Events

January 2026

Tue 27 January 2026

Hybrid lecture | Preparing for the worst: Japan and a Taiwan Strait crisis

Mina Pollmann (Leiden Asia Centre) talks about Japan's preparation to support displaced populations for a possible evacuation from Okinawa in the event of conflict.

Tue 27 January 2026 - Wed 28 January 2026

Conference | The poetics of olfaction

What does it mean to see smell? Different speakers talk about the  ways in which early modern writers (1500-1800) used the language of smell (olfaction).

Tue 27 January 2026

KITLV hybrid seminar | The elderly and climate change in Eastern Indonesia

Older adults and women in the Global South are disproportionately affected by climate change. Sharyn Graham Davies (Herb Feith Indonesia Engagement Centre) explores how  they make use of climate resilience strategies and studies whether they are effective. 

Wed 28 January 2026

Lecture | The government-aligned intellectual scene in Turkey

Dogan Gürpınar (Technical University Istanbul) traces the political discourse in Turkey produced by AKP-aligned intellectuals. 

Wed 28 January 2026

IIAS online event | Rethinking the Indian Ocean world

Different scholars explore how the Indian Ocean can be studied, taught, and engaged with differently, both inside and outside academia. 

Thu 29 January 2026

NINO Annual Event | Food & Ritual

The NINO Annual Meeting offers an opportunity for students and researchers of the Near East in the Netherlands to exchange ideas about ongoing and envisioned research projects. The topic is 'Food and ritual.

Thu 29 January 2026

Hybrid conference | Becoming an inclusive university

A diversity of perspectives are explored that can change the system. Practical tips are shared for teaching, learning and working at Leiden university. In The Hague.

Thu 29 January 2026

Symposium | Wat betekent AI voor ons onderwijs?

Thema’s als het belang van academische vaardigheden in een samenleving waar AI een steeds grotere rol inneemt, de gevolgen van AI voor onderwijs en toetsing en de ontwikkeling van richtlijnen staan centraal. 

Thu 29 January 2026

KITLV seminar | Social and spiritual structures through an abbot’s funeral in urban Bangkok

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Wenlan Wang (Leiden University) discusses the question: What happens to a temple when its abbot (person in charge of a monastery) passes away? She focuses on abbots' funerals in urban Bangkok and the social and spiritual structures they reveal. 

Thu 29 January 2026

RMO evenement | Je bent wat je eet

Deze avond staat in het teken van voedsel en rituelen in de oudheid. Verschillende verhalen vertellen meer over het wereldbeeld van mensen uit de oudheid en hun manier van leven.

Thu 29 January 2026

Evenement | Nacht van de Lobbyist

Verschillende sprekers bespreken ruimte voor andersgestemden in Nederland, de veranderende kracht van politieke taal en de scheidingslijn tussen lobbyen en activisme. In Den Haag.

Thu 29 January 2026

Lecture | Philosophy to the rescue

In this Lorentz Lecture, four thought-provoking new perspectives on important societal issues are presented.

Fri 30 January 2026

Debate | The Roman empire and world history

Different historians debate Rome in relation to both its Afro-Eurasian context and other ‘global empires’ in history.

Fri 30 January 2026

IIAS roundtable | Europe-Global South knowledge exchange

Vice President of the European Parliament Younous Omarjee talks with representatives from Dutch universities and different institutions about how Europe can work together with partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America during increasing geopolitical uncertainty. 

Fri 30 January 2026 - Sat 31 January 2026

Conference | Historical Sociolinguistics Young Researchers Forum

Follow  two workshops, a masterclass and a keynote lecture about historical sociolinguistics or language history more generally.

Fri 30 January 2026

RMO hybride lezing | Archeologie in Noord-Holland

Tijdens deze 12 Provinciën-lezing vertellen onderzoekers in vier lezingen over archeologische vondsten in Noord-Holland die meer vertellen over de bronstijd, een scheepswrak, kastelen en suiker.

February 2026

Mon 2 February 2026

Lecture | International law as justice instead of power in the case of Palestine

This year's Dries van Agt Lecture brings together Dr. Naledi Pandor and Prof. Noura Erakat, moderated by Nadia Bouras, to discuss the question: How can international law serve justice rather than power in the case of Palestine? In The Hague.

Tue 3 February 2026

Book talk | A thousand miracles

Judge Theodor Meron CMG reflects on some of the transformative moments of his career as legal adviser, diplomat, scholar, international Judge and President of the ICTY and the IRMCT. In The Hague.

Tue 3 February 2026

Quiz | De grote China kennisquiz

Welk team kroont zich in het Jaar van het Paard tot de grootste Chinakenner van Nederland? Leiden Asia Centre organiseert de jaarlijkse China kennisquiz bij Brouwerij Kompaan in Den Haag.

Thu 5 February 2026 - Fri 6 February 2026

NINO conference | Second millennium cuneiform letters and language

Qibīma! Different researchers explore the relationship between letters, language, and everyday speech in cuneiform archives.

