Curiosity above all
We come together to learn — to hear a talk that stretches us and to ask the question we have been turning over. No subject is off the table.
About the Salon
A circle of curious minds
Founded in 2013 and based in Zurich, the International Academic Salon promotes international cultural, scientific and business ties through gatherings held around the world.
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Our story
From a single dinner to a salon that spans the world
The International Academic Salon began as a small gathering of friends who believed that the best evenings are the ones that leave you thinking. In the tradition of the European salon — first cultivated by intellectuals in the 17th and 18th centuries — we invite a young, international community to exchange knowledge and ideas alongside cultural entertainment.
Since 2013, the salon has convened in private homes and remarkable venues across more than a dozen countries, turning current matters of politics, science and culture into the stuff of memorable conversation.
What we value
The spirit of the salon
An international spirit
Our members are drawn from many countries and disciplines. The salon travels the world, and so do the perspectives around the table.
Conversation as craft
Good conversation is an art. We make space for it — unhurried, generous and genuinely curious about one another.
Friendship that lasts
What begins as an evening of ideas becomes a community. Across years and cities, the salon is above all a circle of friends.
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“A young group of individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds and broad interests — a platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas, alongside cultural entertainment.”
Explore our gatherings