Presenter: Ruth Allan Rigby

This walk will cover the history and evolution of Westmount Park, first created in 1898. Over time the park was surrounded by municipal and community buildings: a library, churches and the Westmount Recreation Centre, a state- of –the- art sports complex, etc.

Location: meet at the Floral Clock, 4626 Sherbrooke Street (Lansdowne)

Presenter: Mireille Coulourides

An in-depth analysis of white supremacy including discussion of the rise of the extreme right in Europe, the EU elections, and the rise of white supremacy in the USA.

Presenter: Marna Murray

Early in the 20th century Edward Curtis photographed and documented the lives of the North American Indians. Many of his photographs are iconic portraits and landscapes. He also presented the architecture, livelihoods, and artifacts of more than 80 tribes. The lecture will cover his 30-year effort, the photographs and his legacy.

Presenter: Catherine Watson

French born director Sophie Barthes was the first woman director to bring Flaubert’s novel to the screen.  Starring Mia Wasikowska (as Emma Bovary), Paul Giamatti and Ezra Miller, the film was made in English.  There will be a screening of the film, a brief introduction and a discussion following if time allows.

Presenters: Kappy Flanders, Suzanne O'Brien

Learn more about the IMAGINE Week – series of events taking place throughout Montreal from October 14 to 20. The IMAGINE Week, sponsored by the McGill Council on Palliative Care, will host over 50 activities, for people of all ages, aimed at sparking conversations, breaking taboos and harnessing the power of creativity to deepen our experience of life and enable us to come to terms with our experience of death.

Presenter: Ben Sperer

A look at the world of 1872 to 1914, precursor years to the first world war.

Presenter: Denis Thompson

Denis Thompson, a retired Major-General from the Canadian Army, commanded the Multinational Force & Observers in the Sinai from 2014 to 2017 in the presence of a local chapter of the Islamic State.  He will describe the challenges faced by his force of some 2,000 soldiers and civilians to deliver on an important peacekeeping mission between Egypt and Israel.

Presenter: Kuai-Yu (Paul) Leong

John Barry is best known for his James Bond film music and Oscar scores in Born Free, Out of Africa, Dances with Wolves.  Join us to a trip down the memory lane with his beautiful music and film clips.

Presenter: Horst Richter

Since we will not be able to visit Notre-Dame de Paris for many years to come, we will start this lecture with a video about the cathedral highlighting what we have lost. After an exchange/discussion of this video I will follow up with a more personal memorial reflecting on the bearing the study of cathedrals – and then especially this Notre Dame cathedral – had at the beginning of my studies to become a medievalist.

Presenter: Manon Wascher

Journaling is private writing about our thoughts, ideas, emotions, lives, etc.  In this Morning Journaling workshop we will work with journal-writing exercises that help beautifully shape our days.  By the end of this workshop you will know why people world-over have been journaling for centuries.

Presenters: Dr. Nii Addy, Brian Webber

This two-part panel discussion will introduce the life journeys and projects of Queen Elizabeth Scholars (QES), who are embarked on research at McGill and the University of Ghana, either as doctoral students or early career faculty members. We will also explore how members of MCLL might contribute, through their life experiences, knowledge and networks, to co-creating intergenerational-learning initiatives.

Presenter: Morty Ellis

The session will feature excerpts from a selection of trios, quartets and quintets including works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Tchaikovsky all in DVD format.

Presenter: Romano M. De Santis

Reflections about practicing the kind of science in which the presenter was involved before retiring and the kind of art to which he now devotes his time. Besides evident differences in problems considered and tools and languages adopted, these two apparently distinct undertakings appear as alternative approaches to fulfil a same intellectual endeavour.

Presenter: Thelma Timmy Cohen

Delight in Matisse’s colourful works and follow his development from his early Fauvre period to his final brilliance as a Master of 20th Century art! Fans of singer-poet Leonard Cohen will have the opportunity to hear his song, “Dance Me to the End of Love” – its lyrics featured in a book of illustrations by Matisse.

Presenter: April Colosimo

Journal articles are used to communicate experimental results among members of a scientific community, and as such can be intimidating for other readers. This workshop will cover the organization of scientific papers and how to approach reading them. Participants may bring articles to use during the exercises, but sample papers will be provided

Presenter: Mireille Coulourides

Latest developments subsequent to the release of the Mueller report: Cyber Security and the coming 2020 election in the USA.

Presenter:  Connie Lavallée

Mary Magdalene has fired the imagination of artists, writers, philosophers and historians for almost 2000 years.  This presentation will outline her role in both the Western and Eastern traditions, as well as the focus on her during the Middle Ages and her importance to medieval shrines and pilgrims.