Thu 5 February 2026

KITLV hybrid book talk |  Sexuality and Islamic spirituality in early Malay writings

Syahirah Rasheed presents her book 'Sexuality and Islamic spirituality in early Malay writings'. She analyzes Malay manuscripts, poetry, and texts about the body, sex, and sexuality.

Thu 5 February 2026

ASCL seminar | The politics of net zero in Africa

Jessica Omukuti (University of Oxford) highlights the politics and developments around the net zero climate action concept in Africa.

Thu 5 February 2026

Lecture | The Ptolemaic ruler cult in Egypt

Stefan Pfeiffer (Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg) explores the importance of the Greek temple of Hermopolis Magna and the Greek ruler cult in Ptolemaic Egypt.

Fri 6 February 2026

Bijeenkomst | Bekijk oude kaarten van Japan

Conservator Cartografie Martijn Storms vertelt over kaarten uit verschillende perioden en van verschillende gebieden in Japan. 

Fri 6 February 2026 - Sun 8 February 2026

RMO voorstelling | Odyssee

Theatergroep Aluin brengen de Odyssee van Homerus, een van de beroemdste verhalen uit de Griekse oudheid, tot leven in een theatervoorstelling in de Tempelzaal. 

Mon 9 February 2026

Exhibition launch | Picturing scholasticide

This exhibition displays the social and legal effects of Israel's effort to destroy Palestinian institutions of higher education. The exhibition builds awareness and supports the rebuilding of education institutions in Gaza and across Palestine.

Tue 10 February 2026

Lezing | Extremism, disinformation and hostile states

Professor Bart Schuurman bespreekt de verschillende dreigingen waarmee Europese overheden momenteel worden geconfronteerd. In Den Haag.

Wed 11 February 2026

Lezing | Het vergeten taalwonder Giacomo Prampolini

Carmen van den Bergh vertelt over het taalkundig fenomeen en briljant vertaler Giacomo Prampolini (1898–1975), die meer dan 50 talen beheerste. 

Wed 11 February 2026

Symposium | De twintigste eeuw van de Tsjoekovski’s

Petra Couvée en Maksim Osipov vertellen over Kornej Tsjoekovski en zijn dochter, de dissidente Lidia Tsjoekovskaja, die decennialang het middelpunt van het Russische literaire leven vormden.

Wed 11 February 2026

Lecture | Buddhist creativity, commodification, and digitalization in Xi’s China

Since the 1980s, Buddhism in China has been brought back to life. Kai Shmushko (Universiteit van Amsterdam) explores the material economy and use of technology in this new form of Buddhism.

Wed 11 February 2026

Masterclass: Algorithms of Oppression - 8 Years Later

LeidenGlobal hosts a Masterclass with Safiya Umoja Noble, following the award of her honorary doctorate during Dies Natalis. The session offers a critical exploration of how seemingly neutral tools such as search engines and AI systems continue to shape access to knowledge, opportunity and rights.

Wed 11 February 2026

RMO boekpresentatie | Thalassa

Fik Meijer presenteert zijn nieuwe boek Thalassa en schrijft over de rol die de zee  en de oergodin Thalassa speelden in het dagelijks leven van de oude Grieken.

Thu 12 February 2026

Book talk | Ethics in Caribbean archaeology

The book 'Ethics in Caribbean Archaeology. Past, Present, and Future' is presented. The book focuses on  ethical archaeological practices in the Caribbean. 

Thu 12 February 2026

RMO lezing | De verdwenen mummie van Djedhor

Maarten Raven (oud-conservator RMO) vertelt over de ‘verdwenen’ mummie van Djedhor, een vooraanstaand priester uit Thebe (het huidige Luxor in Egypte). 

Thu 12 February 2026

KITLV hybrid seminar | At the threshold: An artistic reflection

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Theo Frids Marulitua Hutabarat (Universitas Katolik Parahyangan, Bandung) explores different ways of engaging with collections from colonial contexts.

Thu 12 February 2026

Lecture | Expressions of "war" and "peace" in medieval Arabic conquest narratives

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Mohamed Benabbès (University of Tunis) talks about the vocabulary of war and peace in the historical narratives of the Muslim conquests in North Africa.

Fri 13 February 2026

Lecture | Christianity in the medieval Middle East

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In this lecture of the Research Seminars Medieval and Early Modern History, Camille Rouxpetel (CNRS) discusses the process of writing a bottom-up, practice-oriented and connected history of Christianities in the medieval Middle East.

Sat 14 February 2026

RMO boekpresentatie | Rome en de Lage Landen

Robert Nouwen vertelt over de invloed van de Romeinen op het gebied dat nu België en Nederland vormt.

Sun 15 February 2026

WML viering | Chinees nieuwjaar

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Geniet van een feestelijk programma vol tradities, een spectaculaire leeuwendans en activiteiten die aansluiten bij de start van het Jaar van het Paard. 

