Intelligent Conversation

You can now join us for some friendly Badminton games on Wednesdays too! All levels welcome! IMPORTANT: in order to secure your place you’ll need to both book a spot on Meetup AND pay €8 by Sunday 18h00. This is to make sure we can cancel courts if demand isn’t there, and make sure we’re being fair to people on the waiting list. Refunds will only be possible after Monday AM if another player is definitely able to take your spot Always worth joining our Whatsapp group as well for faster, often better, updates: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FTipqtyIwcZLThbw8KpQtZ?mode=gi_t

**Soirée débat — Cuba : l’échec du communisme ? Aux radical-chic européens ne reste-t-il que la Corée du Nord ?** Cette semaine, notre discussion porte sur Cuba. Depuis la révolution de 1959, l’île est gouvernée par une dictature communiste. Pendant des décennies, Cuba a survécu grâce au soutien économique de puissances alliées, d’abord l’Union soviétique, puis le Venezuela, l'Iran, la Chine. Aujourd’hui, l’économie cubaine traverse une crise profonde : pénuries alimentaires, coupures d’électricité, inflation, migration massive et dépendance énergétique. La fin du soutien pétrolier vénézuélien ont accentué une situation déjà dramatique. Dans le débat public occidental, Cuba est souvent présentée à travers des récits simplifiés : – soit comme un symbole romantique de résistance révolutionnaire – soit comme un exemple caricatural d’échec politique Notre objectif n’est pas de répéter ces récits. Notre objectif est de comprendre. *** ### **Topics We Cover** Nous analyserons la situation cubaine à travers plusieurs angles : **1\. Le système politique cubain** Comment un régime communiste à parti unique a-t-il maintenu le pouvoir pendant plus de six décennies ? **2\. L’économie cubaine et ses limites** Pourquoi l’économie planifiée cubaine produit-elle pénuries chroniques, dépendance énergétique et faible croissance ? **3\. Les sanctions américaines** Quel est l’impact réel de l’embargo américain ? Affaiblit-il le régime ou renforce-t-il sa légitimité politique ? **4\. La fin du soutien vénézuélien** Quel rôle le pétrole subventionné du Venezuela a-t-il joué dans la survie du modèle cubain — et que se passe-t-il lorsque ce soutien disparaît ? **5\. L’avenir de Cuba** Transition politique, réforme économique progressive ou stagnation durable ? *** ### **What Makes This Different** – Nous privilégions les témoignages de personnes originaires ou connaissant directement la région – Nous examinons ce que les médias simplifient ou ignorent – Nous encourageons les désaccords argumentés et les perspectives contradictoires – Nous analysons les intérêts, les rapports de force et les réalités économiques — pas les slogans Ce n’est pas un espace de propagande. C’est un espace de réflexion. *** ### **Why This Forum Exists** À Bruxelles, plusieurs initiatives proposent des débats structurés. Trop souvent, cependant, un petit cercle détermine les propositions et limite la diversité réelle des conclusions possibles. Il existe aussi des espaces où la géopolitique se réduit à des slogans anti-américains ou à des indignations partisanes. Ce forum n’est ni l’un ni l’autre. Nous accueillons une véritable diversité d’opinions et d’expériences. Personne ici ne sera exclu pour avoir remis en question un récit dominant. Les idées se confrontent librement. Les attaques personnelles ne sont pas tolérées. *** ### **Motions & Proposals Welcome** Nous encourageons les participants à proposer des motions de débat. Une motion doit être formulée avec sérieux : – une thèse claire – un minimum de contexte historique ou juridique – une compréhension des enjeux géopolitiques Les propositions destinées à stimuler la réflexion sont bienvenues. Les slogans et provocations faciles ne le sont pas. *** ### **Languages** La langue dépendra des participants présents. Les débats se déroulent généralement en anglais et en français, mais nous pouvons accueillir d’autres langues lorsque cela est possible. Langues actuellement possibles : – English – Français – Nederlands – Español – Italiano – Русский – Farsi L’objectif est la compréhension, pas la pureté linguistique. *** ### **What We Ask of Participants** – Venez pour comprendre, pas pour “gagner” un débat – Soyez ouverts à des perspectives qui contredisent les vôtres – Parlez avec des faits, du contexte et de l’histoire – Si vous proposez un sujet, venez préparé – Critiquez les idées, jamais les personnes – Pas de censure des opinions – Pas d’attaques personnelles – Pas de diffamation Le désaccord est normal. La paresse intellectuelle ne l’est pas. *** ### **This is not a dating meetup** Tous les espaces sociaux ne sont pas destinés à flirter ou à chercher des opportunités romantiques. Si vous considérez ce forum comme un terrain de drague ou que vous faites des avances non désirées, vous n’avez pas compris le but de ce groupe. La conversation vient d’abord. Les idées viennent d’abord. Le respect vient d’abord. *** ### **Location & RSVP** L’événement aura lieu à Ixelles, dans un bar public. Pour préserver la qualité et la sécurité de la discussion, le lieu exact est communiqué uniquement aux participants confirmés via notre groupe WhatsApp. 👉 Pour RSVP et recevoir le lieu : https://chat.whatsapp.com/LX7UkWGZ3UdLQWLBvNdezN L’objectif n’est pas l’exclusivité. L’objectif est une discussion sérieuse entre personnes capables de réfléchir librement. The goal is not exclusivity, but accountability and quality of discussion. If this format doesn’t suit you, this event may not be the right fit.

