverie solicits anonymous individuals to speak on their daily experiences with race, class, discrimination and micro-aggressions. Too black to be French? also features interviews with acclaimed sociologists and historians including Pap Ndiaye, Eric Fassin, Achille Mbembe, and Patrick Simon to help contextualize racial history in France. Boni-Claverie’s film starts an urgent discussion on French society’s inequalities and discrimination.
Isabelle Boni-Claverie also published the book “Too Black to be French” in 2017, navigating the complexities of identity, race, and family in a world that constantly questions the author’s belonging.
Presented in French with English subtitles
Duration: 52mn followed by a live conversation with Isabelle Boni-Claverie and book signing with the author.