Symposia

overview of symposia

May 27, 2025: Amsterdam 750 years – the past, present and future of a free city
Anne Hidalgo, Francine Houben, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jonathan Israel, chair James Kennedy.
Listen to the lectures by Anne Hildalgo, Francine Houben, Jonathan Israel, Chimamanda Adichie.

November 19, 2024: Biological design by AI
Max Welling, Gerard van Westen, Annelien Bredenoord, chair Marcel Levi & Vinod Subramaniam.
Listen to the lectures by Max Welling, Gerard van Westen, Annelien Bredenoord.

May 28, 2024: Climate communication
Wolfgang Blau, Lisa Pak, chair Joris Luyendijk
Listen to the lectures by Wolfgang Blau and Lisa Pak

November 20, 2023: Alfa and Bèta in the arts
Salvador Muñoz Viñas, Erma Hermens, Sanne Frequin, chair Ineke Sluiter
Listen to the lectures by Salvador Muñoz Viñas, Erma Hermens, Sanne Frequi

June 7, 2023: The search for extraterrestrial life
Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Sara Seager, Marjolijn van Heemstra, chair Andre Kuipers.
Listen to the lectures by Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Sara Seager and Marjolijn van Heemstra.
Read the spoken word by Marjolijn van Heemstra.

November 23, 2022: The future of work
Lynda Gratton, Josh Bersin, Kim Putters, chair Wiebe Draijer, moderator Janine Vos.
Listen to the lectures by Professor Lynda Gratton, Josh Bersin, Professor dr. Kim Putters

June 14, 2022: The future of tourism
Jan van der Borg, Dario Nardella, Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, chairman Tracy Metz.
Listen to the lectures by Jan van der Borg and Dario Nardella and the reflection by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer

June 2, 2021: COVID-19 from different perspectives
Damiaan Denys, Taro Kono, Mely van Malenstein, Chris Whitty,', chairman Marcel Levi and Ineke Sluiter.
Watch the video registration below.

26 november 2019
Martin Blaser, Max Nieuwdorp, 'The Microbiome', chairman Marcel Levi
listen to the lectures by Martin Blaser and Max Nieuwdorp

May 24, 2019
Kishore Mahbubani, Gideon Rachman, 'China and the West', chairman Hans Schulte Nordholt
listen to the lectures by Kishore Mahbubani and Gideon Rachman. 

May 31, 2018
Demis Hassabis, 'Artificial Intelligence', chairman Robbert Dijkgraaf
listen to the lecture by Demis Hassabis - Artificial Intelligence 
and the interview by Robbert Dijkgraaf 

November 27, 2017
Londa Schiebinger, 'Gendered Innovation', chairman Ineke Sluiter
listen to the symposium Londa Schiebinger - 'Gendered Innovation'

June 15, 2017
Geert Mak, Bettina Bock, 'Depopulation of Rural Areas', chairman Tracy Metz
listen to the symposium 'Depopulation of Rural Areas'

December 6, 2016
Jeremy Jackson, Glenn Thodé, 'Caribbean coral reefs', chairman Han Lindeboom and André Kuipers
watch the lectures of Jeremy Jackson and Glenn Thodé

June 8, 2016
Chad Smith, Susanna Mälkki, 'Orchastras Alive', chairman Sieuwert Verster and Neil Wallace

December 4, 2015
Robert D. Kaplan, 'Energy routes and pipelines in 21st century maritime Eurasia', chairman Dick Benschop

June 25, 2015
Steven Chu, 'Getting from where we are to where we want to be in clean energy', chairman Pier Vellinga

November 14, 2014
Rüdiger Safranski, 'Über die Zeit', chairman Henk van Os

June 2, 2014 
Joan Clos, Edward Glaeser, 'The City in the 21st Century', chairman Eberhard van der Laan

November 27, 2013
Eric Lander, 'Secrets of the Human Genome', chairman Hans Clevers

June 13, 2013
Anish Kapoor, Emily Ansenk, chairman Henk van Os

November 2, 2012
Maria Damanaki, Svein Jentoft, Callum Roberts, 'The North Sea: past, present and future', chairman Han Lindeboom

May 24, 2012  
Eric Schmidt, ‘The new social media’, chairman Robbert Dijkgraaf

December 16, 2011 
Justin Yifu Lin, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Martin Wolf, ‘Nieuws over de crisis’, chairman Alexander Rinnooy Kan

June 17, 2011  
Daniel Dennett, Adrian Owen, ‘On consciousness’, chairman Peter Hagoort

November 12, 2010 
Amartya Sen, Moisés Naím, ‘The role of Europe in the future geopolitical system’, chairman Joris Voorhoeve

June 16, 2010  
Michael Manning, Alan Rusbridger, ‘Journalism and democracy’, chairman Joris Luyendijk