Corporations shape much of the modern world, and behind these corporations are individuals: engineers, managers, marketers, researchers, and countless others whose work contributes, directly or indirectly, to the final product. This raises a fundamental question about responsibility. When a company produces something harmful, misleading, or ethically questionable, where does accountability lie? Is it confined to leadership and decision-makers only, or does it extend to every individual involved in the process? A developer writing code for a platform may not control how it is ultimately used. A scientist working for an energy company may not decide corporate strategy. An employee in marketing or administration may be far removed from the core activity that attracts criticism. Yet without these roles, the company could not function. This debate invites us to explore the nature of ethical responsibility within large organizations. Can morality be separated from one’s professional role, or does it inevitably follow from it? Are individuals morally responsible for outcomes even if they do not control them, or is responsibility something that belongs primarily to institutions? Join us as we examine the relationship between personal ethics and corporate structures, and question where responsibility truly begins and ends in the modern workplace. This debate will follow a British Parliamentary format with eight debaters split into **four teams of two.** Participants who wish to speak are highly encouraged to bring a paper and pen. You are welcome to participate even if you have no prior debating experience. We aim for debates that are respectful, constructive, and welcoming: * **Respect ideas and people** Listen actively, stay quiet while others speak, and debate arguments, not identities or beliefs. * **Be concise and civil** Keep questions short and relevant; avoid hostility, hate speech, or discrimination. * **Respect boundaries and time** No unwanted advances or suggestive behavior; arrive on time to avoid disrupting the debate. * **Follow moderators** They guide the discussion and ensure fairness.

Join our improv jam! This jam gives you the opportunity to try out short-form improv comedy. This session is for beginners and advanced improvisers alike! The idea is to just have fun. Let's gather and create stories that never have and never will exist again! We will play sevral short form games. All the rules and settings of the games will be explained. You just need the Yes And! spirit. Come along, bring a friend! **Practical info:** **Location**: BBP Dansaert Rue Antoine Dansaert 188, 1000 Bruxelles **Time** Doors open: 18:30 Jam: 19h Duration is usually two hours. But you are free to leave if you have to. **Entry:** Free event This event is free of any charge. **Register for the event:** You must register yourself on Meetup event If you bring someone who's not Meetup, please use the Guest option and indicate how many people are you bringing.

**First time comers** Please make sure to read the rules and contact the organizer before! Otherwise you will be moved to waiting list. Apologies for inconvenience but we have to do it to avoid no-shows. **Games format.** 95% are double games (unless someone needs a break), typically 4 people play together 2 sets and then mix with players from other fields. We play with plastic shuttles - Yonex Mavis 2000 (which are provided). **Registration** If it's your first time, please send a private message to the host to confirm. No-shows are taken quite seriously because they unbalance the games a lot. Also once you register please keep an eye on you private messages, in case we need to contact you. **Players level** Having players with much less experience often unbalances the game making it much less interesting for more experienced players. We still try to be welcoming. As a rule of thumb, if you know what a "clear" is, you are welcome to join. (Note that on Sundays the attitude is a bit more relaxed than on Wednesdays, it's the weekend after all ;) ) Otherwise, feel free to get in touch with me (Timur) and we can see if we can arrange so you and existing players can have good experience playing. **Price and payments** The price of participation is EUR 8.95. Payment is on-site in cash, or via payconiq. Info provided during or shortly after the event. **Cancelations and no-shows** * Switches and cancellations are free of charge if done more than 50 hours before the start of the matches * If you cancel within the 50-hour window before the event starts, you will be placed on the wait-list for the next week's event, whether or not a replacement is found. If no replacement is secured, you'll still need to cover your share of the costs.

