Friday, March 28, 2025
5:00 PM

Night of Ideas featuring Dr. Peter Hotez 
Presented with Villa Albertine & Institut Français 
Pay What You Can $0-25 for Full Event (5-9pm)
General admission chair seating 
 
Villa Albertine’s signature evening of arts and culture marathon, “Night of Ideas,” took place from March 27 through April 6 across 20 US cities. The event brought together thought leaders, activists, performers, authors, and academics to engage the public in late-night discussions addressing major global issues. This year’s unifying theme, “Common Ground,” encouraged participants to reflect on how we can commit to and protect what we share. Conversations explored ways to foster authentic interpersonal connections in an increasingly digital world, opportunities for dialogue in a polarized political landscape, and strategies to preserve the land amidst extreme weather threats. Night of Ideas was presented by Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation and coordinated worldwide by the Institut Français.

This year’s festival at the Rothko Chapel will include events exploring common ground in pursuit of health justice with performances and talks:
5pm - “Connecting through Music & Medicine,” Performance by Texas Medical Center Orchestra
6pm - "Texas Through Women’s Minds," Talk by Prune Antoine, French writer and resident of Villa Albertine
6:45pm - “The Advocacy Power of Music & Poetry,” Performance & Discussion with Toni Hickman & Sofia Heyl 
Special Thanks to Community Partner ReelAbilities
7:30pm - "The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science," Talk by Dr. Peter Hotez, epidemiologist & professor
8:30pm - Reception & Book Signing with Dr. Peter Hotez
 
Keynote speaker Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also the Co-director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics.  He is also University Professor at Baylor University, Fellow in Disease and Poverty at the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy,  Senior Fellow at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University, Faculty Fellow with the Hagler Institute for Advanced Studies at Texas A&M University, and Health Policy Scholar in the Baylor Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy.  He is releasing a new book in February 2025, The Deadly Rise of Anti-science: A Scientist’s Warning.