Speakers Annex Fall 2025 - How Paris Changed the World

In this new series from Speakers Annex favourite Lisa Pasold, a Governor General’s award-nominated writer and TV host based in the City of Light, we’ll take an immersive journey through the history and boulevards of this enchanting city and consider Paris’s outsized impact on many aspects of urban life that we’ve come to cherish.

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For almost a thousand years, Paris has been revolutionizing our idea of the modern city.

In this new series from Speakers Annex favourite Lisa Pasold, a Governor General’s award-nominated writer and TV host based in the City of Light, we’ll take an immersive journey through the history and boulevards of this enchanting city and consider Paris’s outsized impact on many aspects of urban life that we’ve come to cherish.

From urban planning to rebellious café intellectuals, from rioting over bread to Michelin-starred restaurants, Paris has transformed our architecture and profoundly influenced how we eat. We’ll trace the city’s dramatic impact on visual art and explore its role in inventing cultural archetypes, such as the fashionista and the modern celebrity. We’ll meet grand dukes and dames, visionary painters and the oh-so-chic rebels behind political and cultural revolutions.

Drawing on exciting new material that we didn’t cover in her popular recent courses on Paris’s cultural landmarks and cafe society, this new series will be equally enjoyable for both new attendees and longtime fans of Lisa’s delightful programs, as she brings her passion and curiosity to the thousand-year story of a city that continues to inspire us.

For the lecturer bio, and a full rundown of the topics covered in each lecture in this series, please check out the course syllabus HERE.

**Interested in attending more than one of our fall Speakers Annex programs? Then consider signing up for our “Fall Season Pass”, which gives you an all-access pass to all four of our fall courses at a significant discount. You can sign up for the fall pass HERE—or by contacting our Help Desk at help@mnjcc.org or 416-924-6211 x0.

Notes: Location: All lectures are in the Al Green Theatre. Course subscriptions: -$99+Tax MNjcc Members -$119+Tax Non-Members **Please note: Drop-in tix to individual sessions will be made available for purchase within 8 days of each lecture, subject to availability. Questions? Email thespeakersannex@gmail.com or contact the Miles Nadal JCC Help Desk at help@mnjcc.org or 416-924-6211 x0.