November 11, 2009  
Peter Sloterdijk, ‘Ueber Antropotechnik’, chairman René Gude

April 3, 2009  
Jacques Herzog, ‘Architectuur’, chairman Alexander Tzonis

November 12, 2008  
Karin Lochte, Robert Correll, Paul Crutzen, ‘The polar regions in a changing world’, chairman Han Lindeboom

November 23, 2007 
Nafis Sadik, ‘Women and Islam’, chairman Joris Luyendijk

May 16, 2007  
Dominque Moïsi, Kemal Derviş, ‘Europa, de ruimte’, chairman Pieter Winsemius, introduction by Geert Mak

April 13, 2007   
Larry Siedentop, Bronsiław Geremek, ‘Europa, de burger’, chairman Ernst Hirsch Balin, introduction by Geert Mak

March 7, 2007  
Robert Cooper, Krzysztof Pomian, ‘Europa, de geschiedenis’, chairman Joris Luyendijk, introduction by Geert Mak

May 19, 2006   
Antje Krog (South Africa); Jit Narain, Robby Parabirsing, Ellen Ombre, Cynthia Mc Leod (Surinam); Diana Domacass-Lebacs (Dutch Antilles); Reggie Baay, Alfred Birney (Indonesia); Kees Snoek (The Netherlands); Philippe Noble (France); Geert van Istendael, Monica van Paemel (Belgium), ‘Nederlands Buitengaats; een taalreünie’, chairman Adriaan van Dis.
In the published introductions are written contributions from Frida Balk, Adriaan van der Staay and Leo Vroman (The Netherlands); Breyten Breytenbach (South-Afrika) and Frank Martinus Arion (Dutch Antilles).

October 26, 2005
Jessica Stern, ‘The anatomy of Terror’, chairman Gijs de Vries

November 5, 2004
Herman den Dijn, Jonathan Israel, ‘Spinoza nu’, chairman Cees Schuyt

March 17, 2004  
Brian Greene, ‘The Elegant Universe’, chairman Robbert Dijkgraaf

October 29, 2003  
Bartha Knoppers, ‘Gene Technology, Ethics and Legislation’, chairman Hans Galjaard

April 11, 2003   
Steve Reich, Enzo Restagno, Martijn Padding, ‘Music technology and tradition’, chairmen Sieuwert Verster, Lucas Vis. In collaboration with the Schönberg Ensemble under the guidance of Reinbert de Leeuw

December 18, 2002  
Felipe Fernández Armesto, ‘VOC 400 jaar’, chairman Leonard Blussé 
April 17, 2002  Orhan Pamuk, interview by Michaël Zeeman, chairman Erik-Jan Zürcher

May 30, 2001   
Martin Malia, ‘Russia under Western eyes’, chairman Joris Voorhoeve

March 14, 2001  
Howard Gardner, ‘Education for an uncertain future’, chairman Alexander Rinnooy Kan

April 12, 2000  
Daniel Libeskind (absent due to illness), ‘The space of encounter’, taken over by introducer Liane Lefaivre and chairman Alexander Tzonis

November 10, 1999  
Ben Okri, ‘Enchanting the future’, chairman John Neubauer. In collaboration with Toneelgroep Amsterdam

June 10, 1999  
Hans Küng, ‘Weltethos; mondiale verantwoordelijkheid’, chairman Jan Sperna Weiland

October 21, 1998 
Richard Langhorne, ‘Globalisation; the future of the nation-state
in the era of new information technologies’. Chairman Piet Hein Donner

November 7, 1997 
Martin Rees, ‘From the “Big Bang” to a Complex Cosmos’, chairman Harry van der Laan

May 14, 1997  
Kenneth Arrow, ‘Economic Growth and the Environment’, chairman Hans Opschoor

November 21, 1995 
symposium concerning the Italian architect Renzo Piano, chairman Kees Rijnboutt

May 25, 1995  
youth symposium: ‘Wat heeft de democratie ons te bieden’, chairman Pieter Winsemius.