Welcome to our card games night. We will play on Wednesday from 19h-21h at CHEZWaWa Châtelain, a small restaurant. The address is Rue Américaine 91, 1050 Brussels. (Be careful, there also is another CHEZWaWa restaurant.) Please arrive on time. Feel free to call Bruno if you need directions or have questions at +32 485 298 713. We'll bring a selection of games, and you are welcome to bring any of your own. The restaurant serves delicious Mexican-Californian food you might wanna try. It will be available until 20h30. Our group gets a 10% discount on food. We encourage you to have at least a drink, it helps to keep the business running ;) If you like, you can also come a bit earlier for a chat or a snack. We'll be there from 18h30. Katja and Bruno

Welcome to our weekly event in the upstairs room of The Sister Café, rue Chair et Pain 3, one block from the Grand Place. Please get there early enough to order your drink at the bar first. Thank you! After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations. Past questions have been wide and not confined to academic philosophy: What is a genuine friend? Is social media turning us into emotional zombies? Do we lose some of the experience of things by defining them? Are we driven by sex? Is loneliness a personal failure? Is morality relative? **Crucially, be kind and respectful and generous** in your disagreements; remember how much you personally enjoy someone else proving you wrong before celebrating your cutting counterexamples.

✨ **Meet new people in Brussels in a friendly, relaxed and international atmosphere.** The ambience is relatively quiet, calm and sober for easy-going casual conversation, with no chaos and loud party music in the background! 🍻 Large selection of **drinks and food** available 🌍 **Internationals, expats & locals** welcome 💪 Organized weekly **since early 2025** 📱Please **join our WhatsApp community** via the following invite link for receiving all the latest updates regarding this and many other social events in Bruxelles: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 **Over 10,000 members** **overall in our multicultural and diverse Brussels community!** Many of our participants work in EU institutions, NGOs, tech and international organizations. The event was also covered in a recent article from Brussels Times: [https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1949146/euromeet-the-real-life-brussels-social-network](https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1949146/euromeet-the-real-life-brussels-social-network) 😀 Our events usually attract **30–40 attendees each week**, with an age average of around 35 years old (the event announcement is relayed across multiple social media, not just on this page). Many participants come with friends or colleagues, so feel free to bring someone along! 👩 Our events usually also attract a **balanced mix of men and women**, and many participants attend solo for the first time. The organizer and host of the event will help introduce you to other participants, in case you don't know anyone else yet when you first arrive at the event. Our events remain a relaxed international social meetup experience focused on friendship, conversation and community — **not a dating event.** 🩷 **Safe, respectful environment, and zero tolerance for any harassment!** The organizer is always present all evening in case of problems. You can also leave any anonymous feedback about the event here under this form: [https://gmogni.aidaform.com/brasserie-meetup-feedback-form](https://gmogni.aidaform.com/brasserie-meetup-feedback-form) **.** Looking to meet new people and expand your social circle in Brussels, as well as your network of professional contacts? Join us **every Friday evening anytime from 18:30** **and until at least 23h** **at** **the** **“Quartier Leopold”** **brasserie**, in the heart of the famous Place du Luxembourg in front of the European Parliament, for a fun, relaxed night of **drinks, food, spontaneous conversations, and great vibes**! 💛 . 📍 **Location**: “Quartier Leopold” brasserie, Pl. du Luxembourg 9, 1050 Ixelles 📌 **Google Maps**: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/oCvSP1AGZNX2ZV3C8](https://maps.app.goo.gl/oCvSP1AGZNX2ZV3C8) (don't worry if you see the bar marked as "closed" on Google Maps for the Friday nights, they will always be open for us!) **🌐 Website of the venue**: [https://www.quartier-leopold.be/en](https://www.quartier-leopold.be/en) 📸 **Pictures gallery from previous events:** [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LRbsinA1wEtUrDhlyw8K6Uz9YKeq0_dw?