CONCEPT

NIGHT OF IDEAS
A worldwide festival of thought

Debate and dialogue are the bloodstream of open, democratic,

robust societies. Shared ideas and diverse viewpoints can
invigorate, transform, build bridges. Find solutions to the
most intractable problems.
Committed to this ideal, the Night of Ideas is a unique
platform that was initiated in 2016 during an exceptional
evening in Paris, when foremost French and international
thinkers were invited to come together to discuss the major
issues of our time. Since then, the Night of Ideas has grown
to become a prestigious
fixture on the international calendar.
Hosted across 200 cities, 100 countries, and 5 continents.
From Paris to New York. Fiji Islands to New Zealand. Seoul
to Shanghai. New Delhi to New Mexico. The Night of Ideas
brings together frontline minds interconnected by a common
purpose -- on one day.
To celebrate the power of thought.

This year, the theme is intriguingly titled More? and the

Indian edition of the Night of Ideas will be focusing on the
crucial, fundamental, and fascinating world of food in all its
dimensions: the pleasure, the politics, people, palates,
plurality. And the all-important questions of equity,
sustainability, and security.
A few facts to indicate the scale of what’s at stake: India is the
second largest food producer in the world. Almost half of
India’s 130 billion people, that’s close to 700 million people,
are engaged in farming. 67% of which are women. Yet, while
they feed the country and keep us safe, they add only 18% to
the GDP, and
76% of farmers want to give up farming. Women -- the spine
of all of this -- own only 2% of the land.

So how can these inequities be corrected? Are GM crops the

route? Or are organics the answer? How can we, as consumers
of food, make the food chain more robust? How can Indian
agriculture become India’s greatest success story?
And what of its rich and diverse cuisines. The exhilarating
stories, spices, and history of food in India?
A Night of Chefs & Ideas will bring together the
kaleidoscopic story of food in India – with French accents.
Chefs. Experts. Policy makers. Historians. Economists.
And practitioners. Come together for a night of creative
thinking.

Exciting. Riveting. Thought-provoking..

Join the French Institute of India.

At the Open-air Amphitheatre, Sunder Nursery,
Sundar Nagar, New Delhi.
On 1 March, 6 pm onwards.
For more debate. More diversity. More proximity.
More solutions. More bridges. More stories.
And a delicious, specially curated, dinner.
By a French chef from the Indian countryside.