Founded in 1818, the Société de Lecture (SDL) is a cultural institution nestled in Geneva’s Old Town. Housed in an 18th-century building, the SDL serves as a hub for relaxed intellectual exchange. Functioning as a library with an extensive book collection, the Société de Lecture also hosts diverse cultural events, including a full rich program of literary conferences, debates, workshops, and even yoga classes. Notably, it offers a diverse program for children.
Dive into the history of the Black Death with Patrick Boucheron, who offers a fascinating account of the pandemic while challenging many of the myths and misconceptions surrounding it. Drawing on archaeology, genetics, and environmental science, he explores the devastating pandemic that swept through Europe between 1347 and 1352, offering a fresh perspective on one of the greatest demographic catastrophes in human history.
In French.
Rediscover Sergei Prokofiev’s musical fairy tale in a delicate staging created and performed by Fanny Pelichet. The actress and visual artist designs cardboard puppets that she manipulates in full view of the audience, turning the score and narrative into a giant animated musical book. Inspired by Russian imagery, the piece brings Peter, the bird, the duck, the cat, the grandfather, the wolf and the hunters to life through intimate, tactile visuals and playful, theatrical motion.
In French.
Maurine Mercier, acclaimed field journalist and correspondent in Ukraine for RTS, Radio France and RTBF, reflects on the practice of war reporting. A graduate of the Geneva Graduate Institute, she has reported from Tunis and Kyiv and worked for TVRL, La Télé, Couleur 3 and La Première’s international desk. Winner of multiple Swiss Press Awards, the 2022 Jean Dumur Prize, three Bayeux awards and the 2026 National Listening Prize, Mercier discusses journalistic methods, ethical challenges and the narratives behind her podcast ‘Carnets d’Ukraine’.
In French.
Author Giles Milton, known for his bestselling narrative histories, presents an investigation of the wartime alliance between Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. Drawing on previously unpublished correspondence and sources, Milton examines the motivations, negotiations and personal dynamics that enabled cooperation against Nazi Germany. The talk unpacks key decisions and the human factors behind them, revealing how these leaders shaped the modern world.
In English.
Laure Adler, journalist, essayist, editor and radio producer, trained in history and philosophy, is a leading figure of French cultural life. Renowned for her feminist activism and acclaimed biographies — including a Prix Femina-winning portrait of Marguerite Duras — Adler examines memory, testimony and archival silence. Drawing on her night at Yad Vashem for the Ma nuit au musée series, she reflects on the archives and human stories at the heart of Holocaust history. Moderated by Manuel Carcassonne.
In French.
Arnaud Miranda, born in 1997, holds a Ph.D. in political theory and is affiliated with the Center for Political Research at Sciences Po. Winner of the Fondation des Treilles Young Researcher Award in 2024 and author of Les Lumières sombres (Gallimard, winner of the 2026 Revue des Deux Mondes Prize), he examines American neo-reactionary thought. The lecture investigates how this movement, bolstered by technology and conservative networks, threatens democratic norms, exploring masculinism, biologism and the rise of a radical counterculture. Moderated by Serge Michel.
In French.
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