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LRbsinA1wEtUrDhlyw8K6Uz9YKeq0_dw?usp=sharing) . ✨ **Why you’ll love it**: ✅ **Everyone is welcome**, even if you don’t know anyone else yet—expats, locals, newcomers, solo adventurers, or groups! ✅ **Best time for newcomers:** 18:30–19:30, when it’s easier to meet people. ✅ Completely **free to attend**—just grab a drink and join the fun! Please ask the bartenders when you arrive if unsure where to find our meetup group and tables ✅ Possibility to make also useful **professional exchanges and networking** with other participants who work in similar domains, so remember to bring also your business card! ✅ Tons of **indoor and outdoor space available**. ✅ Possibility to have **dinner at the brasserie** during the meetup (until 22h), thanks to its comprehensive selection of dishes available in the menu: [https://www.quartier-leopold.be/web/content/1467?unique=b27f82e985f525417a92cbeaf0f1ac1c5e2fb4a0](https://www.quartier-leopold.be/web/content/1467?unique=b27f82e985f525417a92cbeaf0f1ac1c5e2fb4a0) ✅ **Want to keep the night going?** After the meetup, we often continue as a group to explore nightlife hotspots in the city center. . 💬 **Stay connected with our Community**: ▶️ Join our **Facebook/Messenger chat** to get updates and easily find the group on arrival:[ ](https://m.me/ch/Abaqvj9lxNT3_xh7/)[https://m.me/ch/AbaV86vk4SHop_eD/](https://m.me/ch/AbaV86vk4SHop_eD/) ▶️ Otherwise, if you prefer to use **WhatsApp**, please join this other group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0) ▶️ We are also active on **Telegram**: [https://t.me/euromeet_meetup](https://t.me/euromeet_meetup) ▶️ And don’t forget to join our **EuroMeet Facebook group** for many more social events in Brussels: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/euromeet](https://www.facebook.com/groups/euromeet) ▶️ Finally, we also manage a **professional networking group on LinkedIn** as well, for more easily retrieving each other's LinkedIn profiles and identifying people who also work in similar domains: [https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13194613/](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13194613/) . Come alone or bring a friend—either way, you’ll leave with **new friends, great memories, and maybe even some ideas on how to develop further your professional career!** See you this Friday! 🍻✨😀 . 📧 **Got questions or comments?** Reach out to the **organizer Gabriele**: gabriele.mogni@gmail.com . **Our community values respect and inclusiveness**. If you ever feel uncomfortable, the organizer is present all evening to help. . 👉 Please **RSVP on Meetup** if you would like to attend our next event, so that we can plan accordingly. . *** #BrusselsMeetup #MeetupBrussels #BrusselsEvents #BrusselsSocial #BrusselsLife #VisitBrussels #PlaceLuxembourg #LuxembourgSquare #AfterWorkBrussels #FridayVibes #FridayInBrussels #ThingsToDoBrussels #BrusselsNightlife #SocialBrussels #MeetNewPeople #MakeNewFriends #InternationalBrussels #ExpatsInBrussels #ExpatLifeBrussels #BrusselsExpats #InternationalsInBrussels #YoungProfessionalsBrussels #NetworkingBrussels #BrusselsCommunity #FriendsInBrussels #SocialEventsBrussels #BrusselsAfterwork #EUQuarter #EuroMeet #DiscoverBrussels

# Deep Thought series > with Andreea Petre-Goncalves **Ideas / Conversations \| Sat 11th Apr \| 3\-5 pm** Join us for a hopeful conversation with Andreea \* Stay tuned, more details coming soon \* In the Deep Thought series, Andreea offers opportunities to interrogate our ideas of what is normal and desirable in society. Together we walk towards the mindset shifts that are needed to protect our planet, make the world safe and ensure lives and dignity and meaning for all. Deep Thought is a space for courage and authenticity, with no stone left unturned. We build trust, encourage each other and take action together. What happens to trust in a transactional world? What does a selfish society do for our happiness? What does meaningful work mean in an era of precarity, automation and uncertainty? What is society for? Join us for our monthly conversations. **Open to everyone**