Presenter: Howard King

This lecture will give the members information on how to survive an attack through scenarios.

Two concepts on surviving an attack will be introduced.

Presenter: Freda Segal

The purpose of the workshop is to learn social skills through improvisation. Laughter is a key component.

Presenter: Ben Sperer

Selection from Let Me Tell You, the book of short stories by Ben Sperer that has just been published.

Presenter: Thérèse Bouchez

First, we will watch a video of the artist as she comments on her February exhibition in the Espace Peugeot (in French, 18 minutes). Then, I invite you to meditate on her celestial symphony « La Genèse »: 57 illustrations, with texts by Jean d’Ormesson (in French). No need to understand French to appreciate her art works!

Presenter: Oswaldo Nunez

Osvaldo Nuñez, réfugié d'origine chilienne où il a travaillé au sein du gouvernement Allende, est arrivé à Montréal en 1974.  Il a eu une carrière remarquable au Canada. Il fut élu député fédéral de 1974. Depuis qu'il a pris sa retraite, il retourne au Chili annuellement, pour quatre mois. Il est donc bien placé pour décrire l'évolution de ce pays fascinant.

Presenter: Ruth Allan Rigby

This library at Nineveh was built by King Ashurbanipal (669-626 BC) and is the subject of a recent exhibition at the British Museum. This lecture will discuss the Library, how it was lost for 2,000 years and rediscovered in 1849 and its literature importance. An illustrated lecture.

Presenter: Gregg Blachford

Using snapshots from my past, I will talk about my experiences as a gay man starting with my coming out in Toronto in 1971, through my involvement with the Gay Liberation Front in Sydney, Australia up to the impact that the HIV/AIDS crisis had on me and gay men in the 1980s in London, UK.

Presenters: Tony Frayne, Hélène Robillard-Frayne

Germany is not often the first priority for a trip to Europe. Yet, tucked away, it has bucolic countryside, atmospheric historic towns and villages, often UNESCO World Heritage, as well as classics such as the Rhine Gorge. Come and hear tales of recent experiences and see photos of a trip by Hélène and Tony in summer 2018.

Presenter: Ruth Allan Rigby

This illustrated lecture will explore the history of Notre Dame, its basic elements as a Gothic cathedral and the specialized crafts people involved. It will explore the damage done in the recent fire and how it may be restored.

Presenter: Ros Acutt

Take a photographic journey through Southeast Asia with Ros Acutt to see jungles, temples, beaches and elephants in Thailand, explore the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, visit tumultous Saigon and explore Viet Cong tunnels in Vietnam, and savour a dim sum breakfast in Hong Kong. Along the way, there will be a culinary experience in a Thai cooking school and a motor bike trip around an island in the Andaman Sea.

Presenter: April Colosimo

This is a hands-on workshop to help you to set up your iPad (and other mobile devices) and to make the most of what the Library has to offer. Applications will include OverDrive (e-books and audiobooks) and PressReader (magazines and newspapers). Your McGill email address and password are required.

Presenters: Nii Addy, Brian Webber

This two-part panel discussion will introduce the life journeys and projects of Queen Elizabeth Scholars (QES), who are embarked on research at McGill and the University of Ghana, either as doctoral students or early career faculty members. We will also explore how members of MCLL might contribute, through their life experiences, knowledge and networks, to co-creating intergenerational-learning initiatives.

Presenter: Richard Flanagan

This is a follow-up to a previous talk - “Finding Eduard Bauch” – a man with no personal history. This talk describes the 10-year search for and discovery of Eduard’s mother, Natalia Ziert, in the archives and villages of Poland, Russia and Kazakhstan. It culminates with the location of living relatives in Ukraine and the US.

Presenter: Eduardo Cabrera

The first photograph of a black hole has been shown to the world, offering humanity visual proof of one of the key elements for understanding the universe. Let us explore humanity's vision of the universe through the ages; how it changed, how it evolved and what it tells us about ourselves and our society.

Presenter: Elizabeth Robinson

A public health physician explains why a prestigious medical journal has claimed that “tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century”.

Presenter: Noga Emanuel

Arendt’s often scandalous thinking evolved and undulated to the rhythm of the horrific events that marked the 20th century. In this presentation I will posit some of the better-known episodes in which the ironical juxtaposition between her deeply-entrenched Jewish identity and mainly German upbringing collided, and to what effect.

Presenter: Sharen McDonald

Visiting the Pyramids, the Parthenon or Machu Picchu is undeniably an awe-inspiring experience. Luckily, we can also enjoy history closer to home; people are endlessly fascinating, and there are always intriguing stories to hear. Join us for a ‘virtual tour’ lecture about Pointe-Claire Village’s landmarks and its history since the 1700s.