October 28, 1994 
André Brink, ‘The anatomy of a miracle’, chairman John Neubauer

March 3, 1994  
Daniel Boorstin, ‘The dynamism of Western Culture’, introduction by Jan-Willem Schulte Noordholt, chairman Henk Wesseling

October 30, 1993 
Mary Bateson, Hubert Hermans, Stephen Toulmin, ‘Value Learning’, chairman Joop Doorman

March 5, 1993    
Günther Können, ‘Photographic setting of the Antarctic Plateau’; David Drewry, ‘Antarctica - its role in global environmental change’; Gotthilf Hempel, ‘Life in the Southern Ocean’, chairman Henk Tennekes

December 1, 1992 
Gae Aulenti, Mario Bellini, Milton Glaser, ‘Design’, chairman Wim Crouwel

May 19, 1992  
Han Suyin, ‘Han Suyin’s China’, chairman Tony Saich

November 15, 1991 
Hermann Haken, ‘Synergetics as a bridge between the natural and the social sciences’, chairman Henk Tennekes

August 30, 1991 
Jozef Deleu, ‘Van bezuiden bezien’; Hella Haasse, ‘Nederlands, binnenshuis en buitenshuis’; Willem Wilmink, ‘De vreemde moedertaal’, chairman Frida Balk

March 19, 1991 
Hans Jonas, ‘Burdens and Blessings of Mortality’, chairman Arend Jan Dunning

September 4, 1990 
René Römer, ‘De sociale geschiedenis van Willemstad, haar wijken en hun bewoners’; Jacques Veeris, ‘De actie Willemstad, een presentatie van het plan’; Rod Hackney, ‘Revitalising historic cities’, chairman Jacob Schiltkamp

November 15, 1989 
Simon Schama, ‘1789: The Invisible Revolution?’, chairman Henk Wesseling

February 24, 1989 
Piet Borst, ‘Biochemie van DNA-diagnostiek’; Henk Leenen,  ‘Gezondheidsrecht en toepassing van genetische methoden’; Heleen Dupuis, ‘Genetica-geen ethica?’, chairman Lolle Nauta

September 28, 1988 
Symposium `William and Mary'. Charles Wilson, ‘1688: Finance and Politics’; Ernst Kossmann, ‘Europe in 1688: The Stadholders Decision’, chairman Ivo Schöffer

April 15, 1988  
Roy Strong, ‘The Inspiration and Burden of the Past. Contemporary Gardening from a British Viewpoint’; Jeffrey Jellicoe, ‘The Public Garden Today’, chairman Adriaan van der Staay

December 15, 1987 
Edgar Morin, ‘Penser l’Europe’; Hans Magnus Enzensberger, ‘Ach, Europa’, Timothy Garton Ash, ‘The European Question’; chairman Willem Brugsma

March 20, 1987 
Charles Correa, ‘Shelter for the homeless, a challenge for the third world cities’; Cor Dijkgraaf, ‘The effectiveness of urban aid’, chairman Pieter Winsemius

December 6, 1985 
Hans Galjaard, ‘Ziekte kent geen grenzen’; Jan Blanpain, ‘Geneeskunde zonder grenzen: fata morgana’; Louis Stuyt, ‘Grenzen zonder geneeskunde’; Piet Thoenes, ‘Grenzen aan de gedragsbeïnvloeding’, chairman Ben Polak

June 11, 1985  
Lester Thurow, ‘Can the world economy work as it is now structured?’, co-reviewer Etienne Davignon, chairman Victor Halberstadt

27 November 1984 
Nicolaus Harnoncourt, ‘Was ist Wahrheit?‘, chairman Willem Sutherland

September 12, 1984 
Jane Jacobs, ‘City and economy’, chairman Jan Lambooy

November 9, 1983 
Tineke Vroman, ‘Perceptie van de werkelijkheid. Onthullende stoornissen’; Leo Vroman, ‘Perceptie van de werkelijkheid in kunst en wetenschap’, chairman Hugo Brandt Corstius

November 5, 1982 
Peter Scott, ‘The International Importance of Wetlands’; Albert Wiggers, ‘Verlies en winst aan natuurwaarden in het natte hart’; Ir M.E.W. Harmsen, ‘Waterbeheersing en waterbeheer in het IJsselmeergebied’; Jan van den Ban, ‘De betekenis van de Zuiderzeewerken voor de ruimtelijke inrichting van Nederland’, chairman Ivo Samkalden

October 14, 1982 
Ernst Gombrich, ‘Tradition and Creation’, chairman Robert Scheller

October 2, 1981 
Aldo van Eyck, ‘De actualiteit van Tange’; Kenzo Tange, ‘My Architectural Autobiography’, chairman Adriaan van der Staay
 
March 2, 1981  
conference with philosopher Ivan Illich, ‘Shadow-work’, chairman Joop Doorman

March 28, 1980 
panel conference ‘grote steden’. Exchange of thoughts on send out theses. Chairman Harry Verheij

6 April 1979  
Richard Leakey, ‘Voorouders van de Mens’, chairman Marius Jeuken

March 9, 10 & 30, 1979   
‘Tussentijds Bestek’, among others Wim Crouwel, Emmy van Overeem, Jos van Kemenade, Kees van Peursen, Wouter Gortzak, Albert van den Heuvel, Wim de Roos, Erik Zürcher, Herman Schulte Nordholt, Joost Stalpers. Chairman Bob Goudzwaard