Located in the heart of the Old Town, in the birthplace of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the MRL is a six-story cultural hub centered on literature. The venue features a permanent exhibition on Rousseau and engages with contemporary issues related to his works. It hosts debates, performances, and educational activities, while also offering residencies for writers and researchers. Additionally, visitors can enjoy a café within the space.
Lionel Cavin, paleontologist and curator at the Natural History Museum of Geneva and professor of genetics and evolution at the University of Geneva, has published over 140 scientific articles and several books.
He examines de-extinction projects that aim to revive species such as the woolly mammoth, the great auk and Merck’s rhinoceros, exploring scientific methods from cloning to genetic editing. Cavin addresses the ecological arguments, ethical dilemmas and societal implications of restoring lost species rather than creating entertainment-driven attractions.
In French.
Cécile Auberson (InfoFauna, specialist on beavers), Fabrice Delaye (grand reporter for Heidi.news with 25 years covering science), Jean Bacchetta (anthropologist, University of Neuchâtel) and Andreas Ensslin (curator at the Conservatory and Botanical Garden of Geneva, seed bank manager) offer expertise on species reintroduction and conservation.
This session presents the new Heidi.news issue on “Return to the Wild” and a roundtable examining species reintroductions across Switzerland — from beavers to bison and wild garlic. Panelists discuss scientific evidence, practical results and ethical controversies, while a photographic exhibition showcases images by Ami Vitale, Lech Wilczek and Jérémy Rico.
In French.
Explore the wild plants that thrive between city pavements and walls on guided urban walks led by herbalists and artists. These strolls focus on “weeds” — their names, myths and botanical stories — revealed through close observation of cracks, courtyards and stone ledges. The experience blends sensory field observation, herbarium fragments and imaginative narratives, turning overlooked green pockets into rich landscapes. The pace invites curiosity and shared discovery, connecting participants to the city’s hidden natural worlds.
In French.
Béatrice Kremer-Cochet and Gilbert Cochet are naturalists and photographers who introduced rewilding to France. Béatrice is an expert at the Regional Scientific Council for Natural Heritage and vice‑president of Forêts Sauvages; Gilbert is attached to the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle.
They present an illustrated panorama of European initiatives that document the spontaneous return of wildlife—bisons, bears, eagles, sturgeons and seals—to abandoned territories. The lecture examines examples of rewilding projects, maps their impact across ecosystems, and discusses prospects for harmonious coexistence between humans and recovering wild species.
In French.
Silvia Hopenhayn, Argentine writer and cultural journalist, offers close readings of Jorge Luis Borges’s fiction and its formal strategies, drawing on her experience with Latin American literature and criticism.
She examines Borges’s short stories, focusing on character creation, paradoxes, enumerations and rhetorical devices, and argues that these brief narratives act as inventive gestures. The session explores figures like Pierre Menard, Funes and Emma Zunz and investigates how form and erudition reveal singular subjectivities.
In French.
Lie down, close your eyes, and let soft stories carry you into a calm nap. Gentle voices and quiet sounds paint colorful scenes inside your head while you rest on a cushion or in a grown-up’s arms. Short audio tales drift like warm blankets, inviting imagination, safety, and rest. This soothing, inclusive moment brings story magic to children who prefer to listen, including those who are blind or have low vision, helping them discover new worlds as they sleep.
In French. Kids ages 4 and up.
Culture, curated weekly.
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