Where ambition meets ideas.
Discover carefully curated public lectures, author talks, debates and intellectual events in Toronto, Canada — selected by The Mindful City editorial team.
Last updated: September 24, 2026
Yuval Noah Harari · Massey Hall · October 2, 2026
Historian and bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari examines the next horizon of human civilisation — the fusion of biology and technology — and the profound questions it raises abo…
Robin Wall Kimmerer · Daniels Spectrum · October 20, 2026
Botanist and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Robin Wall Kimmerer weaves together Indigenous knowledge and Western science to reveal what plants can teach us about …
Adam Grant · Meridian Hall · November 5, 2026
Organisational psychologist Adam Grant challenges us to cultivate the habit of rethinking — questioning our own beliefs, updating our opinions, and embracing the intellectual humil…
Lawrence Hill · Mattamy Athletic Centre, Toronto Metropolitan University · September 25, 2026
Canadian novelist Lawrence Hill reads from his newest book and talks about race, memory, and storytelling in Canada. The event includes an audience discussion and book sales on sit…
Jerry Saltz · Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) · September 25, 2026
Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz discusses the evolving relationship between curators, critics, and the public in contemporary art institutions. The talk includes a sh…
Thomas Piketty · University of Toronto — Convocation Hall · September 25, 2026
Economist Thomas Piketty presents new research on wealth concentration, taxation, and policy responses in advanced economies. A Q&A with students and community members follows the …
Fareed Zakaria · University of Toronto (Rotman School of Management) · September 25, 2026
Journalist and commentator Fareed Zakaria discusses changing global power dynamics, economic disruption, and their implications for Canada. The event will include a moderated discu…
Michael J. Sandel; Geoffrey Hinton · Roy Thomson Hall (Munk Debates) · September 25, 2026
A high-profile Munk Debate examining whether advanced AI undermines democratic institutions and individual autonomy. Philosopher Michael Sandel and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton argue…
Fareed Zakaria · Roy Thomson Hall (Munk Debates) · September 25, 2026
Foreign affairs commentator Fareed Zakaria presents a lecture drawn from his long engagement with geopolitics followed by a moderated debate on Western influence in the 21st centur…
Mariana Mazzucato · Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto · September 25, 2026
Economist Mariana Mazzucato presents her thesis on public purpose-led innovation and how governments can shape markets toward equitable outcomes. The lecture is open to the public …
John Ralston Saul · Isabel Bader Theatre (University of Toronto) · September 25, 2026
Philosopher and essayist John Ralston Saul explores the role of the public intellectual in democratic life and the current crises of expertise. The talk will be followed by a short…
Kazuo Ishiguro · Harbourfront Centre · September 25, 2026
Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro reads from his recent work and reflects on memory, identity, and the craft of fiction in a conversation with a leading literary interviewer. The event…
Margaret Atwood · Toronto Reference Library (Appel Salon) · September 25, 2026
Acclaimed novelist Margaret Atwood reads from her forthcoming novel and discusses the craft of long-form storytelling. The author will take audience questions after the reading in …
Naomi Klein · University of Toronto — Convocation Hall · September 25, 2026
Naomi Klein examines the intersections of climate crisis, corporate power, and movements for systemic change in a public lecture geared toward students and community members. The t…
Shoshana Zuboff; Fareed Zakaria · Roy Thomson Hall (Munk Debates) · September 25, 2026
Leading thinkers debate whether the dominance of large technology companies should be dismantled in the public interest. The debate will probe competition policy, privacy, and the …
Zakir Khan · Meridian Hall · September 25, 2026
Jaipur Literature Festival: In Conversation with Zakir Khan
Shoshana Zuboff and Reid Hoffman · Roy Thomson Hall (Munk Debates) · September 28, 2026
Leading thinkers Shoshana Zuboff and Reid Hoffman square off in a Munk Debate on whether democratic societies can rein in the power of big tech. Rudyard Griffiths moderates a wide-…
Fareed Zakaria, Chrystia Freeland · Roy Thomson Hall (Munk Debates) · September 28, 2026
A high-profile debate examining whether globalization in its current form can be made equitable and sustainable. Moderated by the Munk Debates team, panelists explore trade, migrat…
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; Eleanor Wachtel (host) · Harbourfront Centre — Fleck Dance Theatre · September 28, 2026
Renowned novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie discusses her new book and the role of storytelling in social change. Host Eleanor Wachtel guides an intimate interview followed by audie…
Michael J. Sandel · University of Toronto — Massey College · September 28, 2026
Political philosopher Michael Sandel revisits questions of justice, civic virtue, and the moral limits of markets in contemporary democracies. The lecture will include an open disc…