Sun 15 February 2026

Wereldwandeling | Sporen van de Slavernij in Leiden

Aan de hand van deze wandeling door de straten van de historische binnenstad van Leiden, leer je meer over de geschiedenis van de Nederlandse slavenhandel en slavernij, lopend langs gebouwen waar handelaren, tot slaafgemaakten, en voorvechters voor de afschaffing van slavernij woonden.

Wed 18 February 2026

ASCL seminar | Intergovernmental coordination for E- Public Service Delivery in West Africa

Richard Abankwa Agyepong (University of Education Winneba, Ghana) talks about the challenges surrounding public service delivery in Ghana and the value of governmental coordination.

Tue 24 February 2026

RMO lezing | De oudste monumenten ter wereld

Necmi Karul (Universiteit van Istanbul) vertelt over archeologische opgravingen van de oudste door mensen gemaakte monumenten ter wereld gevonden in het Turkse heuvelgebied Taş Tepeler.

Tue 24 February 2026

Book talk | The rise and fall of global Islam

Faisal Devji (University of Oxford) presents the book "Waning Crescent: The Rise and Fall of Global Islam". In it, he follows Islam through history and its implications for politics.

Thu 26 February 2026

LeidenGlobal Dialogues | Egyptian Mummified Remains in Museums

Rethinking terminologies & modes of display. Mummified Ancient Egyptian remains fascinate museum audiences worldwide, but their display raises ethical, social, and political questions. In this edition of the LeidenGlobal Dialogues two experts reflect on these questions followed by an interactive exchange of ideas and an open Q&A with the audience.

Fri 27 February 2026

Lecture | Language learning for infants

In this LUCL Colloquium lecture, Sho Tsuji (University of Tokyo) discusses experimental and observational evidence about how infants learn a language within their social context.

March 2026

Tue 3 March 2026

Lecture | Forced displacement and population sorting in civil wars

Dr. Adam Lichtenheld discusses the use of population displacement in wars. He uses research from Uganda and Syria, and case studies from Burundi, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In The Hague. 

Wed 4 March 2026

Lecture | Daoism on the irrelevance of books

David Chai (Chinese University of Hong Kong) explores the negative relationship between the school of Daoism and books in ancient China.

Thu 5 March 2026

Lecture | CPP Colloquium

The Centre of Political Philosophy invites  Zoltan Miklosi (Central European University, Vienna) to speak about global political morality, political ethics, and hybrid regimes.

Fri 6 March 2026

Lezing | De prijs van vrij denken

De Annie Romein-Verschoorlezing wordt verzorgd door Nadia Bouras. Ze reflecteert op academische vrijheid als een eerstegeneratie-wetenschapper en vrouw van kleur aan een Nederlandse universiteit. 

Sun 15 March 2026

Wereldwandeling | Sporen van de Slavernij in Leiden

Aan de hand van deze wandeling door de straten van de historische binnenstad van Leiden, leer je meer over de geschiedenis van de Nederlandse slavenhandel en slavernij, lopend langs gebouwen waar handelaren, tot slaafgemaakten, en voorvechters voor de afschaffing van slavernij woonden.

Tue 17 March 2026 - Tue 27 January 2026

Hybrid presentation | Unfolding unopened letters based on X-ray tomography

Records of the 16th- and 17th-century English Court of Wards and Liveries are mostly badly damaged or still unopened. This presentation explores the opening of these records by virtually unfolding the locked manuscripts. 

Tue 24 March 2026

Symposium | What methods do

In a series of sessions, internationally active artist researchers reflect on their role in the production of knowledge and the role of art in a societal context. In Utrecht.

Thu 26 March 2026

Conference | Who is Asian?

The diversity of Asia has made it challenging, and at times controversial, to define the region. Speakers critically reflect on the complexities, diversities and contradictions that define Asia and its representations.

Fri 27 March 2026

Lecture | Negation compounds in Old Hittite

In this Comparative Indo-European Linguistics (CIEL) Seminars lecture, David Sasseville (École pratique des hautes études, Paris) uses a Luwian song in Old Hittite to study negation compounds.

April 2026

Wed 8 April 2026

Lecture | East Europe’s forgotten peasant revolution

Professor Jakub Beneš (University College London) reconsiders the period of world wars and focuses on East Europe. 

Thu 9 April 2026

RMO quiz | Ken-Uw-Klassieken Pubquiz 2026

Test in de Tempelzaal je kennis over Griekse en Latijnse literatuur, klassieke mythologie, oude geschiedenis, antieke wijsbegeerte en archeologie.

Tue 14 April 2026 - Fri 17 April 2026

Conference | European human behaviour & evolution association

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Different speakers explore the meaning of AI developments for research on behavioural sciences, anthropology, archaeology, sociology, linguistics, medicine, and more. 