Ciao a tutti! Ci ritroviamo ogni venerdì dalle 18:00 per un bicchiere (si può anche mangiare) da Poppy's Bar, che si trova a 2 minuti di camminata da Parvis St Gilles. Un tavolo per 20 persone è riservato sotto il nome di Salvatore. Dunque, se non ci sono o se sarò in ritardo, potrete chiedere al barista. È un incontro informale, perché non è un evento strutturato, ma piuttosto un gruppo di persone che si riuniscono per parlare e praticare l'italiano. Anche i nativi italiani sono benvenuti :) Tutto ciò che serve è un sorriso — e puoi anche portare un amico! 👉 **Importante:** * È obbligatorio essere iscritti all’evento su Meetup per partecipare. L’iscrizione è importante per gli organizzatori, perché permette di conoscere il numero dei partecipanti e di garantire la sicurezza e il benessere di tutti i presenti. * Se cambiano le vostre circostanze e non potete più venire, annullate la vostra partecipazione per lasciare posto ad altri. * Vi chiediamo di assicuravi di pagare i vostri consumi, per evitare che gli organizatori saranno rimasti a pagare per gli altri. * Si prega di non parlare di politica cosi ci godiama la serata in tranquilita, di rispettare tutti i partecipanti e di non trattare l’incontro come un appuntamento romantici o intimo: l’obiettivo è semplicemente praticare e migliorare l’italiano in un ambiente piacevole e rilassato. PS : FR - Table de conversation en italien chaque vendredi de 18h30 à 22h00 au bar Poppy's, à deux minutes à pied du Parvis St-Gilles" (adresse : rue de Moscou 11, 1060 Saint-Gilles) NL - Praattafel in het Italiaans elke vrijdag van 18.30 tot 22.00 uur in de Poppys bar, op twee minuten lopen van Sint-Gillisvoorplein (adres: 11 Moskoustraat, 1060 Sint-Gillis) EN - Conversation table in Italian every Friday from 18:30 till 22:00 at Poppy's, 2 minutes walk from tram stop Parvis Saint-Gilles (address : Rue de Moscou 11, 1060 Saint-Gilles) ES - Mesa de conversación en Italiano cada viernes desde las 18:30 hasta las 22:00 en el bar Poppy's, a dos minutos a pie de la parada del tranvia Parvis St-Gilles (direccion: Rue de Moscou 11, 1060 Saint-Gilles)

Meet and make new Friends after work.

Making new friends in a new city doesn’t need to be a struggle at all.

Need some quiet time for reading? Want to share the experience with others? Join us at the charming venue of The Sister Café to read in the company of others. It’s alone, but also together, get it? We read for an hour and a half, then chat over a drink. This is a free activity except for the price of the drinks you're consuming.

Interested in seeing what The Alliance has been working on in 2026? Come be our practice audience as we prepare to sing at JAD/CAR Preliminary Contest! We will be debuting our brand new contest set, and you won't want to miss it! Our chapter quartets, Intermission Quartet and Coffee Talk will also be performing! This is a free event!

This event is 2:30 - 4 pm Sunday. Conversation tends toward intermediate/advanced, but everybody is welcome. If you come and don't see us right away, keep looking. We could be anywhere in the restaurant.

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. We will be hearing from Becca Powell, Director of Advocacy and Outreach at Unchained At Last, an organization whose mission is dedication to ending forced and child marriage in the United States through direct services and systems change. Unchained At Last's mission clearly meshes and addresses several of our Humanist Ten Commitments. Becca will educate us about an issue many of us may not be familiar with--but should be. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Join us for an in-depth workshop on Agentic AI through AWS, where we’ll explore foundational concepts, real-world use cases, key AWS services, and how to get started building your own intelligent systems. Led by AWS Solutions Architect and Dev Advocate Fabricio Flores. Hosted at Pomerene Hall 250!

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/55umjqta)

Bienvenue! Columbus French Conversation group invites you to our Saturday morning French conversation club. Expect a casual and welcoming atmosphere in which to learn french! I will bring my laptop so we can look up new vocabulary as needed! The venue is a beautiful French restaurant so you can really get into the zone :)